Location: Hôtel La Maison Champs Elysées
Address: Maison des Centraliens, 8 Rue Jean Goujon, 75008 Paris, France
From the outside, it may look like any upmarket hotel you find in Paris. Elegant, with classical beauty that runs through the architecture around the city, but nothing that stands out compared to dozens of other beautiful hotels you can find within a 10-minute walk of this one.
But step inside and you are greeted by a very special interior, and it is very obvious, very quickly, that this is something very different indeed. Designed by Maison Margiela, the interior you find in this wonderful hotel is a monochrome creation that flows through the building as if poured from glass.
The wallpaper features imagery of times gone by, evoking the feel of a Versaillesque stately home, with its beautiful paneling and sumptuous architectural details. These details continue the monochrome scheme, and that, combined with the watercolor style art gives the entire effect a dreamlike quality that lifts every corridor and room. The painted details blend with the real ones of the hotel, creating a mesmerizing visual feast that plays tricks on our perception with delightful ease.
It may be a few years old, but the effect has lost none of its impact, a contemporary feel that still stands out as one of the finest, and certainly unique, interiors you will ever enjoy. It is a standing testament to the true meaning of Trompe l’oeil, the effect is stunning and gives the illusion of space where there is none, giving the entire hotel a character unlike anything else you will ever see.
