Oh, M. Fournier...

You can stop me now, but really. An apartment in Haut Marais in the center of Paris? I would do a lot of things to own one. Including but not limited to selling my body, mind you. Contrary to many people's perception, I find the idea of apartment living very attractive. I do see the advantages of having a house, but given that I don't have children nor pets (and have no plans of acquiring either in the foreseeable future) or the need to have several rooms just for myself, apartment living is just fine for me. Maybe when I'm 70, alone, and cannot climb stairs gingerly, I'll think of a ranch-style house and possibly a cat (dogs are too codependent for my taste). But now? Apartments are just fine.

When it comes to apartments, people think that they would have to follow a certain aesthetic (I blame fucking Instagram), and that such aesthetic is totally different to what you'd do in a house. This small apartment somehow demonstrates that we cannot overgeneralize or assume that because we live in a smaller space, we need to sacrifice style and a certain opulence. Smaller does not mean plain.

Being that the owner is an architect, the transformation from the 'original' apartment (it's a XVII century building, so 'original' may be a misnomer) to what we see here is fantastic. I would love to have that vision, that capacity to imagine how a space could be used by getting past the hatchet job made by people who have used the space before. Take changing the concrete staircase for the (1900s) wood one. Or creating that laundry room and giving those windows the chance to be showcased (did you check those ceilings out?).

This apartment (small, compared to the MacMansions and three bedroom houses Americans seem to covet) has fantastic details that you usually find in houses: the windows, the ceilings, the floors, the Murano lamp. The use of mirrors is very smart and the furniture and accessories are plush and stylish without being sterile: a win. Just look at the kitchen, with marble countertops and a window I'd kill for. Planning is fundamental.

I like the idea of a circular staircase: it saves space and it's beautiful. It also eases the access to the bedroom loft (that shade of green, again!) and he loves his mirrors. I am a fan. And the shutters? Smart. Especially for those who love to sleep in a very dark room. And the bathroom? All Italian? Class, honey, class. 

Leave it to the French (with Italian roots) to bring it every time.

XOXO