Characteristic features of the French interior: stucco, fireplace and parquet

The architecture of Paris is defined above all by the Haussmann style. When Baron Georges Eugène Haussmann (1809-1891) decided to completely change the face of the French capital so that the city could enter a new era, Paris was filled with buildings whose characteristic facades were decorated in accordance with the social level of the residents, and whose roofs were equipped with attic windows.

Typical apartments in these houses, which Parisian real estate agents call “parquet and stucco” in professional jargon, can be recognized by these two features, to which you need to add a marble fireplace.

The stucco, usually in the form of rosettes on the ceiling, is most often made of plaster, and together with the fireplace and parquet, forms a winning combination that fits perfectly with modern decorative objects.

The parquet, which should ideally be laid out in a herringbone pattern and made of oak, is made to order only. It reflects light well, is tactilely pleasant and makes any interior cozy.

Typical for apartments of the late 19th century, Louis XVI-style fireplaces with cast iron interiors are an integral part of the Parisian myth. Made of marble or stone, in the Empire or Rococo style, these fireplaces can turn the heads of anyone who dreams of one day settling in Paris. Anyone who dreams of something like this certainly imagines how to get comfortable on a ottoman, light a fireplace and admire the Seine running outside the window.

Let’s be honest: very few Parisians spend their time like this, and first of all because since July last year, it has been forbidden to light fireplaces throughout the Ile-de-France region. It is worth noting that the Haussmann-style fireplace has a very common “little brother” – the Prussian fireplace.