Inspiration Paris

One of the things that has intrigues me about Paris, besides the beautiful architecture, the fashion, and of course the food, is how Parisians decorate their homes. It's a mix of old and new, traditional design offset by modern, and always very chic and stylish, just like their fashion sense. So here are my top tips for recreating Parisian interior style and adding that certain je ne sais quoi to your space.

1. Mix it up. Mix old with new, different styles, as well as art and books, to create a space that’s distinct and eclectic à la Philippe Starck, France’s most famous interior designer. Of course some Parisians have the added bonus of living in a beautiful Haussmann building with period features, but that doesn’t mean you can’t recreate the style by mixing and matching flea market finds and placing them next to modern pieces of furniture.

2. Keep walls white. Paris apartments are notoriously dark (unless located on the top floor), so Parisians keep their walls white to maximize the amount of light. But if you do crave some color, create an accent wall like the one in the kitchen above.

3. Go vintage. Paris is famous for its brocantes (French for flea markets), and they pop up every weekend in a different arrondissement, lining the streets with untapped treasures. Parisians are always on the hunt for something unique, so when choosing knickknacks and curiosities for your home, do spend some time on online vintage sources or at your local flea market, to pick out something that will add individual style to your rooms.

4. Invest in a rug or two. A large rug is the centerpiece of any Parisian apartment floor. Although Paris herringbone wooden floors are pretty, the downside is that walking across them can be very noisy, so a nice thick rug is a good way of muffling the noise and adding color (as well as warmth). Go for something bright, like the orange rug in the apartment above, or something patterned, as it will offer a good contrast to those stark white walls.

How to layer rugs like a champ

The last thing you want to think about when shopping for a rug is shopping for two, but trust me, layering is your friend on the floor. You can solve so many design dilemmas with a simple second layer. Need proof? Watch me convince you four times.

Define

Without the rug on rug action, this space as well as the amazing dining area in the lead would look unfinished. The layered cowhide highlights the seating area, making it feel like an intentional design choice rather than untethered furniture floating on an enormous rug.

Contrast

Even with all the colors and styles of rugs available, sometimes you just need to customize. The pattern on pattern in this room is genius because these two choices work together but don't match perfectly, which makes the room feel just undone enough. And if you crave frequent change, replacing just one of these rugs will completely change the look.

Texturize

The yummy neutrals in this bedroom would be fine without a lush sheepskin layer, but with it, the space is transformed into the rumpled, sexy, textured bedroom of your dreams.

Highlight/Scale

This one from  is a two-fer. Layering a small or narrow statement rug over a larger, more neutral one, serves to both cover a larger area of floor andframe that special rug to really make it stand out. Hint: this trick also lets you get away with cutting your spending by buying a smaller size statement rug while still getting all the rug coverage you need in your space. Genius!

5 ideas for Pulling Off Round Rugs Stylishly & Successfully

Have you wanted to incorporate a round rug in your home, but haven't quite been sure how to do it successfully? Using round rugs in a room isn't exactly rocket science, but there can be a lot of questions when you decide to rock the circular shape. Just like any rug, considerations of how much of the floor space it should take up, just where it should be centered and what sort of room can pull it off sometimes confuse even the most veteran of designers.

These aren't the only ways to make sure a round rug fits comfortably and beautifully into your space, but they're ways we think are easy to implement and pull off.

Top image: Make it big enough for all of a room's major furniture pieces to touch 
That rule for square and rectangular rugs — try to get at least part of the furniture pieces in your sitting area to touch the rug — applies even stronger with a round rug. When measuring, remember that the rug's curved edges could look odd if they don't allow enough of the furniture pieces to rest on top

Under round or curvy furniture
A round dining table or coffee table will work beautifully on any shaped rug, but there is a certain harmony that happens when you mix a round furniture piece with a round rug. Just make sure in the case of dining tables you get a rug in a large enough size that the dining chairs still fit on it when you pull them out to eat.

In a minimally designed room
In a room where design and furnishings have been kept to a minimum, a round rug has even more opportunity to show off its curvy shape. And round rugs tend to soften the sometimes sharp and harsh edges that some minimal spaces can have. 

Defining a vignette
Perfect for an entryway, bathroom or the corner of a larger room, using a round rug — especially colorful or patterned — partnered with a small and functional furniture piece can really make for a powerful and unique vignette. 

Having something in common with another statement piece in the room
Connecting your round rug to a visual focal point in your space, like a statement furniture piece or art, will give your rug something in common with something else in the room, and you'll be able to be a little more flexible with where you place it in the space and how big it needs to be.