apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I love the purple/pink couch, fabulous place!

Yeah, that would be "coup de coeur."

i'd like to know more about your decision to move from here to there. are you working? are you a french national? if you live the dream, you must share tips.

I'd love to see some color on the walls. Is the tower of books just a stack? I've thought about doing that.

thanks pretentious.

I have 2 suggestions: put the couch and table on a rug to anchor the table, otherwise it looks an island floating in a sea of gray. Also, please hide the cables under your desk (you can probably tie them to one of the table legs with velcro). This would make a huge difference to the overall look.

absolutmarie - I'm with you. It is just lacking a few finishing touches. I'm not with the stack of books since it doesn't seem very realistic. Plus it could use a good decluttering.

The place itself, very wonderful.

Where did you get your pink couch? Is it a daybed and is it as comfortable as it looks?

I've always loved those drainboard sinks (especially the marble ones you see in Italy). I don't now why they aren't used here more often. They are pure practicality.

Cute place-- perfect location. I think you made a few people jealous!

is that a wadded-up dishtowel on the stove? why do people post pictures of messy places?!

!!! THERE is the pillow I love from 'new adventures of old christine'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

uhh, open the blinds, please?!

I love this tiny apartment! Btwn this and "Laura's Pared down perfection moves" - makes me want to get rid of everything and have only things I love.

I think the sofa is the coveted Ligne Roset Nomade-Express. If I had a tiny place (and money to spare), I'd have that sofa, plus the Ligne Roset Cresendo multi height/sized coffee table, and keep my Ikea Alsarp bed! Well designed multi functional things are the best! I wonder how well that oven/dishwasher combo works...

Could use a tidying. Everyone about that stack of books, it's one of those shelves that only looks like a stack of books. Normally I just don't like those, but it's obviously called for in this small space. Two recent house tours or house calls were messy and unfinished looking (to me), and I would say this is the best in that category. I don't think this could be a house tour until it's cleaned up. It's funny what people think looks good while they are there and snap a photo without looking over the photo for embarrassing details. Or just "relaxed" and "at home"???? Good start, have a good time in Paris for the rest of us. Maybe even don't worry about your apartment, just go out and have a good time.

Congratulations on making a hugh move and loving the outcome!
I was wondering if it is really cost effective to have your furniture shipped across the ocean?
and i agree, the blinds should be open and it would be nice to have a floor plan when there are only a few pics to view.
Looks like you are off to a great start!

It's pretty funny if that is a Linge Roset sofa, and she had it shipped back to it's homeland.

The one thing I want to remove from this place is the overlong curtain from the doorway in the main room. I'd do either a well-made curtain hemmed to length and tied back, or go overboard on the boho thing and do a funky beaded curtain. But that eyelet(?) thing dragging on the floor doesn't do your furniture justice. There are so many gorgeous textiles in Paris -- go for it.

i kind of like the mess. i'm getting kind of sick of perfect spaces. this seems more attainable. a small place with only a little messiness - normal, attainable :)

I kind of like the mess too. Not everything has to be perfect all the time but I do agree with the comment regarding the computer wires.

Avec la belle cheminee anciene dans la chambre a coucher !!! Charmante.

that is a really cute place.
i agree with the comments about the mess, though. i don't like to see 'perfect' places on here, either, but i think if you're giving a tour of your house, things like tidying up a workspace and not having dish towels crumpled on the stove are helpful.

just a personal preference, but as an avid reader and book-lover, that random stack of books makes me all twitchy. :) i couldn't take it!

Nice place with good light! A little clutter is comforting for me---makes me feel like I'm really visiting a person's home. I like the couch and furniture arrangement in the main room.

Everytime I look at that stack of books, I keep imagining them all falling and/or some of the books getting damage by all the weight. But I am an avid book reader and collect books, so I'd prefer to treat them right with a good bookcase.

I like your apartment, even if it doesn't look overly manicured or staged. I, for one, appreciated the dish towel.

