August 25, 2010 by Parisien Salon
Hip Paris blog friend and fabulous resource on all things Paris, Parisien Salon, recently stayed in our little Montmartre studio and published this article about our very own Erica Berman and her amazing job renovating Pilleux, Haven in Paris’ cozy Montmartre studio. We are pleased to share the story and the before-and-after shots here.
Erica Berman has a gift. She can look at a crumbling shell of a hovel and see its potential as a beautiful apartment. This gift has served her well over her 18 years living in Paris, as she’s renovated upwards of 15 apartments that started out as “blah” (at best), only to be transformed into “wow.”
Her most recent project really put her abilities to the test, as she and her partner Alain renovated a small studio overlooking the Cimetière de Montmartre. Having stayed in what is now a fantastic apartment, I was stunned when Erica shared the story of its evolution.
“There was nothing there but the bones when we bought it,” explains Erica. “Just a shelf.” Looking at some of the “before” photographs also reveals peeling walls, unremarkable floors and an enclosed bathroom that cut the space dramatically. “There was nothing in there we wanted to keep,” she adds.
Erica and Alain worked with an architect to determine the best way to use the space. Once they agreed on the layout, they got to work with a contractor. Continue Reading »
Posted in Design, Homes, Parisian Living | 9 Comments »
August 6, 2010 by Genevieve Sandifer
Saint Germain – Servandoni 2-bedroom
Haven in Paris has just added a gorgeous new apartment to its portfolio – this lovely Servandoni 2-bedroom. Located on a quiet cobble stone street directly between the historic church of Saint Sulpice and the glorious Luxembourg Gardens, the apartment has its own private roof deck, complete with couch, armchairs and table — perfect for relaxing entre amis after a long day of sightseeing. The best part: it’s still available for parts of August and September!
The living room has a pull-out couch for extra guests, and a flat-screen TV and professional sound system for entertaining on nights in.
Saint Germain Servandoni – eat-in kitchen and master bedroom
The eat-in kitchen has everything you need to cook up a delicious French feast gathered from a day’s worth of market shopping, and the pull-out dining room table conveniently makes room for an intimate dinner served chez vous.
The two bedrooms both include queen beds and en-suite bathrooms with rain showers. I can’t think of a better way to cool off after a long day of shopping…
Saint Germain Servandoni – Bedroom with terrace access
Well, maybe an apéritif on the private terrace wouldn’t be so bad!
Planing a last-minute trip? Click here for the Servandoni apartment’s availability calendar. We also have some great deals going on many of our other fabulous flats for those last dates available in August and September.
PS: Be sure to also check out our brand new luxury two bedroom flat on the rue des Beaux Arts. We are also in love with this wonderful apartment situated in the heart of the St Germain des Pres neighborhood. Happy traveling!
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Written by Geneviève Sandifer for the HiP Paris Blog. For our amazing rentals in Paris, Provence & Tuscany check out our website Haven in Paris.
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living | 4 Comments »
July 14, 2010 by Genevieve Sandifer
I love Paris in August. Although it gets a little steamy at times, the city empties out of its usual crowds of Parisians as everyone jaunts off to their country homes for the traditional 4-week summer holiday. A strange calm descends over the slanted rooftops and all of a sudden, I don’t have to fight for a seat at a sunny terrace in the middle of the afternoon in St. Germain.
What’s more, Haven in Paris is offering some pretty amazing special offers in some of our most in-demand flats this year, just in time for a last-minute break in Paris — when the city is at its most relaxed.
Keen to wander down car-free cobble stone streets? The Marais has some of Paris best shopping, food and cafés — the best of which Amy Thomas recently blogged about here.
