

Ian Wallace | John Hersey
In case you are partial to Channel 4’s Get away to the Chateau, or have observed footage of probably the most 45 rooms in Château de los angeles Motte-Husson, you’ll be able to recognise Dick and Angel Strawbridge as essentially the most fearless of decorators. With a style for daring and kooky design, the couple have remodeled a as soon as unnoticed shell into a colourful circle of relatives house.
Angel and her husband Dick bought their stunning nineteenth century chateau within the French commune of Martigné-sur-Mayenne in 2015, bringing the five-storey development again to lifestyles after years of forget.
Right here, we take a peek throughout the chateau, and delve into the design main points, styling ways and completing touches that we have got lengthy loved on our displays.
This fabulous nook demonstrates one of the most key traits of the Strawbridge inner design taste. Curiosities abound – we like the butterflies fastened in swirling shapes up the wall – the picket is darkish, however herbal mild floods in to counter its heaviness, the furnishings is vintage, and the styling comfy with a marginally of the sudden.
Distinctive trinkets and antique unearths fill the house, and elevate sentimental price. “My paintings room is full of such a lot of particular recollections that I’ve accrued over time. There is outdated telephones and royal memorabilia that I have picked up. And I have were given bins of these things!” Angel tells Nation Dwelling in our fresh interview.
The grand dwelling spaces are a deal with to take a look at, embracing true maximalism within the mixture of color, development, eras and design types.
This use of color is a artful one in a length house. So frequently, doorways, flooring and wall panelling use a mahogany or darkish walnut, and a few daring color is had to offset its richness. Metal finishes do a identical process, plus they may be able to soar the sunshine across the room – that fabulous XL wall artwork mixes the 2 successfully.
The Strawbridges have a quintessential French nation kitchen, marrying the capability required of a running room with the fascinating and informal styling so not unusual in grand French properties.
The celebrity of the display is the black vary cooker, framed with an array of copper pots and pans – striking your extra sexy kitchen utensils from the ceiling or on a wall-mounted rail is standard of nation properties.
The usage of patterned tiles at the central island is a wonderful one, and one thing that may be so simply replicated in your house. In case you do not have a kitchen island, you’ll create a touch again in a identical taste or a wall mural depicting candy farmyard scenes.
The chateau’s whimsical bedrooms use elaborate vintage beds, wearing Angel’s personal quilt covers and cushions, in the stores at a number of UK retail outlets like Wayfair and Subsequent.
Blending new and outdated is one thing that Angel mastered early on. “In my early days it used to be all very thrift-led, however the models have modified over time. I at all times used to pop into Woolworths when it used to be nonetheless round,” she says. “There are a few stores in France that I like, equivalent to Maisons du Monde and Anthropologie. I additionally love the ones interest stores that you’ll surprise previous. It might probably really feel a little an excessive amount of in case you best have second-hand pieces at house, so it is great to have that aggregate. We’ve got were given that actual mix of the whole thing.”
With regards to a design philosophy, Angel embraces fearlessness. “What’s the worst that may occur? Dick says that so much to me. We will frequently be scared about doing issues as a result of we are anxious in regards to the consequence. Although you must repaint one thing or sand it again, what’s the worst that would occur? There don’t seem to be many instances the place issues cannot be mounted. It is all about giving it a pass.”