Sadly I'm not actually in Paris, instead I'm researching the chic old City of Lights for a project I'm working on. Derrière is one of the restaurants I've been reading up on that's now firmly on my must-see list, and not just because it's all a bit odd - It's a semi-secret place, entered through an unmarked door between busy and buzzy 404 and Andy Wahloo, once inside, the place has the look of a fairly messy apartment filled with flea-market finds (you might sit on a bed, near to a ping-pong table, or you might wander upstairs and head through a wardrobe - very Narnia - to the hidden smoking room). The interiors are by American-in-Paris designer Barbi Sloan, who also did the rather eccentric Jura Lodge on the Isle of Jura in Scotland, but - strangely - it's the snap I discovered of Derrière's bathroom floor that really made me go oooh! They're encaustic cement tiles, and I just love the mismatched effect all done in a single pale grey, cream and charcoal colourway. Smashing! Oh, and that second shot just gives you a taste of where you might be sitting if - and when - you end up for dinner at Derrière. On this side of the pond, if you fancy looking into encaustic cement tiles check out Villa Lagoon Tile. [Images: JasonW for HPRG Blog]