How about living right on the Place des Vosges — one of Paris’ oldest places and a fabulous place for strolling, napping in the sun and, of course, people-watching. Just a 10-minute walk to the Ile St Louis, Notre Dame and some delicious Berthillon gelato on the banks of the Seine. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living | 4 Comments »
July 12, 2010 by Sharon - My French Country Home
Sharon, HiP Paris friend and the author behind “My French Country Home”, has a lovely blog about the pastoral delights of living in the French countryside with her husband, children and… horses?? Yes, it’s true. She seems to live the dream! Here is a post about vintage French linen. For those of us lucky enough to have slid between genuine vintage linen sheets on a hot summer evening, her pictures and narrative bring back blissfully cool memories!
I’ve already told you how much I love old French linen, well today I’m really excited because this weekend I’ve been able to find several unusually beautiful bed sheets to put into my etsy shop.
One of my really great pleasures in life is slipping into bed between freshly pressed linen sheets. Best of all vintage linen. I love the weight of the linen, the soft smooth texture, the way they feel cool in the summer and warm and comforting in winter. I never sleep better than in old French sheets.
Today it is still possible to come across bed linen, over 100 years old, and in perfect condition. If you are lucky it’s monogrammed, if you’re very lucky you get ladder work, lace or other embroidery too. Sometimes there are slight signs of wear, or even a tiny and perfectly darned hole, to me this just adds to the charm.
Traditionally the most beautiful sheets were embroidered as part of a young girl’s trousseau. The wealthier the family, the more ornate the handwork, and the finer the weave of the metis, or cotton and linen mix. There are few places today who produce such fine and long lasting materials. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes | 3 Comments »
June 23, 2010 by Genevieve Sandifer
When I first considered living in the Marais, I was drawn, like most, to its centrality, its tiny cobble stone streets and its fabulous shopping (on Sundays, when the rest of Paris is as good as dead). I was tempted by its offers of falafel and its proximity to Berthillon on the Ile St. Louis. I loved that it was quiet and lively, sophisticated and fun all at the same time.
I have now been lucky enough to live in a couple different parts of this wonderful area, and I have to say, it remains one of my very favorite places to both live and spend my time while in Paris.
Although the streets can fill with tourists (both from other countries and other areas of Paris — jealous of the scene-y café terraces, bars and Sunday shopping), on a rainy afternoon or evening you’ll still find neighborhood cafés spotted with low-key, well-heeled locals reading the paper, sipping a glass of wine, or tapping away at their laptops.
Haven in Paris’ Elzevir apartment, a gem of a one-bedroom that I just know is dying to be graced by my shopping bags and worn out shoes, is located on a quiet street in between the more residential northern Marais and the livelier south Marais. Right smack half-way between the famous Place des Vosges and the rue des Archives’ great terraces, it truly is a haven of designer furniture, open spaces and sophisticated touches. Continue Reading »
Posted in Design, Homes, Parisian Living | 3 Comments »
June 16, 2010 by Rosa Jackson
Rosa Jackson, the fabulous food writer and chef, is based in Nice where she conducts market tours and succulent Provençal cooking classes. She travels to Paris frequently (as one must) in order to keep up with the restaurant scene. Last year, she stayed at Haven in Paris’ very own Houdon flat. This lovely write-up ensued on her blog…
I have a vision of my perfect Paris apartment. It would be high up – stairs don’t scare me – with a small balcony and a sweeping view over the zinc rooftops, punctuated here and there with church spires and glimmering domes. There would be parquet floors, big windows on both sides (east and west, ideally) and a sunny kitchen that opens onto the living space. Oh, and it would have central heating.
When I first laid eyes on Erica Berman’s apartment just south of Abbesses Métro station, I felt slightly breathless. That might have had something to do with the five flights of stairs required to reach it, but it also came from the certainty that this was my dream apartment. I loved the antique table and mismatched chairs, I loved the contemporary paintings and well-tended plants, and I especially loved the vintage wooden pâtisserie sign above the kitchen, which Erica found at a market in Provence.
