Parisian influences can be found in almost every corner of Trumeau Farm, for good reason! There are so many variations and styles of stone archways and trumeaus in each arrondissement – Romanesque in St. Germain Des Pres… Gothic in Île de la Cité… Art Nouveau in the 16th… As a student of architecture, Paris is like a giant candy shoppe I could get lost in. And I have on several occasions. In this week’s post, I’m thinking about Paris’ many brightly colored, ornate doors. Certainly, the French give new meaning to the phrase “making a grande entrance…” I think the main lesson to be learned from looking at these examples is: embrace color, whimsy, opulence… While the actual stone trumeaus may be a tad much for your average home, I personally think our neighbourhood would be much more stylish (and cheerful!) if a few more of us painted our doors in bright color…

Nothing says “welcome” quite like a giant smiling face above your door… And this one is particularly cheery! Her big cheeks and expressive eyes are classic examples of Rococo style carvings – over the top ornate detailing. The matted turquoise pops beautifully against the sandy hues of the limestone facade.

Photo cred: Georgianna Lane

Red doors! I love em. They are all at once statesmanlike, welcoming, stern and fun. The surrounding stone work here depicting garlands and acanthus leaves are very classic French – I think this example is perfectly balanced and not too over the top. Imagine it in a darker grey finish (maybe polished) and it might be something that would be perfectly suitable for the more conservative entryways of Toronto homes…

Here we have a beautiful example of a Bell Epoque art nouveau style doorway. Mon dieu! That beautiful lily in the trumeau! And the way the lily motif is carried over in the iron work on the door itself. This could translate into a mantel design beautifully – using a similar floral motif in both the limestone mantel and mesh grate covering the fireplace itself… Someone commission us to do this please!!