Don't Mind the Dust

If there’s no renovation going on in my life, I think something is wrong. It’s sick, I know. Most folks dread having anything to do w
ith the process of renovation, including the never-ending dust and unexpected surprises one encounters.

The bit I’m doing is just one room — my daughter’s bedroom that was renovated when she went off to college more than 10 years ago, but like in all old Paris buildings which move and shift, the cracks just keep coming back and it’s time for a refresh. One wall clearly shows where a door once was and the window frame is worn and in need of repair, so this is my ‘opportunity’ to give it a whole new look and bring it up to the standard of the rest of the apartment.

The closets will get mirrored insets, the bed (with a new frame) will move from the corner to the center, the wooden desk that has been in the family since 1989 will get cut down to a more reasonable size, new lighting will be added, shelving positioned on the walls and space is being made for a new dresser and mirror. My favorite “mosaïste,” Véronique Husson, has been recruited to add her artistic touches to the tops of the desk and dresser as well as creating a frame for the mirror. (You can see her work by visiting “Le Provençal,” “La Paris Plage/Le Parisol” or “Le Matisse” and numerous other Parler Paris or Parler Nice Apartments — anywhere you see hand-laid mosaic tile, that’s Véronique’s handywork!

Fortunately, I’m not at all apprehensive about renovation, unlike many people to set out to look for property in France. To assume that you can find a property that needs no renovation is like the old joke: To ‘assume’ makes an “ASS” out of “U” and “ME.” You get my drift?

Sure, the properties exist, but you’ll pay for someone else’s renovation work in the price and you will likely be paying for their renovation mistakes, too. If the renovation was done more than ten years ago, then it’s likely in need of a refresh and a redesign anyway. And you can bet that if it was done by someone of another culture from your own, then it was done without the ‘bells and whistles’ you’d be used to.

We’ve had clients that refuse to buy a two-bedroom property without a second bathroom, but refuse to do the work to add a bathroom even if the property has everything they want except that. That’s why it will take a lot longer to find the property — or maybe it will never be found. There are limitations to what is available on the market and there are limitations based on architecture one must be aware of.

Haussmannian buildings have particular constraints and one must assume (there goes that word again) that a Haussmannian style apartment will need massive renovation to bring it into the 21st century. Sure the molding is lovely and the herringbone parquet gorgeous and the fireplaces romantic and the high ceilings luxurious, etc., etc. But what do you do with the noise from the busy boulevards below, or the kitchen placed at the back down a long hallway where servants once stayed, or place your king-sized bed in a way that you can still maintain seeing or using the fireplace, or reduce the numbers of doors and tiny spaces without destroying the integrity of the molding, etc., etc.? It’s a challenge!

So, just get over it and decide you’re going to do the necessary renovation and get the apartment or home just the way you want it. Set aside about 2,000€ to 3,000€ per square meter to do it well and do it right (including all decor and equipment). Sure, you can do it cheaper, but you’ll get what you pay for, so if the property is for rental and its attractiveness affects your occupancy rate, then don’t skimp on the quality and luxury. Do it right.

Doing it right means thinking thoroughly about the details and making it as convenient and comfortable as possible, without sacrificing the look. I have a “diamonds and Zircons” approach to renovation — meaning cutting costs where they don’t show or matter. For that reason a trip to IKEA Saturday was worth it to purchase a few things — a new bed frame, a new dresser and lighting. Hundreds of euros were saved by doing that, but then the money saved will be invested in the hand-laid mosaic tile that will turn an ordinary room into a jewel.

Martine di Mattéo is our official Interior Designer. She works with an architect when necessary and hires her own crews to do the renovation work. Her talent for creating “one story” in color and design is incomparable to anyone else we’ve worked with and her apartments stand out from the rest. Just have a look at some of her creations (Parler Paris Apartments): “L’Atelier des Vosges,” “Au Vieux Paris,” “L’Aubergine,” “Le Beaubourg,” “Le Beau Marais,” “La Belle Notre Dame,” “Le Bien Illuminé,” “Le Coeur de la Cour,” “Le Déco,” “Le Dome de Saint-Paul,” “La Fleur de Poitou,” “La Fille du Calvaire,” “La Greneta,” “Le Luxe d’Argent,” “La Maison D’Orsay,” “Les Miroirs du Marais,” “La Musique,” “Le Palace des Vosges,” “Le Penthouse Voltaire,” “Le Petit Trianon,” “La Petite Porcelaine,” “La Rose du Marais,” “La Table du Roi” and “La Côte du Paradis” (in Nice).

Martine will tell you that the apartments that have the best results are those where the owners really trusted her and gave her a free hand to create “the story.” This means fully understanding the costs and the time it takes to complete a project. So, while you’re allowing a budget of 2,500€ per square meter, also allow for 4 to 6 months of renovation. It can go fast if you facilitate it by: 1) paying for the project in advance stages so the contractors have the funds with which to buy materials, 2) decisions are made quickly and 3) letting go of the innate need to control it all!

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds
Director of The Adrian Leeds Group, LLC

Respond to Adrian: [email protected]

 P.S. You can be among the first to stay in one of our newest Parler Paris Apartments — Le Dome de Saint-Paul! This stunning two bedroom apartment with wrap-around balcony and gorgeous views of Le Marais was completely renovated by designer Martine di Mattéo, and will be featured in an upcoming episode of House Hunters International. Visit Parler Paris Apartments