Discovered: Le Petit Atelier de Paris

Le Petit Atelier de Paris, www.lepetitatelierdeparis.com, located at 31, rue Montmorency is a beautiful boutique filled with clean, white porcelain pieces, as well as a small selection of jewelry and furniture. Le Petit Atelier de Paris is owned by two French designers and their atelier, where they design and hand make the series of unique work, is downstairs in the shop. On entering the store, it feels as if you have walked into a Zen-like sanctuary. There is a lot of natural wood accented with the delicate, creamy white objects that seem to inspire just by resting on the table. I wanted to move in and live there. The space is softly lit by fixtures of their own design-a ceramic light bulb shaped vessel that fits over the actual bulb and strung by a white cotton cord that looks vintage. This can hang directly from the ceiling or be attached by wood supports to transform into a sconce that would look fantastic by a bed.

Items from the collection include a white espresso cup in a style reminiscent of typical water glasses served at French brasseries. They are presented alone or set on a wood tray with flat stirring spoon. Other pieces include porcelain bowls which are half shiny, half matte; dessert plates in the form of a ridged pie pan with stamped wishes in French such as sante; ceramic magnets, letters, and one of my favorites- the ceramic pitcher with stenciled impression of a measuring tape running vertically along one side. The work is perhaps of an aesthetic that may be seen in other design stores, but the handmade, unique impression of the objects makes Le Petit Atelier de Paris a true find.