How the French Do Small Space Living. Vive la Différence!
Their city is even more space-challenged than New York or San Francisco, so Parisians have learned to live large by living small.
The tiny house movement has recently become trendy in the U.S., but tiny living has been a part of French life for centuries, and while Paris is known as the city bursting with fashion, food and light, it’s not exactly spacious. That’s obvious to visitors the moment they squeeze a toe into their chambre d’hôtel (ahem…hotel room).
The housing crisis in Paris dates back to the era of the Belle Époque when the city was firmly solidifying its position as a center of arts, culture, food and fashion (think of all those artists hobnobbing at the Lapin Agile).
Around the turn of the 20th century, the city simply couldn’t grow fast enough to satisfy the population. Current day French law stipulates that the legal size of an apartment needs to be just 9 square meters (roughly 97 square feet). In contrast, the law in New York City requires an apartment be at least 400 square feet.
So if the average city apartment in Paris is roughly a quarter of the size of that in New York, what have the French been doing for the past 100 years to keep their lives both enjoyable and more importantly living la belle vie in the City of Light?
(Photo: Gabrielleblackman.com)
Less Is More
Rachel Khoo made a name for herself in TV’s “The Little Paris Kitchen.” If Khoo can whip up a complete dinner for two complete with the perfect crème brûlée in a kitchen the size of a closet, what tips does she have up her sleeve? She says, “Do away with any non-essential utensils; you don’t need a ton of knives, just a good chef’s knife, a paring knife and a bread knife fit in this category”
Related Story on Yahoo Makers: Up Your Home Design Game with These Creative and Chic Room Dividers
(Photo: http://www.thekitchn.com)
Shelves, Shelves, and More Shelves
Utilizing open shelving and high ceilings, you can build a floor-to-ceiling shelving system that will take advantage of each and every single inch of space. Plus, without cabinets taking up valuable space, you’ll create an illusion of depth and light to open up your kitchen. Now, it’s just a small matter of how to keep those shelves looking tidy without a femme de ménage.
Related Story on Yahoo Makers: Cozy Up In a Kitchen Nook of Your Own
(Photo: apartmenttherapy.com)
Fresh Food and Petite Fridges
American-style refrigerators are a rarity in France. Tiny under-counter models are the norm. (I know, you’re thinking “college dorm.”) But with less fridge space and an abundance of fresh markets (my neighborhood in the 20th arrondissement of Paris had fresh produce markets four times per week), there’s less reliance on a massive shop and more dependence on daily grocery shopping with fresh food, produce, and of course…fromage! To bring this trend into your kitchen, think of stylish new refrigerator drawers that can hide under your countertops et voilà!
(Photo: airbnb.com)
Think Up!
Like a Murphy Bed or lofted bed, mezzanine beds are a common sight in French apartments. Why? The staircase up to the bed can often be a useful space for hidden storage, and you can easily put a desk or small living area underneath a bed, too!
Related Story on Yahoo Makers: 8 Furniture-Arranging Mistakes That Are Sabotaging Your Home (And How to Fix Them)
Photo: homedit.com
Edit, Edit, Edit!
Living in a small space requires constant editing of your possessions. The French have long believed that it is important that beauty trumps all in a living situation. Heck, the Director of Housing of Paris’ city council even proclaimed, “everybody has a right to beauty and to live in a nice environment.” So, it’s key to surround yourself in things that are beautiful and things that have sentimental importance to you. Editing is a key in this, because it forces you to constantly evaluate what you have, how it makes you feel, and what it means to you.
(Photo: Gabrielleblackman.com)
Sacrifice Space, Not Style
Both Khoo and American designer Nate Berkus echo a sentiment: no matter the space of your apartment, the worst mistake is treating it as a small space. Space may be limited, but that doesn’t mean you have to skimp on syle. Rachel Khoo’s striking bright blue and green Moroccan tiles in her kitchen make a statement. And Berkus suggests that downsizing furniture to fit a smaller apartment just leads to “a lot of things that aren’t really comfortable and aren’t really a great scale to live comfortably and gracefully.” As they say, “Go big or go home!”
Also on Yahoo Makers:
· Home Decor: When to Splurge and When to Save
· Why My Dream Kitchen Turned Out to be a Bit of a Nightmare
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