It’s All In the Details…
I cam across this incredible Parisian real estate/ renovation and design site A+B Kasha and fell MADLY, MADLY in love with everything I saw. Of course, as with most things, the French just do it better. And that goes for architecture too. Don’t get me wrong, a love a good, old New England Greek Revival- but the details found in the old apartment buildings in Paris are hard to beat. And I adore seeing a development company like this really celebrating all the gorgeous historical millwork, hardware and small accents that really make these spaces works of art. And seeing them empty and pristine like this just shows how much potential is there for decorating!
Get ready to SQUEAL.
Look at all that detailed crown and millwork. And the FLOOR! And windows. And the LIGHT! The light in Paris is just special.
Not too shabby.
Again with the light! It’s almost absurd how special it is!
Nothing to see here, just the cutest damn doorway out to a spectacular balcony with insane ironwork. No biggie.
*speechless*
Can you not picture yourself making a morning coffee here? With a warm croissant? And soft jazz playing? I’m gonna go cry now…
This old mirror and stone tub brilliantly salvaged and look extra special against the freshly renovated bathroom.
STOP IT WITH THAT FLOOR!!!!
NO stop I’m dying!
This makes me want to weep it’s so beautiful.
Even with light switches in a hallway are perfection.
Okay, I found something I don’t like- that weird island with the half wall. Not my cup of tea. But notice the sliding doors that can shut the kitchen off from the living room. I think it’s nice to have things separated sometimes- I’m thinking we’re going to go back to that after all this HGTV “open floorplan” business.
Okay, not check out these built ins- looks like a fully paneled wall– but just kidding, it’s a TV and an insane amount of storage! GENIUS!
Let’s all have a moment of silence for what might be the most stunning living area I’ve ever seen.
Confirmed, this is the best ever. Of all the things.
I am honestly having heart palpitations looking at these pictures.
The simplest, most stunning kitchen vignette. Also, who has one of these stoves? they are so gorgeous but can you actually cook in the ovens? A friend wants to know….
Oh wait, more of that #mostperfectapartmentever.
What a dump.
I can feel the soft breezes and hear the sounds of the street below just looking at this! They just don’t build them like this anymore folks!
The brilliance is in the smallest of doorknobs and daintiest of trims…
Before you go click on their site to see EVEN MORE images like this and beyond be sure you have the next hour free to do so because holy design rabbit hole folks, it sucks you in!
Now, it’s almost impossible to authentically replicate this look in a home that isn’t really old and also IN PARIS, but there are ways you can get a little bit of this feeling stateside.
Ralph Lauren Tibetan Jasmine // Antique Marble Mantel // Chevron Flooring // Millwork // Vintage Sconces // Paris Flea Market Chandelier // Salvaged French Doors // Antique Doorknob
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Great blog!
Absolutely perfect!
I’m one of those lucky guys that worked summers with a master carpenter, my dad. Now, 30 years later, woodworking is my hobby, and I can do this kind of French architectural detail. I have been begging my wife to unleash me, but she thinks this is “too fancy for modern living”. With this blog, you may have just softened her resolve, which WILL make me SQUEAL (and I don’t squeal)!
I love the details on the ceilings. Dreamy.
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After reading this article about the finding the perfect Parisian cream paint, I bought Farrow and Ball’s Tallow sight unseen. I have it in bedroom. It is truly dreamy.
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Oh oh oooohhhhh! So beautiful. Sheepskin rugs, velvet sofas, much, much wine.
Went to Paris for a couple of days earlier this month and there is something about the light. Maybe because there are so few skyscrapers. Walking through the Tuileries, and if you get the chance try l’orangerie museum. Interior designed specifically to hold giants Monets he painted to enable people to relax and feel serene.
I have a Lacanche too and it’s wonderful. I cook on it every day. It’s built like a tank and such a powerful range. Made to last, with no computer components that will eventually malfunction. We are moving and I will definitely buy one for the next house if I have my way.
I know you forewarned us …but I went on the website anyway. OMG! Each one more fabulous than I could believe. Best part: One of the apartments for sale was in the same building as the apartment we rented a few years ago. Showed it to my hubby and think it may have nudged him into “OK, we can do Paris again” next year! Thanks!!!
Gorgeous! I love the details, the floors and most of all, the light.
I love the open floor plan. For years, I was tucked away in the kitchen preparing meals for our ever growing family. Now I’m part of the party.
Thank you for the hints on ways to get a touch of this delicious French apartment in our homes. Maybe in a future home. One never knows where life will take them.
Thank you Erin for sharing such an amazing source of inspiration. And I am beyond THRILLED at your comment and other readers comments about open floor plans losing favor. We had a home with one and when we moved to next home, we were so over it! Our home now has some these Parisian details and separate kitchen, dining room, library etc and we love it. I need the feeling of LEAVING the kitchen at the end of a busy day – especially with young kids :)
Fabulous and hilarious. I’ve missed your squealing and dear death interior situations. And having just returned from france, I enjoyed it even more. For part of our trip, we stayed in a little apartment in Aix en Provence, where everything was all white. Nice post.
PS – if you are not already following…follow the restoration of the Chateau Gudanes, in south France….an australian couple bought it and are slowly slowly restoring it….
I have an American friend, who has an apartment in Paris (where she moved from and lives when her daughter isn’t in school here in London), and her place pretty much looks like these pictures. The To Die For Floors, the ironwork, even complete with a peek a boo view of the Eiffel Tower.
I can hardly stand being friends with her I want live in her apartment so bad!
What white paint did you recommend? I have to update a ranch for selling.
Ok since you insist😏 I will move in tomorrow🙄
I will start by walking 1001 circles in the living room just to bask in the sunlight and marvel at my new floors. Not being a fancy cook, I’ m not worried about the 2nd kitchen w/ the crazy wall . I’ll have my latte in the airy kitchen w/ the balcony view.
