When photographer Jérémie Buchholtz came across a small garage space in Bordeaux, France, he envisioned his future home. While some of his friends scoffed at the idea of turning the small, dark space into a home, another friend, architect Matthieu de Marien, shared in Buchholtz's enthusiasm and helped convert it into a handsome, albeit tiny, home. More

I was once told by an American living in London that the best part about living in London is Paris. While it's true that for a design lover living in London is amazing, even better is being able to hop on a 2-hour train ride to Paris. Here are just a few places that make this city a design mecca. More

Altogether different from the little boutiques and grand department stores of Paris, Merci is an artfully assembled trove of clothing, furniture, beauty products, and household items. The vast, warehouse-like space is a short walk from Place des Vosges, in the Haut Marais neighborhood in Paris' third arrondissement. I like to pop in at least once a week just to be surrounded by the store's bright, airy atmosphere. More

I love children's books, and even though I don't have a child of my own, I'm always on the lookout for excellent ones to give to young friends. Milk magazine recently recommended La Mémoire De L'Éléphant, noting, "The furniture (by Eames, Aalto, Mouille, Noguchi and Le Corbusier) deserves a special mention." All that great design and a globe-trotting elephant? I'm hooked! More

Name: Julie Chamberlain and Jesper Kaalund
Location: Haut Marais, Paris, France
Size: 710 square feet (66 square meters)
Years lived in: 2 years, rented

At 37 weeks pregnant, Julie Chamberlain doesn't do much dancing these days, but that doesn't stop her from listening to her favorite tunes. One morning last month, independent Canadian music streamed from her laptop, providing a restful soundtrack just right for readying her beautiful one-bedroom apartment in Paris for a new baby.

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Name: Suzanne Flenard and Jeremy Schuster
Location: Le Marais, Paris, France
Size: 500 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, rented

Suzanne Flenard has a discerning eye for design. When she couldn't find the perfect pillows to go with her modern décor, she launched her own label, Square Modern. Now pops of turquoise and tangerine offer jazzy, mid-century touches to her clean, serene space in one of Paris' oldest districts.

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This St. Honoré apartment by double g has much to recommend it. First, it's in Paris. (And let's be honest, does there really need to be a "second," given that?) Second, (in case Paris isn't actually enough for you), it's got fantastic light. Third, (yes, there's more), its design strikes just the right balance between lots of white and vibrant, luscious color. All of this on its own would be enough to make many a decorista swoon, yet this gorgeous design doesn't stop there... More

Name: Julie Arrue, Elli, her 3-year-old daughter, and Celeste the cat.
Location: Canal Saint Martin, Paris, France
Size: 525 square feet, 2 bedrooms
Years lived in:1.5, rented

Look how the light falls from the gray Paris sky onto Julie's beautiful spring table. If Vermeer was around today I'm sure the Dutch master would set up his easel and start painting. High above the quiet courtyard of a Haussmann building on the Canal Saint Martin, Julie, a French filmmaker, has created a home full of beautiful scenes.

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Like deep dish pizza, prop comics, and nude beaches, there seems to be no gray area when it comes to shipping container homes: some people truly love them while others despise them. Maybe it's the setting or the cherry red exterior, but I find this one compellingly livable. What do you think? Is this home a compelling example of adaptive reuse? Or is it the Carrot Top of sustainable architecture? More

Paris versus New York may not be a tough decision for most New Yorkers I know; they're pretty loyal to their roots. In fact, Parisians are also notoriously proud of their beautiful city...
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