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Wonderful!

Awwww...LOVE it!

Love the purple chair and the sofa/built-in/nook.

What an inspiring story!

Love it! I'd so much rather be in Paris right now. DC is dreadful.

What a lovely post. I am inspired. And envious. And gladdened to hear of Barbara's second (or is it third?) act. Brava to her!

Oh, and I would love to see a floor plan to see exactly how the space is laid out.

This was a lovely post.

Love this!!!!!

Brava!

This is what I love about AT and what keeps me coming back to the site. Small and beautiful city space, well considered and functional.

A courageous woman who followed her heart and took responsibility for her own blessings -- I admire her very much!

Louise said it best.

I love the desk in the third picture! I think its the Indochine desk from the Conran Store that I've been LUSTING after. Makes me want to pack up and go to Paris this instant!

http://gogoabigail.com/blog/2007/08/08/lustworthy-the-indochine-desk/

Good for your Barbara! I hope that it lives up to those lovely memories of the past. But with that great attitude and style, I'm sure that it won't be a problem.

Beautiful story. Lovely apartment. Wishing you every joy.

Amazing apartment!

Not only are the contents of these photos beautiful, but the photos themselves are stunning! I absolutely love the composition of them, especially the first one, with the fuscia being picked up in the outside flowers, and being cooled by the color of the walls, all bathed in golden light. . . Gorgeous!

Floorplan! Please! It looks so interesting a renovation...

Lovely. Actually makes me nostalgic for Paris in August.

A beautiful story - a beautiful home. aahhhhh Paris............

Barbara you truly are an inspiration and I applaud your courage and that you are living in your ideal environment. And I wish you better health and many years of happiness there in your beautiful flat.

Have you read, "C'est la Vie" by Suzy Gershman? After her husband died, she sold her home in CT and relocated to Paris. Her book is filled with humor and I hope to someday meet her because her story really inspired me. Plus, she can flat out shop a Paris flea market and offers tours and such over there. Here's her website. http://www.suzygershman.com/
I read C'est la Vie about 3 years ago, I'm hoping she'll release another. I'm dying to see how her life turned out there.

Kristin - As always, I love your letters from Europe here on Apartment Therapy. Inspiring, informative, and beautiful. Your posts have heart.

Holly

Barbara,

Bravo for pursuing and living your dream! That's the way to seize the day. : ) Thank you for inviting us into your beautiful home. You've inspired many ATers today. Wishing you all the best for a full recovery.

Kristin,
You have an excellent eye for great posts.

lovely home, lovely photos, lovely words. very inspiring. thanks, kristin and barbara!

Lovely story, gorgeous apartment.

Just looked at the pictures a second time. The light is amazing in all of them.

I hope you'll enjoy many happy years in France its such a great place to live.

Lovely apartment you have, Barbara. I particularly love the floor tiles, they are so genuine .

Ah, comme c'est belle! Barbara - bon chance, bon sante et mes meilleurs voeux pour l'avenir! (My french is a bit rusty hee hee!)

Bravo!

Barbara is my new hero.

Such a great story . Thank you fro sharing that with us.
I hope we will share some experiences .
I love your blog .
May be you will like to visit mine
http://www.enseignedegersaint.typepad.fr
Mélanie xxx

Beautiful! Thank you for the inspiring post.

Thank you so much for this posting. Barbara good luck to you. I am so glad that you did this for yourself.

Congratulations, Barbara, for making such a beautiful way of life for yourself. I love it that you're piecing your apartment together bit by bit, as you find the right items.

Very well done! I adore that purple chair. She must feel like a Queen every time she sits! Gorgeous!

just gorgeous.

The first photo, with the purply chair against the green grape wall, looks like a Color Therapy post. Gorgeous!

love the house. love the story behind it.

I just spent a long weekend in Paris and went to the Porte de Vanves flea market and it was small but excellent - recommended!

Barbara, I wish you joy as you reexperience Paris. I am also a survivor and it is my fantasy to go to Paris. If I do not make it, I have asked my daughter to take my ashes there. So I am serious about getting to see it, one way or the other. You apartment is lovely and I congratulate you. I also read that book and at first thought you were that same woman. So find her. You two will be fast friends. Leave a light on for me. Dar

Beautiful!

Beautifly done. I, too, love the purple chair/flower vignette. That's a color that kind of snuck into my apt. with this Chinese patchwork pillow my mom gave me... not a color I would have chosen for myself but now every time I see warm purple in something I grab it and put it in the living room. I just wish I could find flowers that color! Well, you've inspired me to pot up the tradescantia and hang it above the door.

Love, love, love the mod/traditional/ethnic/eclectic blend. I have this problem with liking a little bit of everything. It's good to know that it can actually work this well.

Best wishes.

I am soooo proud of you!
All the best.

Good for her and a hearty congratulations on following her dream. Lovely.

you go girl!

My family and I were just in Paris in early July. We rented a lovely apartment in the 16th arrondissement. Paris is a beautiful place to live if you can afford it.

so many levels of inspiration; this is a sublime treat on a monday like this.

Tres Chic! What a great story, I only hope I have as much style when I am in my 70's!

my dream apartment! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! all the best to you in your lovely new home. Cheers

great post. beautiful apartment. amazing story. enjoy your "second act".

such an inspirational story!

While it is inspirational, beautiful and in Paris, this article is a repeat and was originally was posted in July of 2007. Perhaps it has been updated? Either way, it really should have had an introduction noting it was a repeat.

That being said, I loved it then and I love it now. I'll be in Paris next week to look for my own apartment. I hope I can find (and then create) something as lovely as Barbara's place.

Thanks for sharing your home and story with us.

I especially loved the little shelves under the kitchen cabinets. What a great idea! I might try something like that myself. Thanks for the inspiration.