Colourvision

Colourvision: Île-de-France

In a quiet courtyard in Strasbourg Saint-Denis, take a break from life in this vibrant district by staying at this surprisingly peaceful home. Just like the nearby area of Le Marais, colour is king in every room of this charming apartment. From the yellow kitchen to the blue and palm-print feature walls in the bedrooms, the use of colour brings a playful and uplifting vibe. While the main living area is open plan, the clever decor helps create three distinct spaces. The Persian rug is the chill-out area where you can kick back with a pinot noir and some music. The pale wooden floors represent the dining area, where you can feast with your friends. And finally, the black-and-white chequered floor signifies the start of the kitchen zone, with a fun light-up wall sign that ensures you know where to find the coffee. After your café au lait, head out into the local area. To continue on the theme of colourful and unique design landmarks, the Centre Pompidou is just a fifteen-minute walk. Or if you’re looking for drinking and dining, the Canal Saint-Martin is fifteen minutes in the other direction. This area is one of Paris’ trendiest spots for waterside cocktails and street food.

Home truths:
* It's a ground floor apartment facing a courtyard, so natural light isn't in abundance here
* At full capacity, two guests will sleep on a double sofa bed in the living room
*The host provides portable fans in the rooms instead of air conditioning
*If you need a cot for the little one, the host can provide one if you request this in advance
*There's no television at this home, but you can play music on the speaker
* Two bedrooms have fixed skylights, while the third has no any windows so might not feel very airy – remember that there's no air conditioning either
*As this home has self check-in with a lockbox, you won't meet your host upon arrival
*Guests are kindly asked to keep noise to a minimum after 10pm