Erin your tough but I will sacrifice the move & LOVE the adventure…… Thank for the dream I needed that 😉
If I lived there, I would not wonder ahead how I’d furnish it. I just figure it out once there and have a ball (or two) doing it.
Every damn picture. But as i looked i wondered how i would live there. I just a chaise in the middle with a blanket and call it a day, but i wonder how a designer would furnish
This looks like the stove Carol from @grayantiques on instagram has in her Baltimore kitchen.
Stunning, every detail and inch of the place! So how many of us do you think could move in, perhaps a bohemian Parisian hostel of sorts? For the first delightful morning break, Cafe au lait and croissant on me! ;-)
Wonderful share Erin! I’ll make some time later to get lost in the website!
~Rieka
…if only this were available on airbnb….
Ours (2 apartments in the south of France) will be in January!
What is with all the serious replies? Yes this apartment is drop dead gorgeous, it is perfection…but your editorial was hilarious!!! Thank you, you made me laugh!!!
Stunning in its classic simplicity. Oh la la, what a place.
Who needs furniture in this space? Stunning!
Totally with you on actually having rooms instead of “let’s open this up”…. Its such a more gracious way to live I think (and gives you more walls for art). My SIL has a LaCanche and absolutely loves it. She has one gas oven which is best for cooking things that need to retain moisture like meat and one electric which is better for baking not to mention she loves the flexibility of the cooktop. She found the price comparable to a Wolf/Viking with similar features and has raved about their customer service.
Long time lurker here… but I had to chime in about the Lacanche range. I have one, and it’s amazing. Even more beautiful in person with excellent performance.
They are a bit more affordable than other custom French ranges (La Cornue) and commercial American ranges (Wolf), but there is a longer lead time since they come from France. Some people worry that the ovens are small, but you can fit a big turkey in one — it’s fine.
There is not a showroom in the Boston area — there is one in New York — but they have an ambassador program, so you can see a range installed in someone’s house. And Elisa in New York is wonderful.
So over the open floor plan. I have a separate kitchen and living space, and I love it. Unfortunately, I forget about the messy dishes sometimes 😉
Simply beautiful. We just had our 100+ yo bedroom painted all white, from grey, and used SW alabaster with a brighter white trim. We have a fireplace, arches, crown molding, sliding door in the center with another bedroom next to ours, 3 windows with a tiny balcony and hardwood floors. We even have a sink in our bedroom. Sadly, most of the brownstones in the area, after being sold, are being gutted and made into completely modern open floor plans. Some, like Jenna Lyons old home, kept a lot of the original details. I can see if they are beyond repair, but a lot of people want the HGTV open space living.
Love the herringbone wood floors! It is such a unique look!
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So beautiful! I cannot wait for the Open concept to die. I understand that we don’t want a warren of tiny rooms anymore, but no separation of rooms in anything but the most modern setting frankly stinks!
I totally agree about the open floor plans will be interesting to see how that trend evolves!
I have a LaCanche, and I absolutely love it. We just built our home two years ago, and no problems whatsoever. It is the jewel piece of my home!
Us too! We loved our LaCanche! We just bought a farm and are renovating and just can’t see using any but a LaCanche. Perhaps this time in a color…
May I have that oven please? #prettiestovenofalltime
A+B Kasha does great work. In fact, my goal in life is to be the A+B Kasha of Carcassonne. If they ever come down here, I’ll be in trouble, because they have deeper pockets. Those apartments are multimillion euros. And replicating/get-the-look ain’t cheap either. Real parquet costs a bundle, and you can triple the price to do herringbone–it’s lots of work and you have lots of waste (chutes).
The stone tub looks to me to be a regular one beautifully clad in stone. Still thumbs up.
As for the weird island, it looks like party central. A kind of bar where guests can pose their drinks while the hosts finish cooking, and then the high wall hides the mess from view. I kind of wish I had done it in my home, which started life not as a house at all and so has a very strange floor plan.
Tomorrow I am going to start posting some fresh photos of the 17th century apartments we are renovating in the south of France. They won’t be to everyone’s taste because we like antiques, but I hope you’ll check it out. The biggest part of the work is unseen–rewiring, taking years of paint off the floors and walls, fixing the plumbing. Unglamorous. But necessary. And under the watchful eye of the historic protection authorities.
Thanks for the insight! We love our induction stovetop too, but it’s just a Bosch… and absolutely nothing else in my house has anything in common with these gorgeous spaces.
Oh yeah, and the stove–called a “piano de cuisson.” I suppose it’s Lacanche (€5,000-€12,000) or La Cornue (starting price €10,000). The price depends on the size….I have a very nice but comparatively down-market Falcon. Falcon, La Cornue, Viking and AGA are all owned by the same company. The oven is good, but what I really love is the induction range, which is the BEST THING EVER. Induction is amazing.
So glamorous!!! Thanks for posting a paint color, and all the drool-worthy pics.
I swear, with a two-year old, all I want is a “closed” floor plan house. Stay the heck out of the kitchen, little dude!
Perfection isn’t cheap. How much do you think this dump will set me back?LOL
GORGEOUS! It’s so pretty it would almost be a shame to distract with furniture. Looks like a lovely ballet studio! Thanks for sharing Erin!
Wow! The moldings and millwork have me weeping in jealousy! Thanks for the tips on how to get a touch of this look in our own homes.
Not gonna lie, this was a post worth waiting for….
okay whoa. get me back to paris stat. it’s so simple but so… freaking perfect! love your tips as well!
xox,brittany
i’ve got the cutest fall clothes for the littles on my blog today!
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