Imagine Paris in January, when the city trades its summer tourists for something far more dangerous: hordes of interior designers armed with coffee cups and collection lookbooks. During Paris Déco Off, the city becomes our playground, with showrooms flinging open their doors like it’s Christmas morning for design addicts. And there I was, ready to dive headfirst into this textile wonderland.

Like a moth to a particularly expensive flame, I found myself immediately drawn into Arte’s showroom, where the brand’s 3D wall coverings made me question everything I knew about the third dimension. The collections created depths and shadows that practically begged you to reach out and touch them. (Spoiler alert: I did. Multiple times. No regrets.) Meanwhile, Manuel Canovas achieved the holy grail of our industry: high-performance fabrics that maintain that luxurious feel while promising durability. The Vale London dazzled with a venture into rugs through the Cape Looms line, while Phillip Jeffries revolutionized the mundane with acoustical wall coverings that turned functional necessity into sumptuous design. At Iksel, digital wall coverings transformed spaces into immersive artworks, making every wall a potential masterpiece. And oh, Samuel & Sons! The brand’s passementerie showroom was a designer’s playground where every tassel, trim and braid felt like a tiny work of art.

Between showroom visits, Paris itself served as our daily dose of architectural splendor. The elegant boulevards unfolded like ribbons of limestone perfection, with Haussmann-style buildings rising in perfect harmony. Their cream-colored facades, wrought-iron balconies and occasional vibrantly colored front doors created a visual symphony that modern architecture rarely achieves.

Standing before Versailles was a humbling experience that made me question every “luxury” finish specification I’ve ever made. Without so much as a laser level or power tool in sight, these artisans created details that make our modern “hand-crafted” claims look about as special as builder-grade carpet. It struck me particularly when considering modern architecture—how we often default to creating characterless boxes and calling them “custom,” then charging astronomical sums for the bastions of sheetrock.

The ongoing restoration of Notre Dame provided a powerful reminder of Paris’s resilience, while Sainte-Chapelle’s stained-glass windows demonstrated medieval engineering at its most ambitious—their skeletal frames supporting vast expanses of glass that turn sunlight into a kaleidoscope of color.

As for upcoming trends? Let me whisper a secret: watch for a particular shade of verdant green that’s about to have its main character moment. Spotted throughout Paris, from Manuel Canovas’ new collection to impossibly chic Parisian women in tailored coats, this sophisticated hue sits in that sweet spot between earthy and electric. It’s the kind of green that whispers, “I’m sophisticated,” while shouting, “I’m not afraid of color!”

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In Paris, every corner tells a story of design evolution—where historical craftsmanship meets contemporary innovation and traditional techniques inspire cutting-edge creations. The city reminds us that great design isn’t just about aesthetics or function; it’s about creating moments of joy, surprise and wonder. And in January 2025, it did just that, leaving me with a renewed appreciation for both the timeless and the transformative in design.

For more about our travels, head to rachelcannonlimited.com/blog, where I’ve created a four-part travel journal that details the things we saw, ate and experienced—including our stop in London, where we had a private tour of Althorp, the childhood home of Princess Diana.