In Emma’s apartment: “if you close your eyes you almost feel like you are in the countryside”

For those who have known Madmoizelle for a while, remember our section “In the apartment of …” ? Stopped in 2017, it is back in service now.

For this nineteenth episode, we’re going to visit Emma’s cute apartment!

In Emma’s apartment

• What is your name and your age?

My name is Emma, ​​I am 26 years old.

• What do you do for a living ?

I am a digital project manager in the Maison du Cheval orange au grand “H”.

• What is the pedigree of your apartment? (location, how many square meters, monthly fee or purchase price)

Small cocoon of 33 m², located in the village of Pernety, in the heart of the 14th arrondissement of Paris. I have been the owner since September 2021 and the purchase price was € 350,000.

• You live alone?

I have been living with Mathieu, my boyfriend, for a year, he is a poet. Our common passions for music, travel, art and antiques contribute to the particular universe of the apartment!

• If you had to give a word or phrase to describe your accommodation, what would it be?

A colorful and warm oasis, an island of serenity in the heart of Paris.

• If you were to interview your apartment, what would be its positive and negative aspects?

The good points: this apartment was a real favorite. It is through and bright. It has an antique charm: two fireplaces, one in cast iron in the living room and one in marble in the bedroom, moldings and original parquet floor. It overlooks two silent courtyards. A beautiful maple brings shade and a corner of nature to the whole. You can hear the birds singing (if you close your eyes, it almost feels like you are in the countryside …) An oasis of peace away from the hustle and bustle of Paris.

However, you just have to leave the building to find all the advantages of the city: bar, greengrocer, dairy, bakery and metro within walking distance …

The negative points: certainly calm, but there is vis-à-vis. The disadvantages of city life… We end up getting used to it and deceive ourselves by opting for white curtains or blinds that let in the light while maintaining privacy.

The winter period is coming, and those who say old say humidity and suboptimal insulation … You need a lot of ventilation even when the temperatures are cold to avoid mold!

Can you show us one (or more) objects that we can only find at home? An object found, manufactured, inherited …

The enlargement of a photo I took in the United States, during a road trip in 2019. It shows the rolling, terracotta walls of Antelope Canyon in the heart of Arizona. Its fiery color shades warm up the atmosphere of the apartment. I love to immerse myself in this image and let myself be hypnotized by the well of light and the power of nature that emerges from it …

He also has a lamp created by a film camera unearthed at a flea market in Naples, Italy:

Mathieu’s collection of typewriters (vintage and working). There are a dozen of them here! Royal, Underwood, Remington … Some are 100 years old! It is with them that he writes all his poems.

The painting by a Parisian painter @ lukas.works offered to Mathieu in exchange for one of these poems …

• Do you have a decoration idea, not too expensive or even DIY that you are too proud of and want to share?

The wall of hats above the bed! I have a particular attraction for headdresses of all kinds: felt or straw hats, fedora or boat hats, cowboy or newsboy … A rope cut in half, a few nails and pliers and that’s it. I even made my hat!

A personalized headboard for dreams full of adventures …

• IS that you had a big cracked wallet for something in your house?

The trunk. In addition to being very comfortable, it is an essential element in a small apartment, as it adds additional storage space. All you have to do is lift the net and that’s it! A good investment!

• What are your decorative quirks?

I have a slight obsession with symbols and stars: 3rd eye, moon, sun, ex voto, dream catcher … There are some everywhere in the apartment, for decoration and protection. They can be found in different forms: mirrors, sundeck, dream Catcher or dream catchers, pictures, garlands … The more, the better!

I like to bring back this type of object when I travel (3ᵉ eye from Greece, dream catcher from Ibiza or the USA). They give a soul to the place of life.

• Where do you feel most at home?

On the sofa, one summer morning, your feet spread out like a fan, warmed by the sunlight that filters through the living room window, lulled by the chirping of birds and the crackling of an old vinyl!

• What is the music that plays most often in your home?

Music can be heard in various forms at home:

• Live – keyboard, guitars, ukulele, accordion, harmonica – many acoustic instruments ready to be played for an improvised jam between musicians;

• Vinyls (stained or salvaged from my dad’s collection) of good old blues or rock’n’roll sounds that play on and off (Muddy Watters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Elvis, Johnny Cash, etc.)

• The illuminated speaker of the ice bucket (practical!) Transmits the melodies of soul, fado or Brazilian music depending on the inspiration of the day.

• Do you have work or decoration projects?

The apartment was renovated when I bought it last year. It took about 4 months of work to restore and renovate it.

I am thinking of adding a piece of furniture or some shelves to store my shoe collection, and I am looking for a neon decoration, like a neon sign of an American bar.

• Do you follow Instagram accounts for decoration inspiration?

To give your apartment a Gypsy Arty touch, I recommend the @restyleart and @ hippie.tribe accounts, and for lovers of white and natural complexions, I recommend the account of @thewhitehoneyhome.

How long do you see yourself living in your home?

I would still like to enjoy the excitement of Paris, the concerts, the terraces, the walks in the city and along the Seine, before returning one day near the ocean, in a place in nature, where silence is king. . My dream would be to have a Mexican-inspired garden (cactus, palm trees) and see the sun set every evening on the infinite beauty of the world.

Thanks to Emma for this nice visit!