Field Guide: Navigating Maison & Objet Like a Pro
Paris Design Week’s Maison & Objet (M&O) happens every September and January, and it’s one of the most important stops in the design calendar. Unlike Milan, it’s less overwhelming, mixing heritage brands with fresh talent, and plenty of midcentury and one-off finds.
Here’s how I approach it.
When to Go
First Day: Best for securing unique pieces before they disappear.
Last Day: Your chance to negotiate. Many exhibitors prefer selling rather than shipping back home.
Pricing: Always B2B-friendly. It’s less about discounts and more about timing.
What to Skip
Giftware Hall: Overloaded with trinkets.
Cooking: Unless pans excite you. Instead head to Serax for beautifully designed tableware.
Home Fragrance: I do like this section, but there is endless repetition. Waks from Greece is a niche candle and fragrance company worth visiting if you are interested in bespoke candles and packaging.
First Stops
Heerenhuis (Belgium): I usually enter in Hall 5 or 6, so my first port of call are these handmade tables from Antwerp. Their ebonised poplar range—benches, side tables—has become a staple in my studio and home.
The Press Lounge: I stop here for Mariages Frères tea, exhibition catalogues and whenever I need a break. In case you can’t access the lounge, there is also a small food court opposite that is usually a little less busy compared to the main halls.
Lighting to Watch
Mitgard (Germany): Midcentury-inspired lamps from the makers of the first modular table lamp that still feels timeless.
Wever & Ducré: Minimalist, functional indoor lighting from Belgium.
Ay Illuminate (Netherlands): Artisanal fixtures in natural materials; perfect for a house in Ibiza.
Miyuca (Italy): Unique, sustainable designs made entirely from natural waste.
Rugs & Textiles
One of the strongest areas of M&O.
Etnik Dokuma (Turkey): Handwoven rugs, rich textures.
Chuk Palu: Extraordinary large-scale wool rug pieces. Recommended for custom design too.
Valentina Hoyos (Argentina): Textiles and bedding in natural palettes and high quality wools.
Natures Collection (Denmark): Cowhides and luxurious sheepskins.
Buenos Norte (Argentina): Woven wool rugs and textiles worth noting.
Ceramics & Objects
Tell Me More (Sweden): Affordable, distinctive pots and Scandinavian pieces with a wabi sabi touch.
When Objects Work (Belgium): Collaborations with architects like Vincent Van Duysen, Nicolas Schuybroek, John Pawson. (Van Duysen’s stackable wood-and-stone ceramics started here.)
Raw Materials (Netherlands): B2B and retail. Unique ceramics and furniture from India and Asia. Their Naga tables are fantastic.
Pagoda (Belgium): Mix of decorative pieces and vintage-wood furniture like consoles, cabinets and coffee tables.
Fernando Arte Africano (Madrid): Vintage African tables, planters, and tree-trunk vessels.
Random Discoveries
Tonucci: Elegant leather pieces.
JD Productions:Unique Pierre Jeanneret pieces and other craft, like stone vessels, vintage hollow palm tree planters, large columns and heritage pieces. If I have cash to spend it would be here.
Unique pieces Oyumi: Cashmere plaits I’ve owned for years—superb quality.
Y.S.M. Products (Japan): Metallic lamps with a sculptural feel.
Gooooo: Belgium-crafted stoneware pots for outdoor spaces.
Atmosphere D’Ailleurs: Patina-rich wabi-sabi pieces, from 100-year-old wood tables to ceramics.
Lobmeyr: For exquisite glassware from one of the oldest Viennese glassmakers.
Best Halls
Craft
Décor & Design
Beauty & Wellness (if you have time)
Skip the rest.
📝 Pro Tips for Maison & Objet
Wear trainers: You’ll cover miles of concrete floors.
Bring a backpack: Ideal for stashing business cards, brochures, and fabric swatches.
Lunch hack: Skip overpriced stands and head to Joe Segaye—not only for furniture, but also one of the better food options.
Hall strategy: Start in Halls 8 and 7, then work your way down through 6 and 5. It keeps the flow logical and less exhausting.
When photographing pieces you like, always snap the stand number or exhibitor sign as well. It saves you from scrolling back later wondering where you saw that perfect table or lamp.
👉 With a little planning and some strategic skipping, Maison & Objet is less about getting lost in the sprawl and more about honing in on discoveries that matter. If you’re pressed for time, you can do it in under 6 hours.
I’ll report on the upcoming September fair in two weeks, after I’m back from Paris and the vintage markets, including my best finds and inspiration for the season ahead.
Yours,
Don