The answer to this question is simple - and complicated. The short story - a French guy comes to America and opens up a showroom. However - that is not the full story. And the showroom is not just a showroom. The Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc. showroom has become an eternal quest for François to bring France to this soil.
The exactitude and meticulousness of François' artistry, self-taught since 19 years old when he first stepped foot in Western Massachusetts, is seen in every corner of our showroom. The Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc. Showroom is a sacred space that would be a lofty competitor aside any showroom in NYC, LA or London. But he chose to make a life here, to stay here. To stay here would mean only one thing - to bring the very best of Europe here. Every installation, vignette, and board he creates, showcases the length of travel and relationships he seeks, to populate Pavé with the most stunning reclaimed and antiqued tile, wood and stone materials one could possibly source from France, England, Belgium and Italy. He has brought the best of Europe here.
At 19 years old, with a camping tent, pocket knife and a few changes of clothes, François left Nice, France to the only place he knew in the United States – the woods of Western, Massachusetts. Known to him from a boy scout troop visit at 15, he yearned for wide open spaces and the quest to make it on his own in America.
Thirty-nine years later, François cannot speak easily about the first four months living in America. Camping in his tent, one meal a day, braving weather and long nights, his desire for freedom and the challenge to succeed on his own came with a price. But he knew there was no going back to France until he succeeded.
There are few men who have the endurance and unyielding will to survive like I have seen in François. From boyhood to manhood, he never worked a day in his life for anybody. Gifted with talented hands and a sharp mind, François taught himself carpentry while living in those woods, and began constructing Adirondack chairs to sell by the side of the road. As the months passed and with more confidence in his craft, he earned money by becoming a handyman that soon became a business of building patios and additions for local residences.
At 21, missing the beauty of French aesthetics and building materials, François opened his first tile showroom, called Tile Unlimited, showcasing handmade tiles from Provence. The beauty of the South of France enamored many in this sleepy New England town, and soon François had a crew in tow where he installed kitchens and bathrooms to meticulous perfection.
As the years progressed, so did François. We opened Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc. in 2000, as a showcase for reclaimed French limestone and French oak flooring. Being from France, François has navigated and developed long-lasting and sincere relationships with French, Belgian, English and Italian suppliers, who have helped Pavé grow and exceed expectations of clients who understand how hard it is to receive quality reclaimed material from trusted sources. Importing containers and stocking material at our facility FOB West Hatfield, MA, is an added bonus to clients who seek exceptional and rare material already here in the US. We have clients make private Pavé Showroom appointments and fly in from all corners of the United States, as well as Canada, Bermuda and the Bahamas - for they know these materials are not sourced easily and we are a lot closer than Europe.
Reflecting back, there were many opportunities for us to move to a big city - to open up that big showroom. However, François wanted to remain here. The beauty of Western Massachusetts, surrounded by untouched forests, pristine lakes and golden fields, was and is a continual gift that eases his homesickness for France.
Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc. is just 30 minutes south of those woods from where the 19-year-old François began his journey. Pavé is François’ mark on this world. Every installation he has done is with exactitude and respect for these noble materials. His bar to reach perfection often means demolishing installations not even 6 months old to be replaced with even more exquisite flooring.
François deeply misses France, but his hands-on work with our antique tile, wood and stone materials bridge that divide, where a French boy grew into a French man, perhaps never really leaving France after all.
Thank you for your time,
Emmi Micallef
Co-founder Historic Decorative Materials, a Division of Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc.
Pavé Tile, Wood & Stone, Inc.
24 West Street
West Hatfield, MA 01088
PRIVATE SHOWROOM BY-APPOINTMENT ONLY
To request an appointment - please click here.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Reminiscing on my love for Delft tile brought me back to childhood, while I visited Amsterdam this past summer with my family. Historically undeniable, antique Delft tiles have graced rooms from the grandest châteaux to the most humble farmhouses - always with 17th century charm of idyllic Amsterdam. Rethink that ubiquitous white subway tile - and give art and history a chance in your home installing antique Delft tiles.
Antique French limestone flooring, salvaged from historic French structures, offers rich patina and timeless beauty. Its authenticity enhances French country, Provençal, and manor-style interiors, adding lasting value, character, and design integrity.
A look at Delft tiles and Monet’s kitchen tiles—two icons of European design. Our hand-painted collections honor their history and pair seamlessly with reclaimed French oak, limestone, bluestone and terra cotta to create timeless, elegant interiors.
tran vinh
October 12, 2024
I wish that I can melt myself into the blue the green…. to pave the history path of Mosaic/Zellige… Thank for your beautiful words. Vinh