MEET ANN HUFF: A dedicated Francophile, artwork lover, and design junkie. And let’s not neglect co-owner of Atlanta’s beloved Huff Harrington.
Ann’s story is a singular one. After rising up in Switzerland and transferring to the states as a teen (her first language was technically French!), Ann has lengthy had a ardour for all issues stunning. She, alongside Meg Harrington, opened Huff Harrington Advantageous Artwork in 2006 and Huff Harrington Dwelling in 2011, and it was solely pure that, because the years handed, Ann would start doing her personal design initiatives—a few of which had been in Paris. So when Ann’s Parisian initiatives picked up over time and a darling house on tiny Rue Augereau grew to become accessible, it solely made sense for Ann to maneuver to Paris completely and begin the European sector of the Huff Harrington enterprise. Which brings us again to why we’re right here.
Introducing Le Cachet:
A endlessly residence in Paris’ seventh Arrondissement being reimagined and completely appointed by Huff Harrington Co-Founder, Ann Huff. She and her retired husband, Invoice, fell in love with their little ivy-covered residence constructing just a few years in the past once they moved in to lease. As luck would have it, the residence above their rental residence—a light-filled, full-floor house—grew to become accessible on the market they usually jumped on the probability to make the constructing house for good in Paris.
Figuratively, ‘cachet’ interprets to character. Ann has chosen to offer the challenge and residence the identify ‘Le Cachet,’ to embody the house as a treasure trove of character, hidden behind climbing ivy off a quaint alley method within the seventh.
The Background from Ann’s Level-of-View:
Final yr, we had been wrapping up our first yr in a Paris residence totally pondering we’d renew our lease when our landlord hit us with some uncommon situations that we couldn’t approve. We had been caught off guard after we did not learn the superb print and found that we had simply two weeks to discover a new residence. We scoured all of the listings in our value vary, visited 18 native actual property brokers and solely got here up with one residence that was even near assembly our wants. I distinctly bear in mind saying to my husband as we visited this one, “We have now to love this! It’s our solely alternative.” And to our shock, we truly did!
Positioned in a gated cul de sac, within the coronary heart of the seventh arrondissement, the residence was an surprising little jewel with home windows on all sides, flooded with mild and a fairly good view of the Eiffel Tower. Every morning we’d get up to chirping birds and pinch ourselves that we had truly landed on a quiet refuge within the coronary heart of bustling Paris, when all odds had been in opposition to it. Discovering this residence was an actual case of turning lemons into lemonade, and I discovered myself fortunately channeling Madeline, residing in an outdated constructing in Paris that was lined in vines.
After which just a few months later, the inevitable occurred: We discovered from our concierge that the residence on the sixth flooring, which we knew would have killer views of the Eiffel Tower and a wrap-around balcony, was arising on the market. Fearing what would occur subsequent, my husband put it succinctly: “Uh oh.”
We had been fortunate. Discovering an residence off-market, in such a fantastic location, flooded with mild via home windows on all sides (six of them going through the Eiffel Tower!) was too good to cross up—or so went my argument. As present tenants, we knew the constructing, appreciated our neighbors, beloved the neighborhood and had befriended the concierge, which in itself is not any small feat. And the truth that the brand new residence wanted an entire renovation job was the icing on the cake. “Would we wish to dwell via another person’s loud renovation on the ground above us,” I requested the nonetheless doubting husband. “No sir!” I argued. This was meant to be.
And that’s the place we’re immediately, with the background on how this little jewel got here to cross.
The Info:
Presently round 1,000 sq. ft, the residence is 2 bedrooms, has one rest room, one rest room, and a big front room/eating space with a small, separate kitchen—all of it in a state of disrepair (to which I say, “yeah!”)
It’s situated on the sixth flooring of a Twenties brick constructing and incorporates a wraparound balcony with a ceiling top of round 10 ft. The constructing itself is self-standing in a non-public courtyard, adjoining to 2 different buildings that had been constructed on the similar time, all of that are of the identical fashion and lined with ivy.
The Positives:
–Nice views, particularly from six southwest-facing home windows
–Home windows on all 4 sides
–One residence per flooring, so few neighbors
–Lovely vintage components, just like the elevator and the iron balcony
–Extremely quiet because it’s off the road
–Character-filled, vine-covered constructing
The Negatives:
–Kitchen is simply too small to be “eat-in”
–Wants two bogs not less than
–Wish to squeeze in one other bed room, if doable
–Insulation is poor (we all know this from residing within the residence under), so it wants a complete redo, from all the skin partitions to new home windows and new flooring. This implies eradicating the originals, which isn’t horny and really dear.
–It’s not a beautiful Haussman-style constructing with molding, parquet flooring, and delightful {hardware}
The Purpose:
To show this residence right into a 3 bed room, 2+ rest room residence whereas recreating among the authentic components and mixing them with a contemporary, purposeful twist that can work for us and stand the check of time.
The Challenges:
Turning each detrimental right into a optimistic, which is what we are going to try to do, with just a few hiccups alongside the way in which.
Rendering for the proposed kitchen in Ann’s new Paris residence
Spoiler Alert:
–After a lot deliberation and numerous drawings, we now have determined to maneuver the kitchen to the residing space and use a mix of supplies.
–We’ll be utilizing the Eiffel Tower inspiration as the premise of our design by recreating the arches on the bottom—the one space that’s not obvious from this residence—as a recurring motif in delicate methods all through the residence.
–We are going to recreate a lot of the wall moldings to mirror the 1920’s and restore the cove ceiling molding to take the attention up and make the ceilings seem larger.
–We will probably be mixing furnishings with a sprinkling of antiques from Central and Japanese Europe, plus classic lighting from the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty first centuries.
The Bonus:
There have been many shock components that we found throughout the renovation—to be revealed quickly!
What’s Subsequent:
Over the following three months, Ann will probably be sharing the nice, unhealthy, ugly, and fairly of making her dream residence in Paris, so in the event you’ve ever been eager about what a full renovation seems like throughout the pond, or simply need the small print on her particular designs, be sure you’re following alongside right here in addition to @atlantahomesmag on Instagram for the total scoop.
And Coming in March:
It’s demo and drywall time! Within the subsequent article, Ann begins development and faces distinctive challenges. Plus, some robust learnings that will probably be insightful for anybody earlier than beginning a renovation.
