French savoir-faire is unparalleled! We fell in love with the craftsmanship and beauty of Antoinette Poisson's domino paper and instantly knew we wanted to bring a piece of their collection home to share. But first, let us tell you about À Paris chez Antoinette Poisson…

The Brand

If you're ever strolling in Paris in the 11th arrondissement, you may come across a petit atelier (small workshop) in the nook of a courtyard. Hidden from the bustling streets on this corner of Paris is the home to an antique shop, a pottery studio, and À Paris chez Antoinette Poisson! Founded by two heritage restorers, Vincent Farelly and Jean-Baptiste Martin, it aims to revive the “dominoterie” handcrafted block-printing technique from the 18th century.

The brand name is an homage to the “Marquise de Pompadour,” born Jean-Antoinette Poisson, and the influential chief mistress of King Louis XV. She was a lover of art and wallpaper and an interior decorator of the Château of Versailles!

Domino Paper: The Technique

Domino paper was traditionally used for decoration to cover books, boxes, the inside of cabinets and to adorn the walls of stunning French homes. Since 2012, Antoinette Poisson has been reinventing the artisanal savoir-faire of the “dominoterie” printing technique, faithful to the aesthetics of 18th century interiors.

Their process begins with drawings inspired by historical archives, often with floral and geometric motifs. The patterns are engraved in relief onto a metal plate on the printing block. The printing is then done, sheet by sheet, onto pure cotton rag paper. Any additional colors after the first press are added to each print by hand. Irregularities may appear, which only serve as proof of handcrafting authenticity. As you can see, all work is done right in their Parisian workshop!

Handcrafted Creations

Each domino paper is a unique work of art, best displayed on a wall or shelf in a simple or ornate frame. They also use the same print designs for the covers of their small notebooks which are hand sewn with gold-edged vellum paper. Other handcrafted creations include wallpaper, fabrics, and small decorative objects for the home.

Antoinette Poisson chez Les Fleurs

After visiting their workshop, we knew we wanted to share the beauty of this savoir-faire with Francophiles like you. So, we handpicked our favorite prints and notebooks, which we are happy to announce have just arrived at Les Fleurs! We hope you love them as much as we do.

XOXO,
The Fleurettes

To learn more, follow Antoinette Poisson on Instagram @antoinettepoisson or at antoinettepoisson.com