It’s no surprise that Erica’s flat should seem so effortlessly tasteful, given that she is the owner of the hippest apartment rental agency around: Haven in Paris. I first met Erica when she came to do one of my food tours in Nice, and I immediately realized that we had many things in common: our love of Paris, Provence and Italy (especially Liguria), our fondness for off-the-beaten track bed-and-breakfasts, and our insatiable curiosity about new Paris restaurants.
When I dropped by her Paris apartment before a meal at the nearby bistro Le Cul de Poule (here is a report on the Haven in Paris blog), she beckoned me onto the balcony for a glass of Italian wine. Erica has lived in Paris for 17 years and there is almost nothing she doesn’t know about the city, as proved by her frequently updated blog. We chatted about good and not-so-good meals she has had in the Pigalle and Montmartre area: her current favorites are Le Miroir (94 rue des Martyrs, 18th) and Guilo Guilo (8 rue Garreau, 18th), the second run by a renowned chef from Kyoto.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living, Travel | 6 Comments »
November 29, 2009 by Tory Hoen
With hotel rates on the rise, more and more travelers are learning that short-term apartment rentals are an ideal way to enjoy a foreign location. For those who seek the true insider travel experience, there is no better way to feel like a local than to rent an apartment where you can cook, entertain, and truly settle into the neighborhood. The benefits of renting an apartment are many, but for those who are not used to vacationing this way, the decision to rent an apartment can be daunting. It doesn’t have to be if you keep a few simple rules in mind. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Travel | 3 Comments »
November 20, 2009 by Haven in Paris
Our friend Zeva Bellel over at Paris by Appointment Only has published a piece by HiP’s own Erica Berman about Parisian apartments and the importance of light, outdoor space, and views.
Article by Zeva Bellel, Paris by Appointment Only
The most in-demand Parisian properties are the ones with amazing views. It’s no surprise, really: Who wouldn’t want this cityscape as a live-in tableau? Luckily, there are some incredible furnished flats with views available for short-term rent. So on your next swing through the city, skip the claustrophobic hotel and rent a light-filled apartment instead. You’ll not only be able to throw impromptu soirées, cook up market finds in your own kitchen, gain space and save precious cash, you’ll have a frame on the city that most Parisians dream of.
For the inside scoop on the most picturesque Parisian pads on the market, please welcome guest blogger Erica Berman, owner of the divine apartment rental agency, Haven in Paris and the HiP Paris Blog.
To read the full article, head to Paris by Appointment Only.
Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.
Posted in Homes | No Comments »
September 5, 2009 by Tory Hoen
The staircase and downstairs dining area.
In his work, German artist Markus Hansen spends considerable time trying to “undefine” himself. Whether working on films, sculpture installations, or urban projects, he uses his art to explore the contradictions he sees in the world. Eleven years ago, when he designed the apartment that would become his family’s home in Paris’ 5th arrondissement, his intention was quite the opposite. The duplex penthouse apartment—complete with 360 square meters of wraparound balconies and a rooftop terrace—is a study in spatial harmony and fluidity. Continue Reading »
Posted in Arts, Homes, Parisian Living | 1 Comment »
August 28, 2009 by Tory Hoen
After living for years in Paris, Bill O’Such and his wife Ineke relocated to the United States. In an effort to “keep one foot in France,” they bought and renovated a pied-à-terre which they rent to tourists when they can’t use it themselves. Below, Bill discusses the ins-and-outs of buying, renovating, and maintaining a home in France.
The living room of the Elzevir Apartment.
by Bill O’Such, Elzevir.net
While some websites might lead you to believe that buying an apartment in Paris is as easy as buying a good bottle of wine, the truth is: it’s a lot of work! Unless money is of no object, the process is incredibly hands-on and requires both creativity and perseverance. As I learned by buying and renovating my “Elzevir Apartment,” the process is challenging… but worth it. Continue Reading »
Posted in Homes, Parisian Living | No Comments »
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View from Pilleux Montmartre Studio
Pilleux Studio – Murphy bed with antique doors, after and before
