'Tropical Escape'

I can still remember the first time I visited Paris. The golden glint of the ceiling at the Galleries Lafayette department store, the buzzing of the closing metro train doors and the smell of warm brioche from my ‘quartier’s boulangerie were some of the new sights, sounds and smells that followed me home to the Chône residence.

The Chône family lived in the only house on an apartment-lined street in the bourgeois 16ème arrondissement of Paris. The family had taken in American exchange students for many years; I was the third student to live with them that summer.

Their home was as romantic as the city itself – a mix of Monsieur Chône’s affinity for 16th Century findings (he was an etchings and engravings art dealer) and Madame’s love of hand painting ceramic tiles and wall borders. There was a recamier at the heart of their living room (above left), hand painted bees on the wall tiles in the kitchen, and a wrought iron patio furniture in the well kempt garden outside.

But my favorite room would be my bedroom.

Unlike the rest of the house, the room had a photograph of a tropical sunset as a mural that extended the entire length of one of the accent walls. The mural drew a sharp contrast to the country French styled surroundings (below center), but it worked.


The use of a giant-sized wall covering that had the colors orange, pink and red added height and drama to furnishings that lacked clear personality, except for the Tintin garbage bin underneath the table. During the course of those six short weeks, that Hawaiian sunset and the rest of the bedroom became my escape from the tiring city life.

Since my return to the States, I’ve seen similar murals pop up in restaurants and hotels. But I have yet to see the photographic wallpaper in a typical American home.

I may not have to wait much longer.

The New York Times recently hit the nail on the head in its April 8 ‘Home & Garden’ section, reporting that a series of photographs-turned-murals (taken by photographer Dianne Bos in France )will be sold online exclusively at Target (see left). The Brewster Home Fashions images include those titled “Eiffel Tower” and “Along Paris Streets.” Browsing the selection, I found a similar version of my Hawaiian sunset available at Target for $99.99.

Looks like I don’t need a visa to visit France anymore. I can relive the experience right from my living room.

-S. Gonzalez
*Above photo courtesy of The New York Times