Muriel Grateau: porcelain perfection in Paris
Non-conformist cool on the Left Bank
A visit to Muriel Grateau’s chic Parisian design gallery – tucked away in St Germain’s Rue de Beaune – is a delight for the senses. Just around the corner from the Musée d’Orsay, it’s a worthy cultural detour. Her eponymous shop is a study in stark contrasts: brilliant white walls and bright lighting showcase a range of handmade porcelain plates (first picture), utensils and linen napkins in over 100 hues – all to beautiful effect. Most special, however, is Madame Grateau herself, who you can sometimes find on the premises on a Saturday afternoon. Clad in head-to-toe black – with her signature sleek shades – she is the embodiment of Parisian style and takes delight in discussing her unusual porcelain and linens.
A fashion designer by trade, Grateau turned her exacting eye to tableware more than 20 years ago and now creates minimalist, elegant collections that have recently increased to include statement-making rings, earrings, necklaces and cuffs, and design collaborations with the likes of Axel Vervoordt, India Mahdavi, Peter Marino and Thierry Despont. The spare space includes rows of neatly arranged place settings – the Arte series (plates, cups and bowls from €95-€355) in matte black and ebony shades; the Sorcière series (€145-€420) in mirrored, mottled hues that create a “witches eye mirror”; and the colourful Pop Art collection (€195-€390) which, as its name suggests, offers profusions of colour in both matte and high-gloss finishes. All of the pieces – from the simplest saucer to larger serving pieces – are hand-poured and coloured “in the biscuit”, which gives them a sculptural, artisanal feel.
Exquisite glassware (second picture) in shades of smoky grey and aubergine are works of art, and the range is available in assorted wine- and water-glass sizes. Plain and damask table linens (third picture) in shades ranging from neutral beige to striking apricot and lime hues make heavenly gifts, and Grateau’s versions are contemporary yet timeless. I could have filled a suitcase with these simple pieces alone.
In addition to all of this colourful tableware is the jewellery collection (prices upon request) that is displayed in the back part of Mme Grateau’s 140sq m space. Simple glass vitrines seem to float on the walls in order to display her largely black-and-white collection of spectacular accessories, most of which have been carved from quartz, and are embellished with diamonds. From enormous rock-crystal bangles encircled with black sapphires to a cocktail ring comprised of a large, onyx cabochon with glittered black lacquer, all of her designs are starkly striking.
“I enjoy purity and simplicity because they create timeless forms,” explains Grateau. “My simple designs are as beautiful on an 18th-century table as they are in a fashionable designer’s urban setting.” Grateau is a non-conformist tastemaker – she’s a scion of contemporary Left Bank cool.