Having just undergone a design overhaul on my most recent apartment to turn it into a Parisian inspired apartment in Brooklyn, my designer and I thankfully had a good starting spot when we went back to the drawing board for my new one bedroom in Brooklyn. Today I am excited to unveil the design plan and inspiration for my space.

Designing a Parisian Inspired Apartment

My aesthetic remains the same as does the overall design goal: turn my charming Brooklyn one bedroom apartment in an old building into a more stylized, chic yet full of character Parisian feeling apartment.

The Inspiration

I am once again working with my friend Ann Flanagan of Ann Elizabeth Art & Design with whom I went to high school and with whom I reconnected over my last apartment design. She’s an amazing interior designer who pushes me in directions that feel out of my comfort zone in the best ways. She also has a great eye for vintage and antique pieces that I can’t wait to add to my space.

From Ann:

I wanted Meghan to feel like her home was not only her escape, but her sanctuary. I started the new place’s concept by taking the concepts from her previous apartment and playing around with adding vintage elements and moving pieces she already had around in the space. It was important to both of us to maximize as much of her furniture and furnishing from her last home in the new space. We are giving new life to some of the pieces by using them in different functionalities in the new space.

The base layer was really solid, and I wanted to add the second and third layers intentionally and with care. My end goal is to make this a Parisian Apartment, Perfected.

As with any project, the first step was to look at the plan as a whole and map out what needs to happen and when. With delays, setbacks and unforeseen circumstances due to the ongoing pandemic, we’ve agreed to be patient and make selections and decisions based on the current environment.

This project is really about keeping a very modern feel all while creating a cozy and inviting space. I did this by mixing textures as well as mixing materials. Even if a piece is more modern, I want it to age well and remain relevant no matter where Meghan takes it later in life.

Additionally, while it’s a larger space, I wanted it to feel like everything could be moved around from time to time, so keeping with a cohesive and neutral color scheme was important, and then we could bring in color in the accents. 

The Color Palette

The biggest impact is going to be in painting the whole apartment as well as adding little details that are often overlooked. New light switches and outlet covers can make such a huge difference with little effort.

For paint colors I selected a bold color for the bedroom – Clare Paint’s shade Irony. In the majority of the rest of the space we’ll be featuring Clare Paint’s shade Penthouse. Then accent items will be done in Clare Paint’s Blackest for added contrast.

As a long time follower of Meghan, in designing the space and its various vignettes, I wanted to focus on scenes where she could post from home and make it feel new and functional. While this is her home, it is also her brand. I worked to design a space that would work for Meghan and showcase all the wonderful experiences she brings to us.

The Kitchen & Dining Area

Our plan with the kitchen and dining is to really play up the juxtaposition of modern and traditional. We’ll be mixing materials and playing up the contrast in the space. Each piece in this space will feel simultaneously hard and soft, light and dark, old and new. We’re hopeful to add a marble backsplash that’ll add to the contrast in the space and we plan to paint the kitchen island black as well.

The Living Room

The living area will feature a neutral palette that feels warm and inviting with a mix of materials. Parisian influence will be highlighted in the incorporation of vintage elements and clean lines making the room feel effortless.

The Primary Bedroom

For the bedroom, we’re going a bit more bold as I want this special space to feel like a boutique hotel room. To add French influences, we’ll be adding picture frame moulding on the walls and a ceiling medallion with a wow chandelier for a dramatic effect. Antiques and vintage decor will bring the space character and make it feel unique.

My bedroom will feature the beloved mantel along with repurposed items from my last apartment including my marble top table and the room divider. I’ll be getting a new bed and installing custom shoe shelves that will be hidden behind the decorative drapery. 

. . .

As a first time homebuyer there’s been a lot to learn through this process but I am leaning into enjoying it and knowing not everything will happen when I want it to. I’ve left out my bathroom from this post for this reason as we’ve decided to do a full renovation on it down the road vs. making smaller changes now. 

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek at what I am working on behind the scenes and can’t wait to continue to share the design process with you all!

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