It was raining purple in Paris in September! From aubergine and lilac to a purply-red rhubarb, purple was one of the colours du jour at Maison & Objet, along with dusty, earthy neutrals. With the theme of Terra Cosmos in 2024, the show fused earthly inspiration with celestial yearning.
The Maison & Objet exhibition took place alongside Paris Design Week from 5th – 9th September, inspiring around 54,000 professional design visitors with 2,300+ multi-category exhibitors across furniture, art, lighting and home furnishings.
Paris has always balanced timeless elegance with daring innovation, providing endless inspiration. We loved the fierce textures and bold colours at the event, as well as the more ethereal influences. Here’s our breakdown of colours and textures to feed into your work over the coming year.
Earth Meets Sky in Dreamy Colour Palettes
Moody and sophisticated shades of purple, aubergine, burgundy and ultramarine took centre stage in Paris, capturing the mystery and depth of space.
The deep cosmic hues were balanced by earthy neutrals, with dusty terracotta and rust pervading objects. Think a ‘Dune’ like aesthetic combining the futuristic with the elemental.
‘Earth Meets Sky’ in the Terra Cosmos installation by Elizabeth Leriche at Maison & Objet. Image: Skye Rytenskild
Primal Shapes and Fierce Textures
Organic forms and curves flowed through designs. Textiles like bouclé and alpaca wool, with their tactile, cosy appeal, bring the beauty of nature indoors. While rugged, these materials also create a comforting cocoon which taps into our most human desires. We loved British design star Faye Toogood’s collection for CC-Tapis, which was on show at the Silvera showroom in St Germain (pictured below).
This direction was also evidenced in the leitmotif of sculptural, rounded furniture at Maison & Objet. These earthy textures were sometimes elevated with luxurious cosmic finishes like velvet or metallic accents.
Faye Toogood’s rug collection for CC-Tapis, on display at the Silvera showroom in St Germain. Paris Design Week. Image: Skye Rytenskild
The Poetry of Collisions: Blending Styles and Influences
One of the most inspiring aspects of Maison & Objet: Terra Cosmos was its celebration of contradictions—what M & O’s Designer of the Year Lionel Jadot called the “Poetry of Collisions” at The Talks.
These collisions are increasingly seen in design – merging materials and styles that typically wouldn’t go together. Think rustic wood colliding with sleek metals, or rough-hewn crystals paired with ultra-modern lighting fixtures. The result is an aesthetic that feels both grounded and futuristic. Mixing materials like glass, metal and ceramics creates a poetic fusion, as does connecting the earthy to the cosmic, such as a chandelier dripping with natural crystal forms or a sculptural table that projects a raw, arid minerality.
Incorporate Terra Cosmos into your spaces by focusing on rich, earthy colours like aubergine and ultramarine or incorporating fierce but comforting textures.
Looking for inspiration closer to home? The 21st edition of Australia’s premier interior design trade event, Decor + Design, will take place from 16 – 18 July 2025 at Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Sign up now to receive regular updates on features, visitor registration and inspiration from the domestic and international world of interiors.