An Eclectic, Eccentric Home with French Flair
This is an eclectic interiors post I’ve been meaning to write for a while but now seems like a perfect moment since I’ve just been talking about curating art in your home and being brave and expressive. Someone who does this perfectly is my ‘instafriend’ ( I have those now! ) interior designer and self confessed serial renovator Jane Ashton.
Her home is the perfect mix of relaxed eclectic decor with a touch of what you might call eccentric French flair. We chatted online and it turns out she lived in France ( the South – my favourite) for a time and regularly visits for holidays and creative inspiration. Ha! – I can detect a fellow Francophile at twenty virtual paces!
I love how the French and Italians bring art into their home in a casual carefree manner so that it can sit as easily on a sideboard, mantle piece or even the floor as it can hung more formally on the wall. They seem to have a familiarity with art, they’re not afraid of it and its essential to daily living and so becomes part of the family.
When you have this confidence you can start to play a little and play Jane has with some bold statement canvases in sizes that command attention yet become comfortably part of the rooms. Mixed with leafy plants and eclectic characterful furniture that has been collected rather than bought all in one go, it’s a home of layers and personality – the best kind. You feel you could walk in throw down your coat and pour yourself a glass of wine ( and that’s before Jane gets home…. joking – that would just be weird)
Each space has a different feel yet they are somehow connected with warm welcoming tones and soft lighting that draws the eye through the house and invites you in to explore. From the gentlemen’s reading corner to the balmy Mediterranean style hallway with its swaying leafy palms, oversized furniture and hat wearing sculptural bust – I love an entrance that has a little theatre and interest to welcome visitors! Then we move through to the relaxed kitchen with odd chairs (no matchy-matchy dining furniture here!) a striking hot lobster painting and little pops of green here and there. It’s enough to send you off on a St Tropez seaside dream.
Talking of which, Jane has recently been travelling around that very place in her latest crazy renovation project ‘Brigitte’ – a revamped caravan like no other you’ve ever seen. This takes ‘glamping’ to a whole new level – think marble sinks, gold taps, beaded curtains and a gorgeous Bardot-esque vibe, it’s a triumph and I’m really quite jealous ( sorry Martha)! You can see the whole project over on her blog and see how she brazenly uses the amazing Sian Zeng Tropical Bloom print to the max – be prepared!
Hope you enjoyed the wander and huge thanks to Jane Ashton for the lovely images of her home – you might have recognised the giant canvas prints that we just happen to have in The Art Room from our Young & Battaglia collection. Seen here with the ‘Madam Blush’ shock of pink in the bathroom and of course sometimes ‘Air is not Enough’ when you’ve had one of those days … pass the wine please!
2 thoughts on “An Eclectic, Eccentric Home with French Flair”
Thank you Lorraine for such a lovely post. You have spotted the romantic French influence, my love of old collected pieces mixed with new plus a a touch of wit, all essentials I believe to keep the look loose and relaxed. I hate uptight spaces! So glad you felt welcomed X
Thanks Jane, I’m the same – much prefer relaxed styles and you’ve really made it work perfectly!