Articles

8. Meet the French Royal Style: Napoléon Bonaparte

Did you know we owe right-hand traffic in Europe to Napoléon? Not for efficiency—no, no—but to stop hot-headed horsemen from sword-fighting in the streets. Très practical. 

7. Meet the French Royal Style: Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is referred to as the Queen of Taste, as she often sported an intricate hairstyle that was decorated with unbelievable objects, such as a battleship replica of a French warship.

6. Meet the French Royal Style: Louis XVI

Louis XVI was the final King of France before the Revolution—and a surprisingly skilled lock-picker to boot. Who knew royal secrets included a bit of sneaky locksmithing?

5. Meet the French Royal Style: Madame de Pompadour

When Madame de Pompadour was little, a fortune teller predicted that she would grow up to win the heart of a king. From time to time she held a strict diet of celery, vanilla and truffles.

4. Meet the French Royal Style: Louis XV

Did you know that Louis XV was an enthusiastic amateur astronomer and that his favourite animal was his white angora cat. He was a ladies’ man, although he was described as being extremely shy.

2. Meet the French Royal Style: Louis XIV

Louis XIV didn’t just dislike Paris—he ghosted it. Rather than suffer the noise and rebellion of the city, he built himself a stage fit for a god: Versailles.

3. Meet the French Royal Style: Philippe d'Orléans

Did you know that Philippe d'Orléans purchased the world’s largest known diamond, a 141 carat cushion brilliant, now known as Le Régent?

1. Meet the French Royal Style: Louis XIII

Louis XIII took the throne at just 8 years old—before he could even grow a mustache, let alone a power complex. He was the first king to wear a wig, solely inspiring the trend of male wig wearers.

The Resurgence of Antiques - Why buy antiques now?

In a sea of cookie-cutter sofas and trend-chasing decor, antiques are having their divine comeback—serving soul, story, and that elusive je ne sais quoi your space has been begging for.

Antiques with Studio Maria Elena: A Podcast Journey

Studio Maria Elena recently visited us to talk about antiques. In her podcast (in Dutch!) available on Spotify, we discuss why furniture with a history holds timeless appeal.