I *would*, however, fix those wires around your desk. They are a bit unsightly, even if you have a relaxed feel to the place.

I love the artwork on the walls!

someone take the clothe dish towels off the stove i am sitting here holding my breath... yikes

I'm cool with the books, and I think everyone frets about spontaneous combustion too much.

Ok, truckeekid, there is a difference between books falling and spontaneous combustion...look up both falling and spontaneous combustion before replying.

Even if you don't give a damn about the books, think about the furniture and electronics it would fall on - the person's home office.

Why does everyone keep freaking out about the books? They're on a case, like this one:
http://www.dwr.com/product/accessories/workspace/organization/sapien-bookcase-short.do

Very popular? Maybe you've seen them on AT before? I know I have. Lots of times.

Meh. I'd like to take my arm and sweep out all the clutter so we could see "the bones" of the place.

I have seen those, KTG - they also don't come as tall as this person has her books stacked. Those bookshelves are give or take five feet - that stack is probably more like 8 ft if not more.

Love the white-framed TV! Now if only the turned-off screen could be white, too… Well, next best solution to tossing the darn thing off the balcony…

Oh, a little mess is good for the soul, relax. Great place - full of good cheer!

Felicitations!

clean your clutter.

Agreed, twitteringbirdie. I doubt any of our apartments/houses are spotless since it's almost impossible - but if you are going to post pictures, the least you can do is remove your clutter.

Thank you for showing us your lovely place in its lived-in state. I like the white TV -- it really fades into the background. Those tall windows bring me right back to Paris. They give your home light and romance.

How fortunate to live in Paris!
I too had never heard of the combination, oven-stovetop-dishwasher and google'd for more information for any here that may be interested.
http://www.appliance411.com/faq/modermmaid.shtml

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your comments (both positive and constructive) - I didn't get an email that the photos had been posted and so just discovered it now!

To answer some of your questions:
- Sofa is in fact the Ligne Roset Nomade-Express; it was one of the only things I bought in France so it was not "shipped back to its homeland." A splurge but now I have a queen-size bed for guests and can still walk across the living room. I saw the L-R multi-height coffee table but it was too big for the space, and I already had the Noguchi.
- Towering stack of books is one of those standing bookshelves and despite the photo it is only about 6' high.
- I completely agree about the wires near the desk and the mess; shameful. But I haven't been able to find one of those white cord cover things here yet, and I took the photos on a whim with the idea that if it became a house tour new, neater photos would be taken. Mea culpa.
- The shades are semi-closed in the photo because if they weren't there would be so much light in the apartment I couldn't take a photo.
- The overly-long curtains in the LR hide my closet. I needed something quick when I moved in but would like to change them at some point.
- The stove/dishwasher/oven combo actually works incredibly well for all functions. It's made by Rosiers, which I understand is considered to be about the same quality as Miele.

about the move: I am American, and am finishing a graduate degree here (and plan to stay after graduation this June). There was a fair amount of bureaucracy involved in moving but with careful advance planning and some help from friends and a relocation agent it actually wasn't as hard as I'd expected. The only exception to that was the shipping of furniture - never, under any circumstances, would I do it again (or at least on my own dime). Huge headache, enormous expense.

Bai - Based on the scale of things in your living room, the stack went over 6 feet. You really should find a place somewhere to store the top two feet or so. To see it's over 6 feet, all I had to do was base how tall a desk would be or how tall the fireplace must be.

Bai, is that a Ryan McGinness in your living room? I love it. Is it an original? I'd love to own a piece by him. I've even thought about creating a knockoff myself!

one word: tacky.

I'm all for the tower of books, and since it is on the stacked bookcase, they are all accessible, safe and sound. In fact it's easier to find what you're looking for when they're horizontally arranged.

Ile de la Cite???? Je suis jalouse!!!!!!

If ever looking for the worlds most serious critics, just be vulnerable to open your home on apartment therapy.

I love your space!