Good bones.  Paris apartments have them in spades.  The classic herringbone wood floors, the floor to ceiling windows, architectural moldings galore.  These elements allow designers to add mid-century modern lighting and furnishings in perfect harmony.  You’ll find a Louis XVI Commode in all its marble topped glory sharing space with an Alto Chair.  A flee market find snuggled next to reams of silk strung from the ceiling and puddling elegantly on the floor.  Pourquoi pas?

It is not uncommon for a Paris apartment to be painted all white or nearly all white.  A spectrum of grays accented with gold and cream vie for center stage in grand salons.  Neutral palettes work well when there is an abundance of architectural detail to grab your attention.  Parisians appear to have a particular talent for blending new and old – renovations leave something of the original – a worn floor, juxtaposed against perfectly plastered, paneled, and painted walls.  An old steam heater atop a gleaming wood floor.  These contrasts add interest, and tell a story of the history of the place.

Mixing centuries with ease is a Parisian Hallmark.

One day I will have my very own version of a Paris Apartment in Boston.  I long for those herringbone floors, for Hopes doors that lead out to my Juliet Balcony, for moldings and scrolls, and gilded details that are elegant without seaming pretentious.  Until then, I tuck in a detail here and there, an ode to the City of Lights.  Chipped and worn, their imperfections please me.  I am happy to adopt them and give them new life.

Jean Louis Denoit . Custom Wall Paper, Hammered Silver cabinets and Stillovo Lighting….Sublime.

Millwork, paneling, herringbone floors against a neutral palette.

Ah Paris, my perfect city.

Merry Christmas.