Tuesday, May 8, 2012

I blame House Hunters International



It happens to be the timing and now I can't stop. The HGTV show House Hunters happens to be on TV when I am making dinner, adding some interesting back chatter while I prepped. Before long, I was making sure dinner was ready well before 5:00 so I could concentrate on the latest house hunting venture, now I tape the International episodes that run later in the evening as well. Not only am I vicariously traveling the world of real estate, I am fascinated by what homes people buy...........and no, I never guess correctly. My absolute favorite episode was a House Hunters International show A Women Starts Over In Paris (see future listings here) no subliminal message intended. While I amuse myself with dreaming about purchasing a Paris apartment, I remembered one from way back that I also fell in love with, you may have seen it before in Canadian House & Home back in 2009 but since when can we see too many Paris apartments?


When I think of Paris, I always think of the incredible golden light and the interior of this apartment owned by Patrick and Lorraine Frey, the owners of Pierre Frey, the legendary French textile and furnishings house, has perfectly captured that magical hue in this Haussman style apartment. I am beginning to think formal dining rooms should always be multi-functional, nothing more lonesome than a dining room that gets used once a month or less so why not add bookcases for library research and why not use two tables? The Freys also used a modern Ingo Maurer chandelier as a guestbook, asking friends to add notes and sketches to this conversational lighting. The toile fabric-covered walls are padded with swan's down to improve acoustics.


Door detailing can make a room. 


Aubergine and bottle green furnishings adds richness and depth to this neutral background. Downright perfect wouldn't you say? Notice the purple stripe detailing at the bottom of those gorgeous silk drapes scroll back up to the top photo.



French home office...............with suede walls and an exquisite inlaid desk. 
A girl can dream..........right?








Go here to see more of the Canadian House & Homes International Gallery.










Photos by Eugenia Kazarnovskaya via House & Home

17 comments:

  1. Absolutely wonderful. Thanks for sharing
    Jo x
    Eliza Interiors & Design

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  2. Hmmm, we may be twins.... I love House Hunters international - it shows much more interesting properties. And your are so right about the Apartment in Paris episode - as if I needed another reason to dream of running away to Paris.

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  3. I remember this and I love seeing it again. The door detailing is very inspiring - now you've got me wondering if I can do something with my bedroom closet doors...

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  4. Gorgeous; however we would expect no less from the Frey;s Bravo!!

    I am ready; do you want a roommate Sande!?

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

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  5. I enjoy catching this show, too. The French apartment is move-in-able!
    I love the people who embrace their new country and style of living, but find it is annoying how some of the people look for homes in a foreign country and then whining about the fact that:
    it's too small/large
    it doesn't look like our home
    it doesn't have all the amenities of the homes/apartments in our American home town
    It have a big enough fridge
    it has odd fixtures
    etc, etc, etc...

    Isn't the whole point in moving somewhere else to experience their way of life?

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  6. Gorgeous rooms, Sande. I especially love ht home office. What a desk!
    Happy Tuesday.
    Teresa
    xoxo

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  7. Gorgeous dreaming Sande... dangerous dreaming! xv

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  8. your post title grabbed me, sande. best title I've read in a long time! and yes, I'm right there with you. my husband and I bemoan that HHI usually comes on so late for us. but if it's an episode in Italy??? never too late to watch! donna

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  9. Although we don't have "T.V." my husband and I have managed to watch as many house hunters international episodes as possible (via Netflix and Hulu). Aaron watches the show for architecture ideas while I watch to live vicariously through the home buyers. (And they don't usually purchase the home I want, unfortunately.) The homes in the French countryside, Italian countryside, and Paris make my heart ache the most...And sometimes those awesome apartments in Scandinavian countries are just as gorgeous as Paris Apartments...Sometimes when they list the home buyer's budget of 500,000 Euros, I think to myself "What in the world do these people do for a living?!"
    Yes, a girl can dream....
    Mandy

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  10. Oh we don't have house hunters here...sounds so interesting! Love the Freys home.
    xxxo

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  11. Add me to the list that loves House Hunters International. I'm tired of the homes on islands, but love the ones in France, Italy etc. I've also been enjoying watching "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain. He does not showcase homes but does a great job on countries, people and food. Plus he's a hoot.

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  12. House Hunters? Hmm..I've have to check it out. I loved the door decor.
    Leslie (aka Gwen Moss blog)

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  13. Ahhhh, yes, those home shows. We're all smitten. I remember an episode when Robin Leach was still doing his show, about Monte Carlo. He asked how many billionaires lived there. But, I was still interested in seeing the sumptious homes. Hope you will be participating in our June BIO event, Sande. We need your inspirational posts on this one for sure. xx's Marsha

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  14. Dreaming is what we are all expert at. Especially for ourselves interiors always take us away and clothes give us the vehicle to go there. House Hunters International is a dream starter.

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  15. Wow graduation..how fantastic..you will be bursting with pride.
    love dj

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  16. Sande..this is a dangerous post. My dreams are long and a bit crowded. I have been thinking all week how nice it would be to live in Tuscany. It just moved down a notch. I share your love for this apartment and wonder how to create similar effects at home. I will add that to my dream world as well. My thinking is that you need to go back to Paris for more research. :) xx

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  17. I am in love with the floors!!!! I tried to get a client to use them in a recent project...they didnt go for it. Next time!!!! Oh and those doors in the bedroom, GORGE!!!!

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