Flour. Water. Paper. Those three simple ingredients—whipped into papier-mâché and molded into ornamental forms—have done wonders throughout the history of the decorative arts, stepping in as a lightweight and low-cost fix when other materials wouldn’t do. (Just ask Marie Antoinette, who employed the material at the Versailles mini theater where she performed for friends.) Today, the fantastical but underutilized technique is getting a 21st-century refresh at Casa Gusto, the beloved West Palm Beach antiques store. There, proprietors Cris Briger and her sons, Charles Peed and Augie Briger, have transformed a tiny room into a spellbinding feat of artisanal genius, its tiled ceiling, paneled walls, and pomegranate relief all realized in nothing more than papier-mâché. The installation serves as an immersive calling card for the brand’s new collection of wall and ceiling treatments, handmade by its team of expert craftspeople in Mexico. Motifs range from an all-around azulejo scheme to a tree-of-life dreamworld. “It’s survived the ages,” Cris notes of the decorative tradition. We dare say it now stands to thrive. getthegusto.com
