T1 T2 french immo

[Chancer]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

In many ways, I admire the way the (usually) older French people stick to what they have and don't chop and change with every fashion trend.

Certainly, I used to be appalled at how many people I knew back in the UK who were forever having a new kitchen, a new 3-piece suite, a new bathroom, decking in the garden and so on and so forth.

They spend a ridiculous amount of money changing carpets, curtains, etc.  In some of the richer suburbs of London, you could see skipfuls of discarded kitchen units and other bits of furniture that are perfectly serviceable.

No care at all for whatever debts they might be running up and certainly little thought for the planet.

[/quote]

All of the kitchens and electomenagerie that I am installing in the flats I am creating has come from E-bay UK and I have had some stonking bargains, the last kitchen which did two flats was only 2 years old and they had ripped it out, luckily what is now passé in England is tendance or branché in France.

Looking at it I would say that it has never been used, I have bought a few hobs, halogen and induction that have definitely never seen the bottom of a saucepan.

It reminds me of all my old well heeled customers, buy a bungalow in a private lane, extend upwards and outwards to create a monstrosity far too big for the plot or frontage, have a trophy kitchen, kids games room and a home cinema room all bigger than the average family house, fit electric gates (thats where I helped them spend their money[:)]), rip out old perfectly good kitchen and replace with oak units, granite worktops, stainless and glass splashbacks and extractor and the obligatory artfully displayed Jamie Oliver cookbook on a cast iron reading stand.

The thing is these people were entertaining several times a week judging by the wine and champagne bottles but they never ever used the kitchen and always had the food brought in by caterers.

What goes around comes around as I get to buy their kitchens once they realise that everyone else has the same style as them, and I kid you not almost every one of my customers had the same style kitchen.

[mint]

I have a theory about kitchens and their owners.  It is this:

The people with the most expensively, immaculately kitted out and equipped kitchens seem to be the ones who are least able to cook a decent meal.  With the honorable exception of our very own Clair here, of course.

Personally I dislike fitted kitchens as I think they are utterly unimaginative and plebeian.  As you have pointed out, Chance, they all look identical.  What is on my present Wish List is a plain unfitted kitchen with a very large walk-in pantry full of shelves, including a cold shelf (nothing much is cold in the Charente in the summer but it'll still be useful in the winter).

I can see a place for a well-fitted kitchen when you only have a small space such as in the average house in the UK but, for large farmhouse-style kitchens, I'd rather have a large table, a couple of sinks with one of them large enough to take oven shelves, a couple of ovens and TWO dishwashers.[:D]

[pachapapa]

Personally a strong penchant for natural hydraulic lime in older buildings, it has stood the test of time and changes in deco-fashion.

@ sweet 17  A local example i.e. less than 5 kilometres currently on sale: I was invited to visit the property on Wednesday afternoon while being spruced up for a potential french buyer's visit.

But back to my point, the property has been tastefully finished inside with well done "pierre apparente"; please view the diorama to get an idea. In general the property has been renovated to a high standard and is full of antique furniture with cost having been of small consideration. Five years ago a pecunious Brit would have happily parted with a million euros.

http://www.annoncesjaunes.fr/annonce/71ba8cdc-fc0a-434c-b339-124b48dddca3/immobilier-vente/pressigny/chateau-propriete-20-pieces/9c.html

[cooperlola]

I agree with you Pachapapa.  The previous owners of our house, however, saw fit to cover all of this up with platerboard which they then crepied and painted on top - in one case lemon yellow with green transfers of ivy leaves all over the place, and in the other in peach with gold watering  cans stencilled everywhere they could fit them. [:-))] We are slowly uncovering and re-doing the walls but my, how I wish the previous owners had just left well alone - it would have saved us so much work....

[vwill88]

Reminds me of Barry Bucknel , when I was small, encouraging people to update their decor by fitting flush harboard panels over their classic paneled doors. On the subject of outdoor loos I once lived near Rochdale and an old fella I knew living in a back to back (a proper one with only one exterior wall) though that it most unhygenic having a WC inside the house. His was on a lower level than the living quqrters.