Overview
Perched above the river valley with sweeping views of greenery, this French country home feels less like a residence and more like a passage into another world. At once earthy and regal, its presence evokes the romance of the French countryside while grounding itself in comfort and function. Subtle tones, generous proportions, and natural materials flow throughout, inviting its inhabitants to sip wine in the garden or linger by the hearth.
The vision was clear: to create a home that honours old-world elegance without pretence, blending rustic warmth with refined European flair. The result is a sanctuary that delights in both its grandeur and its intimacy.
Rustic Meets Refined
The genesis of the project lay in the homeowners’ deep love of antiques and their passion for French style. Years of travel, collecting, and inspiration boards informed the vision. At one point, a bar they encountered on a trip became the seed of an idea—a central feature of the home designed to re-create the convivial atmosphere they had once experienced abroad.
French country design has always been about balance—between nature and architecture, ornament and restraint, elegance and ease. In this home, that balance is expressed through richly upholstered chairs, carved wooden tables, and patina-rich finishes that tell stories of age and authenticity.
The colour palette plays an equally vital role. Neutrals form the foundation, with quiet layers of creams and soft taupes punctuated by blues, greens, and touches of gold. Christopher leaned into the 80/20 rule of colour, ensuring that while most rooms feel serene and harmonious, moments of vibrancy add personality and charm.
Process & Journey
The homeowners knew the experience they wanted to create, and Christopher worked to interpret those desires into rooms that felt both authentic and livable.
Furniture pieces underscore the design’s duality. The Coco En Blanc Nightstand offers a romantic note in the bedroom with its cabriole legs and creamy finish. The Mariette Lounge Chair, breezy yet elegant, adds sculptural rhythm with its repeated oval carvings. The Hostesse Upholstered Chair, with tufting and silvery undertones, captures both glamour and comfort. And in the entry hall, a Mélange Console Table becomes a focal point—its lyre-shaped base and gilded accents greeting guests with exuberant welcome.
Showroom visits focused less on exploring possibilities and more on refining selections—testing the comfort of seating, selecting fabrics with soft patinas, and pairing textures that felt storied rather than new. Antiques collected over the years were integrated seamlessly, becoming anchors around which new pieces orbited. Every element feels intentional, every choice woven into a tapestry of rustic sophistication.
Delivery & Transformation
The installation unfolded with dramatic precision. Within hours, the skeletal structure of rooms bloomed into inviting spaces. Chairs were angled toward conversation, tables grounded in proportion, and light fell across fabrics that seemed made for the setting.
Walking through the house after completion, one feels a palpable shift—rooms no longer echo with potential but hum with life.
This French country residence is more than the sum of its furnishings; it is a home animated by vision, memory, and heart. Rustic yet regal, sophisticated yet comfortable, it embodies the very essence of French style: a life lived beautifully, where form and function serve not just the eye but the soul.
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