So I’ve been slowly starting to decorate our home, but was finding it hard to find artwork that really felt like us. To be fair, we’re not art experts, but we didn’t want something too generic either. As I was walking through the airport on my way home from a business trip, I saw in the window these Hermes scarves hanging on display. Hermes scarves are so beautiful and full of color which is exactly what our house needed.

Finding the right scarf was a challenge because I wanted it to be something meaningful to us. When I saw this particular one I thought, fairy tale horse carriage. This scarf in particular was called “Paperoles“. Paperoles are meticulously rolled, fine strips of paper that can be assembled to make up all kinds of objects, generally with a religious theme. They were crafted by nuns with the most marvellous dexterity. In the 1990s this rare example of a secular-themed paperole – a berline de gala, or ceremonial carriage, from the early 19th century – was found in a Florentine antiques shop. Hermès acquired it and added it to the house’s collection. The unusual object, which inspired this scarf design by Claudia Stuhlhofer‑Mayr, is remarkable in every way: the wheels can turn, the front‑wheel axle pivots, and each detail is fastidiously reproduced, from the horses’ harnesses to the coach driver’s gaiter button. Everything is made from paper and cardboard, with the exception of the carriage lining in silk, and the horses’ legs, which are carved in wood.

Now, if you are planning to possibly do the same thing, I suggest you find a framer that will take on this work. It’s not easy to mount this delicate fabric up without risking damage to the beautiful scarf. My usual framer wouldn’t take on this job because of the complexity. I had no idea it would be so difficult. Luckily, he referred me to the great guys at Svart & Witt, in Malmö who had someone that could do this. There are over 500 pins in this mounting to ensure that the scarf has the appearance of floating. It turned out great, but it almost didn’t happen. It turned out great and gives our house the proper pop of color in our entry way.