The Apartment Downstairs

If you were sitting with me right now, your ears would be ringing from the sound of construction on the roof and the hammer drill ripping up tile in the apartment downstairs.

(I can now easily identify that awful sound thanks to this summer's fireplace project, when I had to use that machine for a few hours to pull up a small amount of tile from the hearth.)

The apartment downstairs is being renovated. We got a peek of it when we had to walk through it to use the servant's entrance to see our gas meter. In the quick tromp through it, I noted the original moldings, the maze of small rooms, a stunning wooden armoire and the cool red and cream square tile on the kitchen floors. All very antique ... and very clear this apartment hasn't been touched in years.

Example of red/cream tile
that's so common in old
French homes
(from Manger)**

Wires were lying around everywhere, because they're also "installing electricity as part of the renovation." I recall they remarked that it "needs everything."

As in, this apartment didn't have electricity!

I'm going to assume they had the early version of electricity -- maybe that "knob and tube" they always talk about on HGTV. Because, if they didn't actually have real electricity for all these years, well, that's pretty fantastic. I mean, my mind just spins with all kinds of scenarios about an apartment with no electricity in 2018!

I mean, how is this still possible?

Was it a very old couple that lived there and didn’t need the convenience of lights? Or has it really been vacant for the last 100 years?! I remember reading this article about an apartment locked up since WWII and it was like entering a dusty time machine.

Whatever it is, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. And whenever I walk pass, and the door is open, I try to peek inside. I’m not even polite about it. I stick my nose around the door frame and gawk before a worker appears and I run away.

It's all very fantastical and I can sit and ponder what the story is about this apartment and how they're going to update it (mostly because I can't speak French well enough to ask anyone about it). But, I'm also serenaded by the loud hammering and drilling. All day.


** The image of the tile is from Manger, an excellent blog by Mimi Thorisson who writes about food and France from her rustic village in the south of France surrounded by a large family and lots of dogs. I highly recommend checking it out.