Dallas Design District Interview Spotlight: Paris Ceramics

Paris Ceramics opened its first Texas showroom in the Dallas Design District in August 2017. More than just a flooring company, Paris Ceramics is known for its high-quality, uniquely sourced materials like stone, hardwood and metals — not to mention the many custom projects they take on.

We asked the team at Paris Ceramics a few questions to get their take on sourcing products, the latest flooring trends and becoming part of the DDD business community.

Tell us a little about Paris Ceramics and how your DDD showroom came to be.

Paris Ceramics has been in business since 1982, and the Dallas showroom is our newest in the US. Over time, Paris Ceramics has become the premier destination for leading designers and architects looking for antique and new stone, marble, wood, and tile. We offer many options for finishes and can do custom designs to suit the most discerning clients.  

Texas is a large market for us and a location in the Design District is a logical choice; we are able to serve our local clientele as well as those from other cities and states who come to shop in Dallas. Our owner, Richard Abbott, is friends with Christopher Peacock, and they decided to become neighbors. Our showrooms really complement each other and that helps drive business.

What do you enjoy most about being located in the Design District neighborhood?

The Design District is a great place to be! Having a storefront in such a large and vibrant design area really helps with foot traffic and brand awareness. The community is very social and tightknit, and we appreciate the referrals we’ve already received from neighboring businesses.  

Is the Design District showroom open to the public or is it trade-only?

We are open to the public and also offer a trade discount.

What can visitors expect when they come to the showroom?

Our showroom is set up like a gallery with our beautiful materials all over the floors and walls.  We have a wide variety of limestone, marble, wood (solid and engineered), porcelain, ceramic and terracotta on display to show you all materials we offer. Our specialty finishes, fireplaces and custom designs are also on display to help inspire customers and show the breadth of our production capabilities.

What sets Paris Ceramics apart from other flooring showrooms?

Paris Ceramics offers antique and new materials for floors and walls! We do a ton of custom work versus other stores that sell off the shelf and do not allow modifications. We offer materials in various shapes, sizes and designs.

Your materials are sourced from locations around the world. Explain why that is such a significant part of your business.

Most of our stone and all of our wood comes from Europe. Our owner takes pride in sourcing one-of-a-kind antique lots and hand-selecting top quality bookmatched slabs and stone. We try to offer materials that are rare and of high quality, and we can always source specific materials for a project using our worldwide network. We recently found a great lot of antique Jerusalem limestone that is difficult to source; that is a testament to our owner and our company’s reputation around the world.

Any favorite flooring products, materials or trends at the moment?

We love modern wood flooring in grays and dark browns, and in unique formats (such as the engineered woods from Spain that we offer). We are seeing a lot of demand for our white marbles that are different from the usual Calacatta gold and white Carrara. Our hammered German silver and hexagon-shaped stone tiles are popular for a unique twist on flooring!

What flooring trends we can look forward to seeing in 2018?

2018 will be full of bling and have a focus on creating that wow factor! Marble or limestone in geometric patterns, materials with shimmer, bookmatched marble slabs cut into large format tiles, and antique stone used in custom designs are all going to be big in 2018.

Finish this sentence: “When deciding on flooring, it is most important to keep ________ in mind.”

Timelessness and durability.

Make sure you stop by Paris Ceramics next time you’re in the Dallas Design District. Whether you’re in the market for new flooring, walls or even a new kitchen backsplash, you’re sure to find something you can’t live without.