Richard Lowell Neas in France

It's always a treat to stumble upon the work of the late decorator and decorative artist, Richard Lowell Neas. Over the years, I have collected photos of his Manhattan apartment as well as examples of his trompe l'oeil painting.  What remained elusive to me, though, were photos of his much-admired home in southwestern France. Thanks to a generous friend, who recently gave me a decade-worth of House Beautiful back issues, I finally have my hands on photos of Neas's charming French country house.

The c. 1770 stone house (see above), located in the town of Charente, was built for the village priest, which explains the structure's close proximity to a Romanesque church. When Neas found the house, it was in shambles. But rather than being deterred by the home's sad state, Neas saw it as an opportunity to breathe new life into an old home whose centuries-old structure remained mostly intact.

When I studied the photos of the home's décor, I was left with the impression that Neas must have reveled in creating his dream country house.  The fabrics have a definite French flair (most of them were by Brunschwig & Fils, for whom Neas designed those now-famous trompe l'oeil papers, including Bibliothèque,) while the kitchen and pantry are like French country cuisine: earthy, yet well-seasoned, too.  But what especially charms me are Neas's decorative jeux d'esprit, which can be seen throughout the house.  That stone floor in the dining room?  It's actually painted wood.  And that wooden-clad guest bedroom?  Its walls were painted to mimic wooden boards.

The living room was like taking a step back in time.  It was lit solely by candlelight, while the floor covering was apple matting, which was a favorite of Elizabethans.

Like the painted floor, the dining room chandelier was meant to fool the eye.  In fact, it was made of wood and painted to resemble blue and white ceramicware.

In the earthy kitchen, a trompe l'oeil painted cabinet hid the refrigerator.

Another view of the kitchen.

The pantry held Neas's collection of French earthenware, including what appears to be Aptware.

The centerpiece of the master bedroom was this canopied bed, which was lavished in Brunschwig & Fils' Kandahar fabric.  The paneled walls are actually trompe l'oeil, as are the hanging key (painted to the left of the door frame) and the painting above the door.

A guest bedroom.

Another guest room with trompe l'oeil painted walls and niches.  The dominant fabric was Mexicali by Brunschwig & Fils.

A view of the church from the terrace.

The terrace pot-garden.

All photos from House Beautiful, February 1993, Jacques Dirand photographer

Entertaining in the French Style

A few weeks ago, I posted on both the Manhattan and Paris apartments of designer Jean-Paul Beaujard. Well, my fascination with Beaujard's work has only intensified thanks to the book Entertaining in the French Style. I guess you could also say that because of this book, my interest in French food and tableware has been piqued as well.

Eileen Johnson, the book's author who also owns and operates FlowerSchool New York, has written a charming book that really captures the essence of French entertaining. Each chapter profiles an intriguing person (subjects include Beaujard, an artist, and an antique textiles collector) who lives in some beautiful part of France (think Paris, L'Isle sur la Sorgue, and La Perche.) The book's sumptuous photographs show the various tableware and food that each subject uses and serves when entertaining. There are even a few recipes included for dishes like Algerian Couscous and Plum Clafouti.

If you are at all interested in French style and entertaining, you really should consider purchasing a copy of this book either for yourself or as a gift. (The book's smaller size makes it perfect for gift-giving.) Reading it really is like taking an enchanting but all too brief trip to France.



A beautiful Maison Jansen games table set for dinner in the Paris apartment of designer Jean-Paul Beaujard. The porcelain is Sevres.




A table set beneath a pear tree at a bed & breakfast in Saignon. The wine, cheese, and fruit look scrumptious.



In the L'Isle sur la Sorgue home of designer and textile collector Michel Biehn. Biehn designed the cicada and pine decorated china and had it made in Mouspiers, France. I'm fascinated with the earthenware cicada knife rests.



Biehn set this table in his garden.



Artist Tony Ramos, who lives near Eygalieres in Provence, laid out hors d'oeuvres including saucisson, olives, and olive paste, in his studio. This was a precursor to a meal of roast chicken, string beans, and fresh tomatoes. Vin d'orange was served alongside.



A jasmine tart is garnished with crystallized mint leaves and rose petals.

