Magazine

All in all

A curious blend of flea market and contemporary finds, every inch of Paris’ Hotel Henriette Rive Gauche will ignite your imagination.

Many hotels style themselves as homes away from home, but there’s a certain thrill to experiencing a totally new environment, entirely different to your day-to-day. Staying in accommodation with an aesthetic quite unlike your own, surrounded by someone’s else’s vision, is undeniably inspiring.

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OUI, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT The kitchenette (middle) opens onto a courtyard, while in the private spaces, beautifully simple bed linen from Bodie & Fou and Merci is teamed with cushions in fabrics from Kravet.
OUI, S’IL VOUS PLAÎT The kitchenette (middle) opens onto a courtyard, while in the private spaces, beautifully simple bed linen from Bodie & Fou and Merci is teamed with cushions in fabrics from Kravet.

Designed by fashion editor turned interior designer Vanessa Scoffier, Paris’ Hotel Henriette Rive Gauche is such a place. Given a strict budget, Vanessa set about sourcing décor details from the City of Light’s famed flea markets, spending more than a year finding pre-loved pieces to juxtapose with items by designers including Florence Knoll and Michael Anastassiades to create a look that’s warm, relaxed and at once classic and contemporary.

FOYER Moroccan tiles provide a stylistic twist.
FOYER Moroccan tiles provide a stylistic twist.

Although the boutique hotel’s 32 rooms are individually designed, they all share a glamorous yet liveable vibe that allows guests to feel part of the arty Paris set for the duration of their stay. The wall finishes in each room are a highlight, realised using different techniques: papered in eye-catching coverings, or painted in bold, half-and-half or geometric patterns. Quirky touches abound, such as the use of raw plywood, 1950s light fixtures, and vintage leather mats and doors reimagined as headboards.
The shared spaces – including the dining area, book-filled lounge, hallways and two-person elevator – exhibit the same well-considered balance of colour and style. With its wrought-iron chairs and planters filled with flowers, the old-fashioned winter-garden courtyard is a gorgeous spot in which to adopt the morning ritual of a European breakfast of boiled eggs and cheese, or spend an evening dissecting the day’s discoveries over a bottle of red and a plateful of
local delicacies.

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LOVE IS ALL AROUND The comfy shared living room (above, top) features Platner chairs by Knoll, tables by Pierre Guariche and Arte wallpaper. Moroccan tiles provide a stylistic twist in the foyer (opposite).
LOVE IS ALL AROUND The comfy shared living room (above, top) features Platner chairs by Knoll, tables by Pierre Guariche and Arte wallpaper.

Situated in a quiet cobbled street off the busy Avenue des Gobelins and minutes from the Gobelin Metro station, Henriette makes a great base from which to explore the city. The Luxembourg Garden is within easy walking distance, as is Dose café, which serves an excellent Kiwi-quality flat white in the very cool market street Rue Mouffetard.
Everything a stay in Paris should be and more, this hotel ticks all the design boxes and will inspire you no end. The perfect mix of old and new Parisian design and the perfect hybrid of comfort and style – who needs homely when you have Henriette?

DESIGN TOUR

More Paris must-sees:

Eat At Au Passage, the artfully broken-in décor is accompanied by delicious small shared plates and frenzied but fantastic service for an authentic dining experience.
Shop Tsé & Tsé Associées creates locally produced products that are joyous, contemporary and fast becoming cult classics.
Hunt Covering several avenues, the Portes des Vanves flea market is an amazing place to lose a few hours discovering everything from Jieldé lamps to war medals.
Marvel Palais de Tokyo is a place of wonder, a gallery known for its challenging, cutting-edge and ever-changing installations.

Words Alex Fulton
Photography Hervé Goluza

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