I had the good fortune of attending a book signing party held at my local Pottery Barn last week for the talented Timothy Corrigan. His new book chronicles the restoration of his French Château du Grand-Lucé, located in the Loire Valley, just outside Paris.
Those of you who are kind enough to read my posts will know that I’m not necessarily drawn to château living, I typically prefer smaller spaces, more cottage than castle. I’m drawn to Timothy Corrigan designs in part because his core philosophy in design is basic to comfort and livability where rooms are concerned.
Even the most beautifully decorated room is not a total success unless you, your family and your guests feel that they can really live and use the room. A well-designed room is one that is both comfortable and elegant. – Timothy Corrigan
As I read a bit about him prior to the book signing I wondered if being raised in California might have something to do with his determination to create rooms that are comfortable. His early profession as an advertising executive took him to Paris, and other regions of the world, where he decorated his apartment. After seeing his work a friend asked him to design his apartment and a new career was born.
For a video tour of his apartment visit HERE
In his interview in November of 2010 with Diane Dorrans Seaks of Architectural Digest he addresses his view on comfort and practicality. While most of us strive for those two essentials, it’s easy to miss the mark sometimes. We all get caught making design decisions that are more about form than function. Mr. Corrigan believes you can have both, and proves it in the rooms he puts his stamp on.
The gardens of his château were another draw. The formal design is breathtaking in the photographs shown in the book. Part of his agreement with the French government when buying the historic chateau was that he would open the grounds to visitors 6 days a week. A tour will be high on my list my next visit.
Photo by Eric Piasecki via Tiimothy Corrigan Blog
{via Architectural Digest}
The book shares details of the work involved in the restoration of this historic landmark. For its size it is such a warm, inviting and livable country home. The initial major restoration took approximately 5 years and Timothy says it’s a work in progress—aren’t all homes?!
In a October 5, 2013 Los Angeles Times article by David A. Keeps on the book, Corrigan explained some of his decorating ideas, “If you want people to feel that a room is bright and light, use yellow, not white, as people often think…your eye unconsciously translates yellow as sunlight.”
Msshe said:
Oh là là! I wish I lived close to a Pottery Barn. So jealous. Sheila
Karen B. said:
Sheila, I must confess, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Timothy Corrigan was so warm and friendly. He allowed a question and answer session and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Oddly, Pottery Barn said the event had a huge response of RSVPs but then (maybe since it was in the evening) there were empty chairs. xo, Karen
julie ~ eab designs said:
A few months ago I read an article on Timothy Corrigan and immediately placed his book on my Christmas wish list. How exciting you were able to meet him. I love his design aesthetic.
Karen B. said:
Julie, He is most concerned with his rooms being inviting and comfortable, even in his historic chateau. Some of the fabrics he’s selected are actually outdoor fabrics that look very much like linen. His book has something for everyone, not just stuffy, formal chateau feeling rooms…not that there’s anything wrong with that. 😀 Karen
Victoria • Restoring our Victorian said:
I for one, would be totally at home in a castle. But I think you knew that.
Karen B. said:
I figure I’ll get my castle tour from you, once you move to England, and then be content in my little cottage in the Cottswolds. 😀 xx
Loi Thai - Tone on Tone said:
Karen, you should have had your photo taken with Timothy to share with us 🙂 Hope he does a book signing here in DC. The chateau is quite impressive. Both homes have incredible collections of antiques and art.
Cheers,
Loi
Karen B. said:
Loi, I believe he would have been happy to do that, but the truth is, my friend and I had things we wanted to do in the mall past the book signing. He was such a great guy, he shook our hands and was so genuine. I really liked meeting him. xo, Karen
timothy corrigan said:
Karen—It was so great meeting you last week at Pottery Barn! Thank you so much for your lovely review of both my book and my work. I am so glad that you agree with my design credo that no matter how beautiful a room is, it must also be really comfortable and allow you to live in it without worries in order to be truly successful. Keep up your wonderful and very inspiring blog! all my best, Timothy
Karen B. said:
Timothy,
I was so happy to meet you and to hear details of your work. Your tips for creating comfortable and livable rooms are a standard I will never forget. Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful holiday.
xo,
Karen
Linda Coble said:
Karen,
After reading your post, I’ve become a Timothy Corrigan fan too. While I’m more like you (prefer a cottage to a chateau), I loved how he was able to make the rooms in the chateau look elegant yet comfortable. Howevere, my favorite was his Los Angeles house. Fantastic! I’m going to check with my local PB to see if he’s planning on speaking up here. Great post!
Karen B. said:
Thanks, Linda. He was a genuinely nice man with such enthusiasm for what he does. It was contagious. I’d love to tour the grounds to his chateau. xo, Karen