So many Paris apartments evoke romance and a timeless quality with glorious architecture, chic finishes and historical charm. While their footprints are relatively small and their prices not at all small, that won’t keep us from creative ideas to get the look. Paris Apartment: Get the Look is inspiration rooted in experience gleaned on a trip where we lived as locals in a beautiful apartment near Notre Dame and also vacationed as royals in a palatial hotel suite.
Paris Apartment Interior Design Ideas
I loved this 603 square foot Paris apartment near Notre Dame…let’s explore ideas to get the look.
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Psst. It was impossible to NOT consume the most delicious pastries every single day! Just call it necessary carb-loading for the excessive walking you’ll do in the city!
HINT: If this mood and French inspired bedroom scheme appeals and you care to refer to it in the future, simply create a board on Pinterest. Pin these images to a HELLO LOVELY designated Pinterest board to easily save this post for future reference!
Romantic Bedroom Decor
What made this particular Paris apartment bedroom romantic? Sparkly semi-flush mount lighting, lavender accents, wrought iron balconies, French doors, graceful furniture, aged rustic wood floors, vintage doors, and rich architectural moldings. While the architectural details may not strike you as budget friendly – it is relative to your level of DIY acumen and budget.
1. Architectural Molding
Adding a beefier baseboard is a change that may instantly improve the bones of your room and heighten its character. Same goes for adding crown molding and applied panels or trims to walls…character and a more established feel!
2. Sparkly Chandelier, Ceiling Light, or Lamps
Like candlelight, these Marie Antoinette style crystal chandeliers and lights definitely turn up the romance.
This style of lighting was perfect for the French country home we built in 2007. For our next project, we went in a decidedly modern French/minimal Belgian direction with less feminine pieces.
Choosing a crystal chandelier with a warmer metal can be a lovely way to introduce romance and tradition with less frou frou factor. They can be trickier to source, and vintage examples are the prettiest.
Not that there’s anything wrong with frou frou…sometimes it’s all about striking the right balance.
3. Romantic Bed
Don’t you love the cane detailing of the headboard?
Lavender and lilac bedding and accent schemes are less popular than blue ones, but purple does add regal flavor. A bonus is how purple is always best friends with gold tones!
Paris Apartment Interior Design Ideas
4. Clothing Storage
The bedroom in this pricey Paris apartment we rented did not come with a closet or built-in wardrobe. Instead, a Nordic style armoire was the only clothing storage.
You can find such pieces easily these days on FB Marketplace and in local markets, and what a fun project if they require repainting.
5. Country and Curvy Nightstand
Less chunky and more graceful lines are what you should aim for when choosing this piece for a Parisian bedroom.
Vibrant Color Used Thoughtfully
6. French Blue for Doors
This Paris apartment’s doors were magnificent and painted a striking French blue. Paired with the brass hardware, ooh la la. Steal this idea for your own home, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a more budget friendly idea.
If your home is graced with less-than magnificent hollow-core builder’s grade doors, consider painting them a cheery shade. Here’s a possibility to get the look:
You may recall that when we moved into our fixer upper and inherited cheap, paper-y 6-panel doors, I painted them light grey (leaving the trim white) since I had to live with them for awhile before replacing them with solid alder doors. You certainly don’t have to keep the color subtle as I did! Just look at the blue and be inspired!
Bear in mind the blue is going to look washed out in natural light. This is more likely how Dignity Blue would appear in sunlight:
All of the blue doors with the wedding cake-like paneled walls were stunning throughout the building.
Finding the perfect French blue can take some effort and tweaking. While it isn’t exactly the French blue from the doors on our Paris apartment, check out Santa Monica Blue by Benjamin Moore for an approximation.
And notice the strip of blue near the stairs – need permission to use color on doors and trim while leaving surrounding trim white or stained? You’re welcome!
7. Subtle, Airy White Backdrop
If you’re seeking just-right white paint colors, SEE THIS. Were I to guess at the white paint color used throughout this Paris apartment we rented, I would suggest BENJAMIN MOORE White Dove.
The white hardly changed through the day, and it was softly off white without perceptible yellow or grey undertones.
How to emulate the feel of wondrous French doors opening to beautiful wrought iron balconies? That’s a tall order. However, we can turn our attention to windows to increase light depending on the privacy requirements.
Find Demilune Side Table options here.
8. Light & Breezy Curtains
Should you be able to get by without window treatments, consider nothing at all or curtains that can be pulled back as seen here.
9. Pale Blue Sofa
Quiet faint blue can be a beautiful foundation as it is in this Paris apartment living room.
Love blue and white stripes?
10. Gilded Accents
Whether on a picture frame, a painting, or a mirror, a rich gold frame is very at home in a Paris apartment.
Would a beautiful art print like mine bring Paris to your room?
This gorgeous framed print has traveled with me to several homes now and looks gorgeous everywhere.
Paris Apartment Tour: An American Family’s Home
So much more to share…continue the apartment tour, peeks at our palatial hotel stay and ideas to score Parisian vibes here in PART TWO!
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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