Parisian Apartment: Ways To Renovate It

2023 Author: Lynn Laird | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:49

When you are lucky enough to have a beautiful apartment in the heart of Paris, it is quite normal to want to take advantage of it. For this, it may be necessary to bring it up to date. Renovation work can be carried out to improve its comfort or to increase its real estate value for sale or rental. This is a more than profitable investment as prices have risen 248% since the 2000s and are likely to rise further with continued demand. Let's see together the work to be considered for a Parisian apartment and the budget to prepare.

Parisian apartments: particularities to take into account

The most beautiful Parisian apartments are in the Haussmann style. For the record, these superb buildings were built between 1853 and 1870 as part of a project to modernize the city by the illustrious Prefect Haussmann. Its objective was to replace dilapidated housing and narrow streets with homogeneous constructions that blend harmoniously into large alleys. It is not very difficult to recognize a Haussmann building. Its exterior is distinguished by its dressed stone facade, it has approximately 5 to 6 floors with continuous balconies, high windows and a zinc roof.

Inside there is usually a large entrance opening onto a hallway, which in turn leads to the rooms of the apartment. Living room, dining room and bedrooms are on the street side, while the kitchen and bathroom follow one another on the interior side . Its solid parquet floor, its moldings on the walls and ceilings, its high ceilings and its marble fireplaces are other characteristics of this type of prestigious Parisian apartment.

Thus, to preserve its cachet, it is essential to take into account its different characteristics in terms of architecture and design. For this project, it is important to call on a company specializing in the renovation of your apartment in Paris so as not to make any mistakes and to obtain a result that meets your expectations.

What work to do in a Parisian apartment?

The quality of design and the authentic style of Haussmann apartments are the reasons why they are so sought after. But it is still important to renovate them so that they are more suited to our modern way of life and to simply feel good there. For this, you can intervene on different parameters.

The layout

Depending on your needs and desires, you can redesign the layout of your Haussmann apartment. This can involve merging the living room with an adjoining room to obtain a larger space, creating a kitchen open to the living room, or even a master suite by connecting the bedroom to an adjoining bathroom. It can also be convenient to create a new bathroom, remodel the kitchen, etc.

And to carry out this work, there is a good chance that you will have to remove partitions, or even load-bearing walls or, on the contrary, build new partitions, new openings, etc. To know if your project is feasible, calling on an architect or a design office is essential. Different authorizations may also be necessary, in particular from the co-ownership.

Storage

Their large volume constitutes a considerable asset of Parisian apartments. But often, they also have wasted or badly exploited spaces, due to the obsolete configuration of the rooms. So do not hesitate to use them to create an office area for example, a library or even cupboards and shelves.

The large sections of walls and the high ceilings can also be used perfectly to create built-in storage, whether in the entrance or in the bedrooms.

The floor

Should it be renovated or replaced directly? Dilemma. You should know that this solid oak parquet is one of the assets of a Parisian apartment, contributing in large part to its charm. The answer to this question depends entirely on your decorative desires and the condition of the parquet, which may have deteriorated over the years.

If the parquet is only in bad condition (worn, scratched, blackened) in certain places, you will only have to sand it to restore all its beauty. If the stains do not come off, one solution is to stain it and then vitrify it. In case of damaged blades, you can replace them. A professional parquet flooring specialist can find the species of wood that best matches your parquet. It will stain the new planks if necessary so that the change is imperceptible.

In the event of more significant damage, it may be preferable to replace the parquet entirely. For those looking for modernity, you can completely renovate it or combine it with tiling to create a contrast. Terracotta tiles, slates, marble, cement tiles are all possibilities available to you.

Wall and ceiling coverings

You may have to restore freshness and restore a yellowed wall, faded or a wallpaper that has come off. Some Haussmann apartments are also equipped with wooden bases or woodwork that will have to be renovated if necessary, using a carpenter.

Renovation work is also an opportunity to change color if you wish. For lovers of classicism and sobriety, nothing like white or pastel colors, with a little contrast on some sections of the walls. To have pieces of character, colors such as charcoal gray, duck blue, or pine green are popular. The more daring can turn to bright colors like mustard yellow. Why not ?

At the ceiling, hiring a plasterer may be necessary to deal with stains, chips and damaged moldings. Then with a lick of paint, your ceiling will be like new.

Energy renovation

To feel even better at home, improving energy and phonic performance is strongly recommended. The work must follow a certain order of priority, starting with the wooden windows to be replaced by joinery with a similar appearance but incorporating double glazing. You can then tackle the walls, by insulating from the inside, then install an efficient ventilation system. The latter helps prevent mold and optimize air renewal in your Paris apartment. You can also set up a new heating system.

At floor and ceiling level, the necessary insulation work depends on the location of your apartment. For an apartment located on the ground floor, the heat losses are mainly through the floor. It is therefore necessary to install an insulating underlay under the parquet. On the other hand, if your apartment is on the level of the middle floors, you normally have the chance to benefit from quality insulation, coming from the apartment above. But to avoid the resounding noises of a sound parquet, sound insulation may be necessary!

Those who have an apartment on the top floor enjoy a beautiful view, but also have to endure the temperature variations. The solution then consists of laying a layer of insulation on the ceilings, installing double glazing and interior shutters.

Costs to consider

Other work can be expected for an old Parisian apartment. For example, you may have to bring the electrical installation up to standard, especially if it is over 25 years old, to redo the lighting or even renovate the plumbing. This is essential if you spot traces of mold, rust, leaks or in the event of a surge in water consumption. According to your desires, you can also renovate the kitchen and the bathroom, buy new designer furniture and decorative accessories etc.

What does it cost in the end? The renovation of a Parisian apartment can require a budget of 250 to 2,000 euros per m2 depending on its size. Prices vary according to the condition of the rooms to be renovated and their surface area, the difficulty of the work, the choice of materials, but also the need to involve certain specialized professionals.