Heaven in the 7th, Part III

Veni. Vidi. Bought-i. And we are now excitedly under contract to purchase a Parisian apartment. Can we please just call it a flat? I know it’s pretentious, but it’s so much nicer!

Now there is a very nice little French law that allows you to get out of your contract for up to eight days after you have signed your “Promesse” to purchase in the notary’s office. Although I’ve been feeling pretty good about this apartment, there is one person I’d like to have look at it before I let the eight days elapse.

Ever since we’ve thought about buying an apartment in Paris, I’ve kept close tabs on the apartment rental market in Paris. We’ve stayed in a lot of hotels and rented apartments from a lot of agencies, and although there are many good ones I can recommend, my personal favorite Paris apartment rental agency is Paris Perfect. Every time we’ve stayed in a Paris Perfect apartment, everything from the quality of the apartments to the locations, the views, the amenities and the service have been, well … perfect. I’ve always thought that Madelyn, the co-owner of this agency, has a great eye and great judgment about investing in Paris apartments, and so my next step is to get her opinion.

I know Madelyn from way back, when we first started looking for an apartment almost three years ago. We had found a jewel of an apartment in the 7^th, which we were planning to buy. Unfortunately, the stars did not line up in our favor this time around, when everything from the economy to the exchange rate turned against us, and we had to, regretfully, step out of it. When the apartment showed up on the Paris Perfect website, I knew that it had gone to the right person. They did a fabulous transformation from ugly duckling to beautiful swan, and I knew that if anyone could help me determine if my little duckling in the 7th was the right purchase, Madelyn could.

Before and After:

Here are the pictures of the one that got away, as we saw it when it was for sale, followed by Paris Perfect’s beautiful transformation.

Before we get started, let’s just show you why we were even considering this apartment: A killer view in a killer location, in the heart of the 7th. With this picture, the before and after didn’t change, which is why it’s always about location, location, location!

Now, for the magical transformation:

Before

After – love how they kept the idea of the closets, but made them more open, keeping them functional but with a greater feeling of space.

And of course, a big Louis Philippe mirror does wonders for any room, especially with a chandelier reflected in it.

A little corner of the living room gets a precious little desk and chair.

The windows were already a great feature of the apartment, but what a beautiful place to put the dining room table!

One of my favorite features: The afternoon light pouring in to the living room.

In the bedroom, they cleverly transformed one of the walls in to a wall of closets, creating storage (a most precious Parisian commodity) while keeping it good looking.

They had to shift some walls around to have put the bed against this wall – and it sure was worth it.

Bathroom transformations are always some of the most dramatic, and this one is no exception.

The kitchen had good little bones to begin with, but badly needed the facelift it received. Vive la difference!

So, what do you think? Can my little duckling be transformed in to a swan? I’m pretty sure it can, but just to be sure, I’ll see what Madelyn has to say. Stay tuned!

Ta ta,

A.

Heaven in the 7th, Part II

The stars may have lined up right. I call the agent, for the 7^th Heaven apartment, and she actually answers the phone and is lovely. Yes, the apartment just came on the market today, and yes it is still available. In fact, she is just starting to take appointments.

I quickly hang up and call my buyer’s agent, who just happens to be in her car, and when I text her the pictures of the apartment, she turns around and heads right back to the 7^th. By the time she gets to the building, she is asked to wait outside because there are people visiting the apartment right now, and two groups ahead of her on the street. And of course, I am calling her every five minutes for an update.

A little while later (and an eternity in my mind), she calls me in hushed tones to give me her tour. She explains that there is a weird, funky hallway, and a new kitchen and another weird funky hallway, and lots of doors that open into little rooms, and basically I understand nothing of the layout. Should I go for it, I ask her urgently. Is it great? We’ll deal with the details later, just tell me yes or no. At first she hedges because she is cautious, and the apartment has some quirks. And she doesn’t like to be put on the spot. But then she says, “It’s beautiful. And it has lots of potential …” which is all I need to hear.

I’ve been down this route several times before, so I know the drill: Full price offer, in writing, quickly wire some money and hold your breath. The rest is a sleepless blur, but somehow I come out of it at the other end with an offer that has been accepted, pending my own visit to the apartment in the next few days. So, with the blessing of my little family and my gallery, I hop on a plane, and head to Paris for my own inspection.

My friend Adrian said it right. There is something very feng shui about this apartment. It has a nice vibe to it. You feel good when you walk in, from your first glimpse of the charming little oval window in the front hall.

Yes, the layout is very funky, with a long, narrow hallway that is typical of many Haussmann style apartments. And unfortunately, the whole place has been renovated to someone else’s standards, which is what it is. Luckily, the floors have not been touched, and they are gorgeous and original. And despite the previous renovation, the moldings are intact, and the lines and bones are good.

