Introducing Le Cachet: A Parisian Renovation Series with Huff Harrington Co-Founder Ann Huff

 

MEET ANN HUFF: A committed Francophile, art lover, and design junkie. And let’s not forget co-owner of Atlanta’s beloved Huff Harrington.

Ann’s story is a unique one. After growing up in Switzerland and moving to the states as a teenager (her first language was technically French!), Ann has long had a passion for all things beautiful. She, alongside Meg Harrington, opened Huff Harrington Fine Art in 2006 and Huff Harrington Home in 2011, and it was only natural that, as the years passed, Ann would begin doing her own design projects—some of which were in Paris. So when Ann’s Parisian projects picked up over the years and a darling space on tiny Rue Augereau became available, it only made sense for Ann to move to Paris permanently and start the European sector of the Huff Harrington business. Which brings us back to why we’re here.

Introducing Le Cachet:

A forever residence in Paris’ 7th Arrondissement being reimagined and perfectly appointed by Huff Harrington Co-Founder, Ann Huff. She and her retired husband, Bill, fell in love with their little ivy-covered apartment building a few years ago when they moved in to rent. As luck would have it, the apartment above their rental residence—a light-filled, full-floor space—became available for sale and they jumped at the chance to make the building home for good in Paris.

Figuratively, ‘cachet’ translates to character. Ann has chosen to give the project and apartment the name ‘Le Cachet,’ to embody the space as a treasure trove of character, hidden behind climbing ivy off a quaint alley way in the 7th.

The Background from Ann’s Point-of-View:

Last year, we were wrapping up our first year in a Paris apartment fully thinking we’d renew our lease when our landlord hit us with some unusual conditions that we couldn’t approve. We were caught off guard when we failed to read the fine print and discovered that we had just two weeks to find a new apartment. We scoured all the listings in our price range, visited 18 local real estate agents and only came up with one apartment that was even close to meeting our needs. I distinctly remember saying to my husband as we visited this one, “We have to like this! It’s our only choice.” And to our surprise, we actually did!

Located in a gated cul de sac, in the heart of the 7th arrondissement, the apartment was an unexpected little jewel with windows on all sides, flooded with light and a pretty good view of the Eiffel Tower. Each morning we’d wake up to chirping birds and pinch ourselves that we had actually landed on a quiet refuge in the heart of bustling Paris, when all odds were against it. Finding this apartment was a real case of turning lemons into lemonade, and I found myself happily channeling Madeline, living in an old building in Paris that was covered in vines.

And then a few months later, the inevitable happened: We learned from our concierge that the apartment on the 6th floor, which we knew would have killer views of the Eiffel Tower and a wrap-around balcony, was coming up for sale. Fearing what would happen next, my husband put it succinctly: “Uh oh.”

We were lucky. Finding an apartment off-market, in such a great location, flooded with light through windows on all sides (six of them facing the Eiffel Tower!) was too good to pass up—or so went my argument. As current tenants, we knew the building, appreciated our neighbors, loved the neighborhood and had befriended the concierge, which in itself is no small feat. And the fact that the new apartment needed a complete renovation job was the icing on the cake. “Would we want to live through someone else’s loud renovation on the floor above us,” I asked the still doubting husband. “No sir!” I argued. This was meant to be.

And that’s where we are today, with the background on how this little jewel came to pass.

The Facts:

Currently around 1,000 square feet, the apartment is two bedrooms, has one toilet, one bathroom, and a large living room/dining area with a small, separate kitchen—all of it in a state of disrepair (to which I say, “yeah!”)

It’s located on the 6th floor of a 1920s brick building and features a wraparound balcony with a ceiling height of around 10 feet. The building itself is self-standing in a private courtyard, adjacent to two other buildings that were constructed at the same time, all of which are of the same style and covered with ivy.

The Positives:

–Great views, especially from six southwest-facing windows

–Windows on all four sides

–One apartment per floor, so few neighbors

–Beautiful antique elements, like the elevator and the iron balcony

–Ultra quiet since it’s off the street

–Character-filled, vine-covered building

The Negatives:

–Kitchen is too small to be “eat-in”

–Needs two bathrooms at least

–Would like to squeeze in another bedroom, if possible

–Insulation is poor (we know this from living in the apartment below), so it needs a total redo, from all the outside walls to new windows and new floors. This means removing the originals, which is not sexy and very pricey.

–It’s not a gorgeous Haussman-style building with molding, parquet floors, and beautiful hardware

The Goal:

To turn this apartment into a 3 bedroom, 2+ bathroom apartment while recreating some of the original elements and blending them with a modern, functional twist that will work for us and stand the test of time.

The Challenges:

Turning every negative into a positive, which is what we will attempt to do, with a few hiccups along the way.

Spoiler Alert:

–After much deliberation and countless drawings, we have decided to move the kitchen to the living area and use a blend of materials.

–We’ll be using the Eiffel Tower inspiration as the basis of our design by recreating the arches on the base—the one area that is not apparent from this apartment—as a recurring motif in subtle ways throughout the apartment.

–We will recreate much of the wall moldings to reflect the 1920’s and restore the cove ceiling molding to take the eye up and make the ceilings appear higher.

–We will be mixing furnishings with a sprinkling of antiques from Central and Eastern Europe, plus vintage lighting from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

The Bonus:

There were many surprise elements that we discovered during the renovation—to be revealed soon!

What’s Next:

Over the next three months, Ann will be sharing the good, bad, ugly, and pretty of creating her dream apartment in Paris, so if you’ve ever been interested in what a full renovation looks like across the pond, or just want the details on her special designs, make sure you’re following along here as well as @atlantahomesmag on Instagram for the full scoop.

And Coming in March:

It’s demo and drywall time! In the next article, Ann starts construction and faces unique challenges. Plus, some tough learnings that will be insightful for anyone before starting a renovation.