Editions Paumes: Children’s Rooms

WE’D BEEN RECOMMENDED the Editions Paumes series of lifestyle books by so many people, in the end it made sense that we stocked a selection of them in our shop.

If you don’t know, the boutique Japanese publishing company Paumes was founded by photographer and art director Hisashi Tokuyoshi and his wife Fumie Shimoji in 1997, two years after returning to Japan from Paris where they had worked with a number of French artists. On returning to Tokyo, they set up Paumes, initially as a way of featuring the work and lives of the artists they still represent to this day in their gallery and boutique known as Galerie Doux Dimanche.

And since 1997 the titles they’ve published have steadily grown… the most famous of which are the Children’s Rooms series - profiling the rooms of the children of creatives in four major European cities (see our spreads from Copenhagen, Paris and Stockholm below - click on the images to have a closer look). Here are a few snippets from a recent interview with Hisashi Tokuyoshi, and don’t forget to see our latest Paumes title in our shop: Paris Family Style - a brilliant tome on family living, French style (see the example spread above for inspiration)….

What’s your way of working?

“It’s particular to us, because we do everything ourselves in our own office in Tokyo - the photography, the texts, the design, and even the distribution. We also work alongside all of the coordinators who live in Paris. So, the end product is a ‘hand-made’ book! We would like to continue to create books with this same unique style.”

How many people work at Editions Paumes?

“Right now, we have seven people working in Tokyo, as well as seven people working in Paris who help us with the books. And for us, all of the creatives who are in our books are also part of the team! Maybe it is a small business compared with a large publishing house, but thanks to the connections with creatives throughout the world, it seems larger.”

What is the process from the idea to the finished book?

“Really, it depends on the book. We were lucky enough to be in Paris while working on the book ‘Ateliers des Artistes à Paris.’ When we were in Paris, we visited the atelier of some friends. It was wonderful, because it was full of interesting things. There is a whole universe of undiscovered creativity! While we were there, many of our friends introduced us to artists that they know, and so we were able to complete the book thanks to their collaborations.

Since then, we have created circles of creatives and artists in several areas - London, the North of Europe, Paris… We always work in this style of meeting people and remembering what they create. You never know what will happen - sometimes, after meeting an artist to make one book, we will have an idea that will lead to the next publication. The process is very creative!”

Children and families are very present in Editons Paumes books. Why is that?
“While working with the ateliers and apartments of female creatives, we started to be very interested in their private lives and their ‘art de vivre,’ [i.e. their families] which are strongly connected to their artistic creations. It is because of this that we often focus on female artists in our books. And we think of all children as artists!!”

Which people do you think have the best taste for decoration?
“We have already visited Paris, London, Stockholm, Copenhagen… Everyone has their own unique tastes, and so it is not possible to choose the most style-savvy group!”

What book would you like to publish?
“The theme and genre are not important… we would like to create a book that makes the creatives and readers happy. This is the reason that we continue to make books. It is not just to make us happy, but so that anyone who reads the books will enjoy them. We would also like to help artists and future artists who are just starting to create. The series ‘Ateliers’ and ‘Chambres d’Enfants’ [Children's Rooms] are perhaps our preferred themes. We are going to continue to make more books on these themes in new cities.”

What would you suggest to parents to decorate their children’s bedrooms? Is there anything that is a ‘must-have’?

“We are interested in things that have a history and a story. Sometimes, the object could be given by the child’s grandparents. We also like things that parents make for their children. And especially the things that children create by themselves! To only have modern things in a home makes it feel like a show room. The important thing is to include things in the home that create a sense of love for children, and create a link to the family.”

What do you like best in your line of work?
“I love that I have the power to share joy. Right now, there are many artists that are happy to participate in the creation of our books. I am so happy and honored to have their help!”