Bringing a Bit of Paris Into Your Apartment

Coco Chanel was a style icon for the fashion world,hung in each room. To match the style, find wrought
but many also know her for her own personaliron wall sconces with candle-type lights. Chandeliers
decorating style. Her use of gilt mirrors, sparklycan be gilt gold or black iron, but be sure to avoid any
chandeliers, and sleek lines are legendary in Paris andmodern styles as they will look out of place in your
beyond. Although it would cost hundreds of thousandsroom. Table lamps that have crystal or glass stems
of dollars to replicate the look and feel of Cocowith white shades look beautiful on your end tables.
Chanel's apartment at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris, youIt's the little things that take a plain room and make it
can emulate her style with some Parisian touches instunning. Coco Chanel focused on items she picked up
your own space.in her travels. Large glass globes lined the coffee
Begin by choosing a neutral palette. Chanel style reliestables, hardback books filled the book shelves, and
on glamour in your accessories, not on your walls.items such as small wooden masks were heavily
Choose colors that make you think of suede, coffees,used. Although purchasing these specific items would
or clean whites. The wall color is simply the backdropempty your bank balance very quickly, you can buy
for your furniture and special additions, so be sure notreproduction items in home stores that will fit the bill
to paint with a color that is overpowering.nicely.
If you are in the market for a new couch, choose oneThe use of Chinese silk screens to divide rooms was
that is similar in color to your walls. Couches shouldn'tone of the many signature pieces that Ms.Chanel used
stand out in a room that evokes Chanel style. You canto bring color into her rooms. Chinese fabrics were
find microfiber sofas that would look great in a neutralstretched across screens and placed in vital areas.
room, as well as suede or buttery leather. Try to avoidYou can create your own screen with patterned
cloth sofas, as the material will stand out too starkly infabric that you love.
a room if you are trying to achieve a luxurious feel.What was one of the last, yet most important items
Gilt mirrors are a must have. Larger mirrors withthat Coco Chanel used to decorate her apartment?
carved wooden frames or beveled glass would lookChanel Number 5 was liberally sprayed throughout her
beautiful on the wall behind your sofa. If you can't findrooms on a daily basis. You may wish to use a
what you are looking for in home stores, try variousdifferent scent, but a spray of perfume or other
antique markets. Although the mirrors will be morefragrance really brings life to your space.
costly, the look cannot be matched. You can often findWe can't all have an apartment in Paris, but we can
replications in antique stores as well.bring some of that style into our own homes by
Lighting was perhaps the most important factor in achanneling the spirit of the Rue Cambon and adding
Paris apartment. Chandeliers and wall sconces wereluxurious touches to our rooms.