30 Apartment Renovations in Paris

The other day, Meg helped me realize something that I honestly missed.

We were having one of our regular weekly phone calls (and I was possibly complaining about something!) when she paused and asked, “So how many projects do you think you’ve done since you started HH Paris?”  It hadn’t occurred to us to count them but when we did, we were both astounded that the number was thirty plus!

That’s when we decided to celebrate this marker … and maybe also revisit how it all happened.  Because like many of the evolutions in our business, this one grew unexpectedly and organically and probably started with an unwelcome wake up text that I vividly remember, during Covid. 

I was managing a Paris bathroom renovation remotely, from Atlanta, when I woke up to a photo of a hideous shower wall and a blunt text: “Did you pick out this tile? It looks awful.” The tile was a compromise—curved wall, limited stock, pandemic logistics—but I stood by it (and still do! -- it looks fine now that it's grouted). But that moment sealed it: I would do no more long-distance projects unless I could be on-site. Meg and I agreed that once restrictions opened up, I’d head to Paris to explore the design work and see if it warranted a Huff Harrington office.

And so on June 9th, 2021, my husband and I lent** our pup to our BFF’s in Atlanta, said adieu to our daughters,  hopped on a plane and took off for an unknown adventure in Paris, with Meg’s (slightly envious) blessing. We didn’t know what to expect and certainly couldn’t have predicted that four years later, we would be announcing our 30th project renovation. And we could not have done this without the help of a fantastic team on the ground along with capable contractors, the support of our home office and the trust of our wonderful clients.. 

Each apartment has been its own adventure. Renovating in Paris is so different from anywhere else. Every building has its quirks, its history, its rules from the city, and always a few surprises along the way. But we’ve learned so much through the process.

So, in honor of hitting that 30-apartment milestone, Meg and I thought it would be fun to share what we’ve learned, the good, the challenging, and everything in between., which we will be doing on Instagram, every Sunday.

We’re calling it the 30 Apartments Series. Every Sunday, I’ll be taking you inside one of the apartments we’ve renovated here in Paris, sharing on Instagram what the process looked like and the little lessons we’ve picked up along the way.

Whether you’ve dreamed of buying your own place in Paris, love design, or simply adore a little Parisian decor, I hope you'll find this series educational, entertaining and especially inspirational for anyone seriously considering buying and renovating an apartment in Paris. 

See you Sundays @huffharrington. And stay tuned for our next newsletter, "30 Tips for renovating an apartment in Paris."

Ta ta,

Ann

P.S. ** About the pup...

“Lending” is never a great idea, when it comes to a pup.  But I’m happy to say that Coco is living her best life, in Atlanta, with our BFF’s who have kindly put up with her quirks, replaced far too many rugs, brushed her (remaining!) teeth and kept her beautifully groomed for visits from her Parisian family, who miss her. And they refuse to “lend” her back, even to Paris!