If there was an Oscar for headboards, the one in our fifth-floor suite at the Norman Hotel in Paris would be a contender.
Formed from luxurious burnished wood that curves gently around the bed, with a center piece of stitched brown padding and sockets and lamps incorporated into the design on either side, I bet the judges will be slightly enchanted.
And that’s not all that would attract attention, as this recently opened hotel, a stone’s throw from the Champs-Elysées and part of the Small Luxury Hotels portfolio, is a paradise for aesthetes, its appearance a fascinating fusion of French and American creativity.
The architect behind the design is Paris-based Thomas Vidalenc, and the hotel’s name references his inspiration, the American modernist Norman Ives.
Ives (1923-1978) was a Bauhaus-influenced painter and Yale graphic design professor, and the hotel stated that his “taste for color, simplicity, functional and harmonious forms inspired the special atmosphere of the Norman Hotel” .
What does that mean for guests?
Ted Thornhill checked into the elegant Norman Hotel in Paris, part of the Small Luxury Hotels portfolio. Praise the headboard in his room (above)
Norman Hotel “is heaven for aesthetes, it seems like a fascinating fusion of French and American creativity.” Upstairs is the living room of Ted’s suite.
They enter a five-star paradise filled with antique sofas, geometric prints and American paintings from the seventies.
But the vibrant interior design also eclectically incorporates objects discovered in antique stores, Brazilian style and Art Deco flourishes: the stunning light over our bed, for example.
On paper, it looks like a potentially risky mismatch, but these elements have been put together by an expert eye. And it works, without sacrificing comfort.
Our bed is ridiculously sumptuous and the bathroom is a class act, with light brown vertical tiles, a quality rainfall shower, and a freestanding bathtub big enough for laps.
We also love the modern gray sofa in the living room and the balcony that runs the length of the room.
The architect behind the design is Paris-based Thomas Vidalenc, and the hotel’s name references his inspiration, the American modernist Norman Ives.
The “tres-chic bar” on the ground floor, which “does also function as a lounge in the lobby and where you will find wonderful, soft, manjar blanc-type sofas.”
The hotel’s Thai restaurant, Thiou, is named after the chef who runs it, Apiradee Thirakomen, also known as Thiou, who made a name for himself on the Parisian hotel circuit as chef at the legendary Les Bains Douches nightclub.
Downstairs there is also much to please.
No less important is the tres-chic bar on the ground floor, which doubles as a lobby lounge and where you’ll find wonderfully soft blancmange sofas and thickly sculpted wooden stools with sides and backs that curve into thick loops.
Step past a theatrical curtain and enter the hotel’s Thai restaurant, Thiou, named after the chef who runs it, Apiradee Thirakomen, also known as Thiou, who made a name for himself on the Parisian hotel circuit as chef at the legendary club night Les Bains Douches.
“Guests enter a five-star paradise populated by antique sofas, geometric prints and 1970s Americana paintings,” Ted writes.
Ted writes: “Returning to this discreet stone-clad hotel is like stepping into your own Parisian pied-a-terre.”
The 37-room hotel has an underground spa (above)
The food at her Norman Hotel enclave is very pleasant: she cooks the cod to perfection, the wines eminently drinkable and the service, while not overly warm, is polite and efficient.
Breakfast is served on site and is decent; I can attest to the continental variety and quality of the coffee.
The 37-room hotel also has underground attractions in the form of a spa with pool and sauna, fresh and new for 2024.
Outside, meanwhile, the temptations of the French capital are just minutes away, with the hotel located on the corner of Rue Balzac and Rue de Châteaubriand, a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe and the aforementioned boutiques. Elysian Fields.
Returning to this discreet stone-clad hotel is like stepping into your own Parisian pied-a-terre.
And one that fits on the cover of an interior design magazine.