All photos from Entertaining in the French Style by Eileen Johnson; Brie Williams photographer.

Château de la Barre

You might remember Arnaud Chevalier. He is the talented artist and designer about whom I wrote last year. (Click here to read it.) Arnaud recently told me about Château de la Barre, a château hotel that he said was one of the loveliest in France. Located in the Loire Valley, the château has been the home of the de Vanssay family for over 600 years. In fact, the current Comte de Vanssay (who oversees the château and hotel with his wife) is the 20th generation of his family to live in the château.

You must visit the website to see all of the gorgeous photos because believe me, after seeing them, you will want to take a trip to Château de la Barre pronto. (Make that immédiatement.) I'm showing a few photos here. Don't you think the interiors look charming?

To get a better look at the photos below, make sure to click on them to enlarge.




Grand Salon




Vestibule




Pièce à feu




Salon Rose




Grande Salle à Manger





Chambre Marin de Vanssay





Chambre aux Fleurs (looks like it's been "Draperized"...as in Dorothy.)




Chambre Esprit de Jouy





Chambre Jaune




The Château Garden


All images courtesy of Château de la Barre

Life at Chateau du Grand-Lucé

I've always been intrigued by the notion of owning a chateau in the French countryside. You read in various publications about Americans who escape the day to day grind of their busy lives by hopping on a plane bound for their chateau getaway. It really sounds dreamy, does it not? But forgive me if I sound like a complete rube, because I have always wondered what life is like during these jaunts to one's chateau. Is it relaxing? Complicated? Busy? Laid back? My dream has always been to own a pied à terre at The Carlyle, so owning a chateau seems like shooting for the moon. So, to set me straight, I thought I would ask Los Angeles based designer Timothy Corrigan what it's like to own a chateau.

Timothy is the proud owner of the Chateau du Grand-Lucé, a c. 1760-64 chateau in the Loire Valley. Built by the man responsible for governing the Eastern part of France under Louis XV, the chateau has been deemed "one of the most precious elements of architecture of the French Enlightenment" by the French Historical Monument. While many grand homes were ransacked during the French Revolution, Grand-Lucé was spared the ravages of this turbulent period and in fact retains all of its original wood paneled walls and fireplaces.


The Grand Salon as it appeared when Timothy purchased Grand-Lucé



And the Grand Salon as it looks today after Timothy worked his magic



Timothy's French adventure goes back to his time living in Paris in the early 1990s. Falling in love with the French countryside, he went on to own three different chateaux at various times. In 2003, the French government decided to sell Grand-Lucé, and after a lengthy application process, officials chose to sell it to Timothy because of his plans to restore the chateau back into a private home. Once the chateau became his, Timothy embarked on a major restoration to return Grand-Lucé to its former grandeur (when he bought it, the chateau had no working electricity, no bathrooms, and no kitchen in the main chateau), all the while making sure that the house was comfortable and livable too.



Chateau living does at times include ironing as Timothy seems to be doing so competently




The lake's swans that Timothy likes to feed



So what is life like at the chateau? When not entertaining guests, Timothy loves to putter around the house and the gardens (sometimes puttering includes ironing, as seen above!), recharge his battery (he recently spent time there designing new additions to the Timothy Corrigan Home line), and walking through the property's woods and feeding the swans, geese and ducks that reside in the lake.




The Formal Garden



The Kitchen Garden



Speaking of the outdoors, the gardens of Grand-Lucé are simply stunning, having been laid out in a series of decreasing formality as one moves away from the chateau. The formal parterre and green rooms are reminiscent of Le Notre's gardens at Versailles. Beyond the parterre is an exotic garden that originally held plants considered to be exotic and unique in 18th c. France. Today, the garden holds herbaceous flowering plants. This is also where the orangery, two green houses, and a swimming pool hold court. The potager, hidden from view from the chateau, is planted with fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. A Landscape Garden and 42 acres of wooded forest round out the property. Curious as to what Timothy's favorite plantings were, he responded that the flowering Horse Chestnut trees and the flowering cabbages are among his favorites.




