A Dreamy, Bright Top Floor Paris Apartment

Name: Liz, Andrew and pets Stella, Layla and Helen
Location: Neuilly-Sur-Seine (border of 17th arrondissement, Paris)
Size: 65 square meters (about 700 square feet)
Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented

Finding an apartment in Paris is a dream for many. It’s easy in the process to get lost in the romance of parquet floors, french doors and views of Parisian rooftops. So easy, in fact, that many of us forget that day-to-day living needs sometimes trump those Parisian fantasies. When we moved to Paris, we quickly learned that there are certain features that are musts for us that, while not uncommon, are hard to get in one, perfect package. Having a lift when you have a small child or pets, as one example, or a fully furnished kitchen as another (many apartments come without appliances or even cabinetry, leaving the responsibility to the renter to furnish it).

Liz and Andrew definitely considered all of their needs in finding their dream apartment in Paris: proximity to work, a nice kitchen Liz can work in, a lift so they can take their two dogs out for walks, a guest room. Liz is a baker, and when she isn’t making delicious and innovative treats for Bertie’s, she is blogging about them on Half Baked by Liz. Andrew works for a French-based petrol company called Technip (the latter being the catalyst for their move from Canada to Paris). They were smart in choosing the apartment they did, for all of the reasons above, but mostly for the clean and modern renovation and the dreamiest, top-floor light I’ve seen in Paris so far.

You might recognize Liz’s apartment from a House Call post she submitted last year. A few months later, I happened to meet Liz through a mutual friend who Liz works part time for, Bobbie Maker, owner of Bertie’s Cupcakery and wife to Ray Maker, a well known cycling blogger based here in Paris.

While it’s becoming more common, storage space is lacking in most apartments here. Liz and Andrew chose carefully when picking storage furniture and Liz artfully displays a lot of her jewelry, clothes and kitchen wares to suffice for lack of space. I love what they did with their top floor apartment!

Our Style: Modern and minimalist with pops of color. We also love vintage pieces, but sadly, almost all of our furniture was left in Canada when we moved.

Inspiration: So many of my favorite blogs—cupcakes & cashmere, Brit + Co., Ever so Juliet, A Beautiful Mess…the list goes on!

Favorite Element: I love the original wood floors in our apartment—they’ve been refinished, but still have tons of character. There are big windows in each room, so there’s lots of natural light. I also love the original marble fireplace in our bedroom (though I wish it was in our living room), and the kitchen is a pretty good size (by Paris standards).

Biggest Challenge: The location. We love that we’re close to the Bois de Boulogne for the dogs, and Andrew has a short commute to work, but it would be nice to be a little more central. Otherwise, we love the space.

What Friends Say: When can we visit?!

Biggest Embarrassment: The majority of our furniture is straight out of Ikea. Don’t get me wrong—I love Ikea! But we arrived with just our pets and a suitcase each, and needed to furnish our apartment quickly and efficiently. Ikea was an affordable option, and had everything we needed—from cutlery to mattresses. And in a new city where you really don’t know anyone starting off, it’s hard to know where to go!

Proudest DIY: Andrew’s photography. Also, the colorful, geometric canvases in our living room.

Biggest Indulgence: Our framed photography and artwork. And probably my oven!

Best Advice: Keep your things to a minimum. Our storage space is minimal, and at the end of the day, you really don’t need that much stuff! If you don’t love it, get rid of it.

Dream Sources: Paris flea markets, Etsy, Anthropologie, Habitat

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