From rive droite to rive gauche, Paris abounds in hedonistic pleasures. The right bank has metamorphosed  into the city’s most sought-after dining destination while the left bank continues to hold the key to a visitors heart with its historic charm, iconic galleries and old-warm artist haunts. Everyday, people like me heed the incessant call of their bellies and eat their way across town while others follow their wallets straight to the city’s swishest boutiques. For fashion, accessories, cooking supplies and antiques, the list of recommendations in each neighborhood is robust. But where to go for homewares and design pieces?

Back in December, I spent the day trolling through the Marais for the best design spots alongside friend and fellow writer Will Taylor (who I’ve interviewed for Franco File Friday) who was in town to research his next travel piece for Sweet Paul Magazine. The biting cold and damp weather couldn’t damper our outing and we had a ball hopping from one shop to the next, speaking with shop clerks and discovering just how much the neighborhood had to offer in unique finds.

The final result: Will tells the story of his trip and the shops he explored and I chime in with a few neighborhood picks to sleep and feed that grumbling belly in the spring issue of Sweet Paul*. It should make for a fun read! Click HERE to check it out (pg 46-49).

Of course, if there are any design or home décor shops in the Marais you think are worth noting, please let us know below.

*I am now the proud owner of a new set of locally-made dishes from The Collection, one of the fantastic spots Will mentions in the story.
** Top photo courtesy of Will Taylor