Classic retro armchairs, orange-hued décor and a wealth of trinkets are just a few of the vintage elements that make up the cosy yet messy atmosphere of the Centre des Objets Perdus (COP) [Centre for Lost Objects]. The second-hand objects are varied, ranging from the practical to the useless via the comical and entertaining. The shop's parent venue, nearby über-hip bar and concept venue Comptoir Général, has an ever-growing reputation for being an ‘ambiance creator’, inviting its visitors to reengage with used furniture and to reappropriate it in everyday life, sometimes in entirely new ways.
The COP's objects come from the Comptoir Général's 300m2 sorting centre in Montreuil, supplied by a trusty band of ragpickers. Pieces are selected to be sent back to HQ on the Canal Saint-Martin, where they are reimagined as all sorts of things. For example, the top part of a ’70s pinball machine can make for an excellent bedside table (€280), the support section from a loom can make for an elegant corridor cupboard, and the frame of an old fold-out bed can make for a gorgeous... well, whatever you like, really.
The smaller objects are just as unpredictable: vintage magazines will make an original addition to your coffee table for €2 each, while keyrings of biscuits and beer bottles reminiscent of old sepia adverts are great miniature accessories. ’80s fans will enjoy the mini TV that plugs into a car's cigarette lighter.
Looking around at all of the available objects you inevitably end up thinking that you’d rather just move in here than buy them all. But that’s where the magic and originality of the COP’s concept lies: creating the vision of a unique living space for its customers rather than an impersonal shop space meant purely for buying and selling.