The realtor’ photos of the kitchen were OK

But the reality is, the cabinets are baby blue with black marble

The worst part is that the kitchen has been completely redone, and I’m not loving the modern, baby blue laminate cabinets with the black granite countertops and black floor. And the bathroom has been lined with what I think is the most hideous mosaic tile, that I am told in no uncertain terms, is one of the most expensive around. Ouch! And although there is ample storage, which is unusual in Parisian apartments, the closets are ugly and placed in the funkiest arrangement. There’s definitely a lot of work to be done, even though the apartment is in good shape.

Even the realtor’s photos can’t mask the mosaic tiled bathroom

The question is … is it worth it?

As I start to ponder this thought, the sun pours in across the floors and something catches my eye. I love the reflection of the balustrade against the warmly hued floors.

Even in the back bedrooms, there’s a wonderful light that shines through.

A friend brings over a bottle of champagne and we inelegantly sip it, sitting on the wooden floors.

As the sun sets, we watch the lights of the Eiffel tower come on.

I think I’m feeling good about this. I absolutely love the neighborhood. My husband loves the neighborhood. My whole family and my extended family all love the neighborhood and just about everybody I know loves the Rue Cler. And my dog, bless her sweet darling heart, would have the just about the best possible promenade a puppy could have. In fact, I can just see her face now, looking up at me, with those adoring eyes saying, “Please, please can we go to the Eiffel Tower again?”

As my friend and I head out the door and down the street to Les Cocottes, one of my favorite restaurants in the area, I think I see a sign.

Actually, it may be two signs.

Oh boy. I look again and see five little signs, right there on the rue Cler.

And that’s when I know that this is one is meant to be.

Tata,

A.

Heaven in the 7th

Postcards from Paris...

After my big loss of Le Sublime, I took a little break from trying to find the perfect Paris pad. I tried to ignore the barrage of emails, with pictures of seductive floors, enticing moldings and 19^th century stone facades. I tried not to click on google maps for a daily walk up and down the streets of a neighborhood. I avoided some of my favorite French websites and didn’t try to hone in on buildings from the sky, at different angles, to measure the angle of the sun at various times of the day. I tried not to focus on Paris and instead kept busy with a multitude of other projects, with the gallery, trips to Provence, and of course, my little family. And I was successful at it … until this photo popped up in my inbox.

Followed by another one, that just clarified the location for me.

Some people might think, what’s the big deal? So you have a view of the Eiffel Tower? What makes you think this is a great apartment?

But you see, I’ve been doing this for almost three years! I know this neighborhood inside and out. I can look at this photo and tell you that the apartment is within a stone’s throw of the rue Cler, one of the most bustling and colorful market streets in Paris. I know that it’s around the corner from the rue St. Dominique, home of about six fabulous restaurants, most of which are owned and run by that new prince of cuisine, Christian Constant. I know the buses that run up and down the street and I love the metro stop, which is a five minute walk away. I’ve walked the short stroll to the Seine river, and to the Champ de Mars, and know that from this location, my puppy will get the most scenic work out that she’s ever experienced.

And although I’m not an haute couture kind of gal, I certainly like the idea of being just minutes from the avenue Montaigne, even though I’ll probably never set foot in Chanel, Dior or Christian Lacroix.

Without even looking further, I know that this apartment is in “my” hood. Oh dear. These don’t come up very often. I may just have to pursue it.

And then I catch a glimpse of the floors! “My floors!” I’m in trouble now …

From the floors and the moulding, I can tell that it’s a Haussmann style building, probably built a little before the turn of the century (1890’s). I’m pretty sure that it’s on the 2^nd floor, which is not my favorite, but I do see advantages to not being up high, especially since I’ve had experience with Parisian elevators. And, this apartment is on a very wide street, so there’s nothing blocking the sun from pouring in, which is another check in its favor.

I read the description and the size and realize that it’s perfect. At 800 square feet, it’s just enough to be a small two bedroom, which is exactly what I’m looking for. There’s only one bathroom, but that can probably be remedied. And the pictures of the kitchen are definitely not what I’m looking for. But that too, is a cosmetic fix. I’m starting to hyperventilate, just a little.

It’s time to look at this building from the sky, measure the sun and walk to the nearest bakery. I see that it’s on a large courtyard, so I figure that the bedrooms, surely located in the back, will actually get some good light. I look at the angle of the sun and figure that in the summer time, the front of the building will have sun pouring in from early afternoon to sunset.

I get out google maps, and sprint around the neighborhood, counting the number of restaurants, gourmet shops, pharmacies (my personal favorites!), and yes, even veterinary clinics. I visit some of the local dress shops, antique stores and art galleries that dot every street. I look at the florists, the hair dressers, the shoe repair shops, the cheese shops, the wine stores, and start counting the bakeries and take out gourmet shops, until my stomach begins to rumble. I ensure that there are no restaurants downstairs whose odors could penetrate the apartment. And I count the number of buses that all stop within a five minute walk.

By the time I finish my google tour, I am panting, exhausted and exhilirated. And ready to call the realtor.

But what if this one turns out to be sold? Can I bear another loss? Can I take my poor readers through another roller coaster ride? And will I finally find my little slice of heaven in the 7th?

I have no choice. This apartment speaks to me. I make the call and hold my breath.

Stay tuned!

Tata,

A.