Timothy visiting a local flea market with fellow designers including Vicente Wolf and Frank Pennino


While Timothy's alone time there is quite relaxing, entertaining friends and family is equally as relaxed. Timothy says that no one wears a watch while there and no one is on a schedule. Time is spent conversing with one another (something that is unfortunately becoming a lost art), dining, and walking the property. For those guests who might prefer something a bit more active, Timothy plans outings to the local flea markets, visits to other chateaux in the region, driving go-carts at the Le Mans race track, hot air balloon rides, and cooking classes. (Sounds like heaven to me!) In August, the Concours de Hippique, one of the oldest horse shows in France, is held on the grounds of Grand-Lucé. Now it is becoming clear to me why people want to own a chateau!




Radishes and Strawberries from Timothy's garden


I asked Timothy about how he likes to entertain while at the chateau. When he dines alone, he admits that his meal usually consists of something from the freezer section of the local supermarket. But when guests are at the chateau, meals are a bit more elaborate and usually consist of fresh vegetables from his garden and local fresh fish. He also likes to visit the weekly farmers market that is located outside of the gates to his chateau where he buys local honey, chevre, and wild strawberries. Meals that Timothy typically serves to guests includes Lotte fish, quiches, salads, cheeses, strawberry souffles, apple tarts, and profiteroles- typical French dishes that Timothy lightens up for his American friends.



Lunch in the Garden



A Formal Dinner



A winning centerpiece


Daytime meals at Grand-Lucé are more casual and are set up outside in the garden. Dinner is usually more formal (though not stuffy) and is served in one of two dining rooms. Oftentimes during the day, Timothy divides his guests into teams and leads them out into the garden and woods with the challenge of finding natural decorations for the table. The winners usually win something tasty like a bottle of champagne. When a dinner party really calls for something special, Timothy likes to entertain in the orangery where candlelight dinners are served.




Timothy serving drinks


Of course, seeing that Grand-Lucé is in the Loire Valley, wine is also an important part of any meal at Grand-Lucé. Champagne and local Loire Valley wines are often served. In order to break the ice at the start of a house party weekend, strong cocktails are the order of the day. Recently, Timothy and his guests concocted the "Tim-tini" made of vodka, lime juice, cucumber puree, simple syrup and mint. I like the sound of that cocktail so much that I might commandeer this cocktail recipe for myself and christen it the "Jen-tini"- if Timothy doesn't mind, of course.




A July 4th Celebration at Grand-Lucé


Finally, I asked Timothy for his tips on creating a comfortable home- whether it's a chateau, a Stateside house, or even a small apartment. He said something that really struck a chord with me: "Comfort is about more than just how something feels- it is also a state of mind." Timothy likes to have music playing in all rooms of his chateau and candles burning throughout the house. Scent is so important to a house that Timothy created his own line of candles. There are three different scents in the line, each one creating a different mood when burned: L'air de Californie; La Vie de Chateau; and Maison en Ville. (Click the links to read the descriptions of each scent; I think they all sound heavenly.) And of course, books. Timothy has piles of books everywhere and encourages guests to read them at their leisure.

So now I have an answer to my question as to how one lives at one's chateau. Life at Grand-Lucé seems to be relaxing, comfortable, gracious, and a lot of fun.


All images courtesy of Timothy Corrigan

The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux

I can't figure out why I've got such a bad case of wanderlust. Too much work, perhaps? Let's see, in the past month I've written about cooking school in England, a palace in India, and today, we're talking about Bordeaux...the Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux, that is. I am so taken with the Jacques Garcia designed interiors, especially the rich colors, the abundant use of velvet, and the guest rooms' quirky headboards. It's a heady yet refined kind of maximalism of which Garcia is the master. It might seem odd to be thinking of decadent decorating during the dog days of summer, but if you ask me, there is no off-season for opulence.




It's the combination of colors in this suite that I'm taken with. That and the aubergine velvet sofa.




The perfect place to crash after drinking all of that amazing wine that you're sure to have.



The headboard has such an interesting shape.




This room has accents of black.




The trompe l'oeil wallpaper reminds me of that by Mauny.




Moss green velvet and bullion fringe in l'orangerie.





The lobby with...more velvet.