FINDING BEAUTY
THE ART OF NOTICING
3 March 2026
This year’s journey to Deco Off in Paris—an international gathering of interior designers, editors and makers that has become an annual pilgrimage for so many—centered on meaningful one-on-one time. Some creatives were familiar faces from home whom I came to know more deeply abroad; others were makers whose work drew me to Paris to experience it firsthand.
The trip was a perfect blend of time spent expanding my network of artisans and deepening my professional relationships in some pretty fabulous group settings. A tour of Chateau de Fontainebleau, hosted by DaVinci Marble and Cook Construction, was a highlight of the week. An event at Christian Liaigre took place throughout a four-story building, every floor filled with beauty—women wandered through the party, singing opera here, dancing ballet there—amazing. Wrapping up the week, I attended the “American in Paris” party hosted by a dozen talented makers including DeSousa Hughes and Kneedler Fauchere. It felt like walking onto a movie set and, of course, the fashion didn’t disappoint. Beauty is truly everywhere.
I visited the Paris showroom of John Pomp, who is introducing new creations in wood alongside his fluid creations in glass and bronze. His experimental, non-linear creative process is a lesson in slowing down and observing what unfolds when you explore new mediums in order to innovate products. At Pierre Frey, I was introduced to a fabric line based on archival drawings of the gardens at Versailles. Without knowing the source of the inspiration, the story behind the art, my appreciation of its beauty just wouldn’t have been the same. It would have been skin deep. My visit to the atelier of Elsa Foulon in the northern part of the city reinforced for me that there are many ways to make beauty. Everyone was so generous, and taking the time to see the work through their eyes deepened my appreciation for its value.
Then there was my visit to the studio of Mathieu Lehanneur. There are no words to adequately describe the genius of this man. His work unfolds as a series of engineering marvels. A monumental wood slab floats atop bubbles of clear glass, forming a dining table that feels both grounded and impossibly light. Luminous circular sculptures reflect the movement of the ocean—Mathieu believes everyone should have a piece of sea in their life. Most cerebral are the sculptures representing individual countries, each crafted from rings whose circumference reflects the nation’s population growth over time. His inspiration and output are limitless. Visiting his studio felt like visiting a laboratory of design. His brilliance lies not only in the inspiration, but in the stories behind each work and the engineering that supports them, ultimately brought to life in collaboration with a team of master artisans. His work mimics the earth’s natural processes, unearthing and expressing deeper truths. Truly, it was like meeting a rock star.
In the midst of it all, I carved out time in the mornings to just walk the city. In the quiet of the early mornings, I could slow down and take in the details that might be drowned out by the bustle of the show and all that I was trying to see and do—the beauty of a sidewalk cafe, a stark white piano set within a black window (what was this?!), even the timeless beauty of the city’s Art Deco metro signs caught my attention. After visiting with Elsa Foulon, I walked the hill to the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre to take in the view and came upon the gate of locks. I was struck by the stories that must lie within this spontaneous creative work that has been contributed to by so many.
Patrick Frey said to me, “Every day I try to give more power to beauty.” I couldn’t agree more.
The more you let beauty have its way, the more you notice. Building time in the day to pause and pay close attention is essential for me. Pastor and author John Mark Comer describes this slowing down as “the ruthless elimination of hurry,” a paradigm shift that has had a profound impact on my life. I bookended my trip with a visit to the English countryside to acclimate and a very special trip to the with Musée d’Orsay dear friends—intentional acts of slowing down and being kind to myself in order to receive into the deeper parts of me all that Paris and England had to offer this time.
There is a tension in our current culture between intentional, attentional living and the “busyness” of modern living. This trip back to Paris was a microcosm of that tension. But by focusing on what really mattered to me—time with people, time spent paying attention—I found balance in this very special visit to this luminously beautiful city. I strongly believe that we can all strike that balance, getting in all the things and still carving out time to slow down.
And in slowing down, we can find beauty everywhere. It’s everywhere you look.
With you,
Paulina