Name: Joshua
Location: Paris
Rent or own: rent
Size: 731 sq/ft
Years lived in: 7
Joshua is an American photographer who has decorated his railroad apartment in the Marais with what he describes as a "Balinese beach house" aesthetic, painting rooms in bold turquoise and "Buddhist orange" that you don't find on the walls of every classic Parisian apartment...
"I believe in color therapy," says Joshua, who painted the living room blue after a break-up with a girlfriend. "I wanted a change. I looked around and thought 'I don't want to live in this sterile white apartment that had none of my personality or character.' It just wasn't me. But it took me forever to decide what color to paint it!" He decided on an assertive blue. "For me the cool blues are very therapeutic," he says. "And I find that when people come over and sit on the couch and hang out, after awhile, they always say, 'It's so relaxing in here,' and I think it's because of the blue."
Despite being a renter, Joshua has really put his fingerprint on every corner of the apartment -- painting the windowless kitchen bright yellow, building picture rails in the living room to display photographs and a mirrored headboard in the uncluttered bedroom, whose walls he has covered with Thai seagrass. A large Poltrona Frau sofa, a dining room table and chairs picked up from Paris flea markets and vintage lamps give the apartment a well lived-in feeling. The living room has a working fireplace and a projector that turns it into a cozy screening room in the evenings. And he's left plenty of floor space for his giant yoga mat and yoga balls. "I really have everything I need here," says Joshua, who lives and works out of the space. "I spend a lot of time here."
"There are a lot of things I'd do if I owned the place," Joshua continues, pointing out that he'd take the trouble to frame his larger artwork, maybe add a window or open up the wall between the bedroom and his home office, where he has built a worktable next to his desk that allows him to stand up and work when he's in the mood. The room is painted in a soft "15-20% neutral gray" that allows him to work proofing photos without distorting the color, while adding some kind of interest to the work space. "I need some kind of color," he says, "otherwise I'm bored."
- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. If you have an idea for a European house tour, please write kristinh @ apartmenttherapy . com
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
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view Maxwell's profile
Great apartment, love the blue, and the bedroom has a very romantic feel.
view parfait amour's profile
I was going to say "sexy" about the bedroom. Mirrored headboard! Oooh-lah-lah! The apartment does feel like a beachhouse. Looking at it makes me feel like I can hear the waves coming in from outside. The place has a nice feel to it. Oh and cute teddy on the couch.
view homebody's profile
What color blue is it. I have a robin egg blue in my living room and get the same reaction, thinking of changing it a shade and curious what you used.
view wooks's profile
I like everything, the blue color, most of the art and photography on the walls, and the wood contrasting with the blue. But I can't stand the sofa. I'm sure it's comfy (and appropriate for the bachelor pad), but it's pretty fugly.
Guess, I'm not the only one wanting to comment on the mirrored headboard. Love it. Done in a not cheesy way. And what a great view from the bed.
view lolax's profile
I love it, love it, love it!
view nausved's profile
Nice space and I like the wall color, but I don't get what's Balinese about it. Or beachy.
view jooly's profile
I love the colors!
view karina-elbeso's profile