Waterworks
PARIS
Our history with France goes back decades,
to the very beginning of Waterworks; our Julia collection has its roots in a relationship my father forged with a falcon-rearing Frenchman who was making faucets in eastern France almost 50 years ago—a maker we work with to this day. For me, it's also personal. I spent a year during university studying in Paris, living five minutes from where our Saint-Germain-des-Prés showroom now stands. More recently, we've been present in the city for years, building relationships in the design community and working alongside some of its most respected designers on their projects in France and beyond. Our new showroom brings all this history into a physical space—a continuation and a new beginning, designed to reflect our passion for French heritage.
50 RUE DE L'UNIVERSITÉ
À Paris, comme il se doit
A collaboration story, crafted through sketch, dialogue, and material intent.
Broadening our horizons, without losing sight of our roots—making a new chapter a natural progression.
With the opening of our first Parisian showroom in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Waterworks is establishing itself in the heart of the capital, amid an interplay of influences. An echo of our early days, when pieces unearthed in France inspired the Julia collection. An extension of the close partnerships forged with French designers and interior architects over the years.
Our new space, envisioned in partnership with Martin Brûlé, exudes a soothing clarity. This collaboration with the interior architect gave rise to a refined retreat, where one wanders as if through a dream bathroom or kitchen. More than just another location, it is a hub at the heart of a neighborhood with an elegant buzz, nestled among galleries, small patisseries, and fine restaurants. A place where Paris blends its art de vivre, defying trends and the passage of time.
A conversation with PETER SALLICK
and MARTIN BRÛLÉ
On Waterworks Paris
We meet in Paris, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés: you both have a personal connection to the neighborhood. What does it mean to you?
PETER
I studied and lived in the neighborhood when I was 19: I used to live in a chambre de bonne on rue de Grenelle, I walked to university, did everything on foot. Having returned to Paris virtually every year since, it feels like I have partially grown up in the city. No matter how many times I may walk the streets, I always see something new and exciting: an architectural detail, a gallery, a café I’ve never sat in before. My greatest sources of inspiration are often restaurants. I love seeing how people interact with a space.
MARTIN
It was in Saint-Germain-des-Prés that I opened my studio in Paris a few years ago, and that's where I live now when I'm in Paris. But above all, it was there that I discovered the decorative arts when I was younger. I was too shy to go into the galleries, so I spent my evenings strolling through the neighborhood, gazing at the lit-up windows and the incredible objects on display.
The showroom on rue de l’Université is Waterworks first showroom in France. What is the shared vision that guided the creation of this space?
PETER
At Waterworks, showrooms are more than just showrooms: they are places for dialogue with designers and interior architects, serving their vision. To foster these exchanges, we wanted to establish a deep connection with our new Parisian neighborhood by referencing materials, styles, and ideas from our surroundings. This includes traditional notes and also contemporary ones. To me, French style is the very best at mixing new and old. I hope that our French clients feel an immediate sense of kinship, and that American clients who visit experience a new dimension of our design heritage.
“A space for dialogue with architects and designers, with a deep connection to our new Parisian neighborhood.”
– PETER SALLICK
MARTIN
Echoing this interplay of influences between old and new, I wanted this space to convey a sense of timelessness, as if it had always been there and always would be. I also wanted it to feel very warm and welcoming, so that customers could envision themselves here when they come to explore the collection.
What story does the design of this space tell?
MARTIN
I imagined it as a Parisian retreat, featuring stone and whitewashed oak with understated elegance and undeniable sophistication. Inspired by neoclassicism and art deco, it also echoes the traditional aesthetic of Parisian hôtels particuliers as well as the purity of ancient Italian bathhouses.
“As a Parisian retreat, featuring stone and whitewashed oak with understated elegance and undeniable sophistication.”
– MARTIN BRÛLÉ
PETER
From the street you only experience the window presentation, which is a fantasy bath. Then, only after you enter the space, can you pass through into the showroom itself and then to our hospitality bar. It's really two experiences, maybe even three if we count the bar. It's also a departure for us, bringing a more residential quality to the finishes and spaces.
Bathrooms and kitchens present both design and logistical challenges. In your view, what makes a bathroom or kitchen a success?
MARTIN
Bathrooms and kitchens are key elements, because although they are functional, they must be aesthetically consistent with the rest of the project. And timeless.
PETER
That is precisely what I find so amazing about bath and kitchen projects, which involve so many very particular requirements. I always say that they are not casual considerations because, as Martin said, in addition to being beautiful, they have to work. Style can be anything we can dream up, and everything also has a purpose. It's both sides of the brain—form and function, art and engineering.
How would you sum up the Waterworks style in a word?
PETER
I don't think of Waterworks as a style. I think of Waterworks as quality and integrity.
MARTIN
Waterworks is timeless, institutional, with a focus on quality and attention to detail. I've been using Waterworks products since my very first projects; for me, they're the gold standard.