Things that inspired me from my recent trip to Paris

While there were many things that inspired me on my recent trip to the City of Lights, I will focus on two and what two huge things they are! What they both have in common is the difference a plan and a designer can make on a project.
In the mid 1800’s, Paris was an unsanitary, dangerous and congested city with more than one million inhabitants. Epidemic after epidemic of cholera raged through the streets killing many thousands of people. Napoleon III was determined to change his city easing the destitution of his people and making the city easier in which to maintain his military rule. He chose Baron Hausmann as the city manager to take on this monumental task. Hausmann started with the water and sewer system for without clean water nothing would be sustainable. He then planned the widening of the streets and neighborhoods and established an inexpensive public transportation system. All of these things make Paris the world-class city that I found inspiring. The Champ de Elysee pulses until the wee hours of the morning with people out to see and be seen. The architecture is at a human scale with nothing being higher than six stories high except the Cathedrals of course! And getting around the city is a dream on the Metro. This is the difference a plan can make.

The other inspiration I took away from Paris was the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles designed by Charles Le Brun. What a fabulous space! Seventeen arched windows that look out to the outdoor gardens are reflected in mirrors on the opposite wall. This space is very grand with Louis IVX’s exploits depicted on the ceiling. But what I found interesting was the level at where the chandeliers were hung. They felt like they were hung at a normal level in an average home. It was a great study in symmetry and scale. Symmetry and scale are two important elements in good interior design and Le Brun knew how to make it all work.

Paris is a beautiful city. I wish I would have had more time to discover it’s beauty. I doubt that we will see again design on this scale. What an inspiration!

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