How to make a Paris apartment work for the way you really live

European expertise means knowing how things are done here, from old buildings, copropriété rules and local regulations to the best craftspeople, showrooms and makers. But that expertise can feel intimidating, especially when you’re an ocean away.

Our clients need the process itself to feel comfortable, with clear explanations, realistic budgets and timelines, regular updates, prompt answers and a team on the ground noticing what they cannot see from afar.

That same understanding shapes the finished apartment and how we address some of the differences between the European way of doing things and our clients’ expectations. For example:

1. Kitchen counters

Standard French counter heights can feel low to American clients, especially taller ones. We determine the height that is most comfortable for the people who will actually use the kitchen, and we design the cabinetry and stonework accordingly.

2. Sofas and seating

Many beautiful European sofas are lower, firmer and more upright than our clients expect. Americans often want deeper seats, softer cushions and a more generous scale. We know which European brands deliver that comfort, and when a piece needs to be customized.

3. Air conditioning

Our clients frequently consider air conditioning essential, while French buildings, copropriétés and planning regulations do not always make it easy -- or even possible. We explore every realistic option, from concealed systems to less invasive alternatives, and explain the compromises before plans are finalized.

4. Bathrooms

A French apartment may have one bathroom serving two or three bedrooms. Our clients often expect an en-suite primary bathroom, a second full bathroom and, ideally, a powder room. We look hard at plumbing, circulation and every available centimeter to determine what can genuinely be added.

5. Architectural character

Many of our clients come to Paris precisely because they love moldings, parquet floors, fireplaces and Haussmannian detail. Where others might strip those elements away, we preserve, restore or carefully recreate them, even when walls and rooms have been moved.

6. Laundry

A combination washer-dryer and drying rack may be perfectly normal in a French apartment. Most of our clients want a separate washer and dryer, preferably concealed, vented where possible and located somewhere more convenient than the kitchen. Finding room for both often requires extra ingenuity.

7. Refrigeration

A small integrated refrigerator may suit a typical Paris household, but many of our clients want more capacity, a proper freezer and sometimes filtered water and an ice maker. We find ways to accommodate those features without allowing an oversized appliance to dominate the kitchen.

8. Storage

French apartments often have very few closets, while American clients arrive expecting wardrobes, linen storage, pantry space and somewhere to put luggage. We build storage into walls, hallways, headboards and millwork so that it feels architectural rather than added on.

9. Beds

A “large” European bed is not always large by American standards. Our clients may want a true king-size bed, bedside tables on both sides and enough circulation to move comfortably around the room. We plan for those dimensions from the beginning, not after the renovation is complete.

10. Showers

A handheld shower over a bathtub may be entirely acceptable in a French apartment. Our clients usually want a generous walk-in shower, dependable water pressure, thermostatic controls and glass that keeps the water where it belongs. Achieving that can affect plumbing, floor levels and even the location of the bathroom.

11. Lighting and electricity

Older Paris apartments were not designed for today’s lamps, appliances, computers and charging habits. Our clients also tend to want more layered lighting and more control over it. We carefully plan outlets, switches, bedside power, picture lights, dimmers and practical task lighting, while keeping the technology visually discreet.

12. Kitchens made for gathering

Traditional French kitchens were often separate, compact working rooms. Many of our clients want the kitchen to connect to the living space, accommodate two people cooking and allow friends to gather nearby. We look for ways to create that openness without losing storage, or erasing the apartment’s Parisian character.

Our role is not to turn a Paris apartment into an American house. It is to understand how our clients genuinely want to live and find thoughtful ways to accommodate those expectations within the architecture, regulations and realities of a European building. Sometimes that means finding a creative solution. Sometimes it means explaining why something cannot—or should not—be done. The goal is a home that still feels unmistakably Parisian, but works comfortably and intuitively for the people who live there.