PARIS DOORS!

Still here in France and enjoying every minute of it!

While walking through Paris, I, like countless others before me I am sure, have been captivated by the city's doors. How would I describe Paris' doors as a whole? Intriguing. The large double doors are colorful, extremely shiny because of the use of high gloss paint, adorned with iron scrollwork, panelled, surrounded with limestone door casings and carved decor. I often wonder what mysteries, people and stories are behind these Parisian doors (or any door for that matter).

Blue door with scroll work and diamond panel in middle near Hotel de Ville. (above)

Last night, at dinner at Hotel Costes in Paris with my cousin GD, friends AM, JE, Alyssa Taffet and her new beau the "Silver Fox", we all got to talking about my pictures and some that I had taken of Paris doors...all of a sudden everything became clear.

There are door people and there are people who don't care about doors at all - the non-door people.

Door People: The Silver Fox, GD and I are door people...we animatedly chatted about how much we loved doors, how often we photographed doors, how we wondered what went on behind doors, how doors symbolized imagination, hope and intrigue all in one. We all looked at each other knowingly too from time to time throughout dinner...we were part of the select elite erudite intelligent ones who love doors..."we are creative, insightful, smart and constantly curious about the world, we are better than everyone", we said to each other with our knowing glances. We were giddy and happy to find like mind door-philes.


The Non-Door People: As we had our bubbly "door conversation", giggling and thrilled that we had found other door people, AM, JE and Alyssa sat in near silence, sporting somber faces, uttering an occasional remark about their food or wine...they clearly didn't get us door people. They were listless and at a loss in our phantasmagorical door conversation. "Those poor non-door people...pity them", we also said with our knowing glances. (I assume that the non-door people seemed at a loss for words only because they could not really contribute to the conversation...I would never believe, however, that with their silence, they were in fact saying, "Oh. How boring. So sad that these door people think they are so wonderful and amazing for simply noticing doors. They are clearly faux intellects. This is purely ghastly that they would spend this amount of time patting each other on the backs for noticing a door here and there. Not interesting at all". I know the non-door people would never be thinking this so I won't even allow myself to go there).

Enough about door people v. non door people....pictures are clear evidence of why the door people (me) are amazingly astute (too much ego could lead to my demise...I will tone it down from here on out)...here are some Paris doors that caught my eye.

Shiny navy blue laquered door in Le Marais across from the Picasso Museum. (above)

A light natural wood stain door on Rue de Seine with intricate wrought iron panes. (above)

Electric blue door with tiny peep hole (close up detail) with a quatrefoil design on Rue de Seine (above)

A hunter green door with a carved stone door casing. (above)




A classic panel Tiffany blue door on Rue St. Honore just down the street from my favorite store in the posh shopping district.

An ancient looking wood door next to the church crypt at Sacre Coeur - this older door is adorned with iron studs and trim (above).




A very grand and regal looking door featuring a carved arch at top in Place Vendome (above).

At last, a rich red door with curved top, detailed panelling and shiny brass knobs and trim on Rue de Thorigny - very French indeed. (above)

All photos in this post are by Coco of Nbaynadamas

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Write by: AN - Sunday, August 31, 2008