10 Snapshots of Home Life in France (as Told By a Parisian Blogger)

In search of the secrets behind the je ne sais quoi of all things French, we turned to Céline of Frenchy Fancy, a blog whose beautiful images often land on our inspiration posts. After chatting with her about her home decor style, favorite shops, and morning routine, we’re feeling tempted to buy a one-way ticket to the City of Light.

Frenchy Fancy‘s Céline, a Parisienne through and through, shares her thoughts on…

We’ve been here for two years, but we’ve lived in Enghien-les-Bains for seven. We love the town a lot because it’s only 10 minutes from Paris, while still being in the country. Life is so great here! Our apartment is 65 square meters [about 700 square feet], and it’s a Haussmann-style three-room apartment on the fourth floor—with no elevator (ouch!). I live with my partner Richard, our son Robin, who is about to turn one, and our cat Khadgar.

I have a lot of trouble describing our style, because we don’t limit ourselves. If we like something, we find a way to work it into our decor. We have Italian things, Nordic things, stuff from the flea market, and also mass-produced. I need to be surrounded by things I love, regardless of the style. I love seeing a photo of my son next to an illustration or a fine art print. I love my Beni Ourain rug from Morocco as much as our little chair, which was found on the street. In fact, I think our apartment is a reflection of us, our past, our travels, our passions.

I love being in my living room, because that’s where we’re most often all together. Robin’s toys have invaded our decor, but I love watching him while tranquilly sipping a cup of tea or having a drink with friends.

I shop online a lot, and I have a lot of shops I love! Le Petit Florilège and Connox for pretty objects, Juniqe for really pretty posters (their selection is the best!). I love Smallable for things for Robin. Besides those, I also love walking through inspiring home stores in Paris, like Maison M, Home Autour Du Monde, Caravane, Le Monde Sauvage, Jamini, and Merci. [Find more of her favorites on Frenchy Fancy.]

In the morning, we get up to give Robin his bottle around 8 am. All three of us try to eat breakfast together. On the menu: Homemade granola and toast for Richard and me, and a breakfast biscuit for Robin. He’s a foodie, so he never skips a meal with us! It’s very important to me to share meals as a family. We always did that at my parents’ and I want to recreate that for my son.

Since the birth of our son, I’ve been working at home to spend the maximum amount of time with Robin. Richard leaves around 9 am and comes home around 7:30 pm, sometimes later. It’s true that in Paris, people work late and spend a lot of time commuting. Before, I used to come home around 9 pm, and now I ask myself how I did that for more than two years!

I love cooking at home. We have groceries delivered, and then buy fresh things at the market, which is just below our place. I cook small traditional dishes (beef bourguignon, lentils) and Richard makes good fast dishes. His speciality: Pasta à la carbonara. It’s so delicious!

Every weekend we host friends or family. We love getting together for a drink, or we make a huge pile of crepes to snack on. Our living room is pretty small (about 180 square feet), so we add a bunch of different chairs to accommodate everyone. We have it “à la bonne franquette” [simple, without fuss] as we say in France!

For cleaning, I’m lucky to have a cheri who helps me a lot. We try to share the chores. For example, I hate vacuuming, so he does it, and in exchange I do the dishes. I admit that there is one thing we never do: clean the tiles! It annoys me because it takes so long and the next day, they’re dirty again!

When we moved into this apartment, there was no storage. We had to buy some because we have so many things. Our books are everywhere in the apartment: on a little table next to the couch, on our bedside tables, on our radiators. For our clothes, we do what all Parisians do: We sort them according to the seasons and vacuum-pack the rest. It’s really convenient when you don’t have enough room! We try to maximize our space, and put storage bins under the cabinets and beds. I also try to declutter often, which allows me to give some things to flea markets or charities.

Merci beaucoup, Céline! Bookmark Frenchy Fancy for more inspiring interiors in Paris and around the world.

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