The Paris Market
Have you ever visited a place that recharges you…..speaks to your soul….invigorates your creativity….soothes your spirit? For me, Paris is all of these things. Understandably, I cannot get to Paris as often as I would like but lucky for me I have found a store in the continental United States that is almost as good….a store in Savannah, Georgia called The Paris Market. I know, I know…. a store…really? Yes, really.
Savannah has often been a place we regularly visit. Living in central Florida, it was an easy enough drive and I loved the Old South feel of the city. Remarkably intact after the Civil War, it has a southern charm you can’t easily find. New Orleans and Charleston are close, but Savannah remains my favorite southern city. I sought visiting The Paris Market after seeing an article in Southern Living many years ago. I haven’t been the same since.
This store is hard to explain in words: it is a Parisian café, estate sale, bookstore, clothing and jewelry store, lighting store, candy shop, card store and a seller of natural curiosities like shells, feathers, dried flowers, and taxidermy. Their profile on Instagram reads, “we strive to create a magical world that leaves you inspired.” No truer words have been written.
Here’s a photo of the exterior of the store with their new super cute awnings. The café chairs had me at hello, as if the coffee sign didn’t do it for me.
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Walking through the front doors, you are immediately met with an extraordinary display of tantalizing items. The last time I was there, in July, it was a table full of mercury glass items and concrete busts. Two seemingly different type of things, yet together they just look right.
To the right, you catch a glimpse of the drop dead cutest Parisian café you’ve ever seen.
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
There is a small but perfect little bar where you can order coffees and patisserie. There is a ledge facing a large window where you can perch to enjoy your treats and look out at Savannah’s market area. The bar is flanked in dreamy melon colored silk drapes which frame the picturesque view.
Last July I sat here in pure bliss looking out at the streets which were rain soaked from a recent storm (which we drove through, but nothing was going to stop me). I enjoyed my espresso and salted caramel macaron here.
To the left of the café is an area of a few small tables to sit and relax. Sprinkled around this area are some taxidermy animals, reminding me of Deyrolle in Paris….. a bit odd but, like the mercury glass and concrete busts, it just feels right.
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
The rest of the first floor has a variety of items which changes every time I visit. There are sometimes clothing, such as scarves and shirts, baby and kid items, vintage and vintage-inspired jewelry, dried lavender, soaps, cards and a wall of French candy.
Going down the stairs is when my heart really begins to palpitate. On my last visit they had stacked vintage books, mostly French and German, on the stair treads of every step. I absolutely loved the way it looked:
There is always a large table set to the right of the bottom of the stairs…… it is the highlight of my visit each time to see how they set this table. Here is how they set it last October:
Notice the center piece of autumnal-hued flowers placed in a wooden bucket, the moss underneath the vintage plates, pumpkins, amber bowls and horns.
Here’s how it looked last July in summery shades of blue and green. I love the tablecloth that looked like a piece of vintage fabric, set with aqua antique china, silver pieces, teal cloth napkins and drippy crystal candelabras:
I was so inspired I attempted to recreate the feel of this table in my own dining room:
Here this table is set in another summery palette with different kinds of shells and I love that giant clam shell bowl:
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Here it is set up for Christmas:
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Next to this table last October was this drop dead gorgeous display of birch logs, an antique mantel, gilded frame and books:
A few feet away was another table that had a completely different feel to it. Check out that architectural salvage at the end of the table with the inset mirror. I DIE.
I really loved this office vignette from a couple of years ago. That purple chair is perfection:
Another great thing about this store is all of the different “natural curiosities” they sell: shells, feathers, branches, rocks, insects, bones, dried flowers…. All kinds of things you may not normally think of to decorate with but when you see it you’re like, “that is brilliant”!
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Photo by The Paris Market, Instagram
Did I mention the books? There is usually a long table set up downstairs with all kinds of great travel, cooking and decorating books:
Every time I go to The Paris Market it’s like a completely different store. The vignettes and displays are constantly changing. I get inspired each and every visit.
If you ever find yourself visiting Savannah, do yourself a favor and go to The Paris Market. The rest of the city is fabulous too. We love walking along the River Walk to The Candy Kitchen where they make their own taffy and pralines. The Boar’s Head restaurant has the best shrimp and grits you will ever have. There are great city tours too.
We are planning a trip to Florida in November and just the other day my husband came to me proposing we fly this time (we live in Virginia). The conversation went something like this:
Hubby: Airline rates are really cheap…we can fly to Florida for not much more than driving.
Me: But what about The Paris Market?
Hubby: But we’d get there in 3 hours instead of 2 days.
Me: But what about The Paris Market?
Hubby: With gas and food and hotel in Savannah it won’t even cost that much more.
Me: It. Will. Be. Set. Up. For. Christmas.
Hubby: Ok never mind
Happy Shopping!
P.S. By the way, I was not paid by The Paris Market to write this blog, nor am I sponsored, or in any other way persuaded, to put my infatuation of this store into words. However, if they are looking for an ambassador of love I will gladly accept the position.
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