Timothy Corrigan talks about the people, places, and things that shaped his refined point of view– and inspired his sophisticated Schumacher collection.
Comfortable elegance. My style infuses classical European refinement with the casual, comfortable lifestyle of California.
Corrigan’s living room in his Loire Valley château. He expertly tempers the room’s architectural grandeur with relaxed upholstery, soft throw pillows, and a patterned rug. Corrigan recently published a book on his historic house, An Invitation to Château du Grand-Lucé. Photograph by Eric Piasecki.
What inspires you?
I am directly influenced by mid to late 18th-century French architecture and design. It was an era of great change. The Enlightenment brought about the transition from the very exuberant style of Louis XIV to something more restrained.
Jean-Charles Moreux is another great influence. He lived in Paris from 1889-1956. Moreux did it all: he was an architect, designed interiors, created furniture and developed wonderful landscape design. In short, he was a true Renaissance man.
Left: Claude-Nicolas Ledoux’s Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, France. The geometries of this 18th-century building inspired Corrigan’s Saltworks occasional chair for Schumacher. Right: Corrigan’s Moreux rug, named for his favorite designer, from his Patterson Flynn Martin collection.
A Moreux garden plan. Image via citechaillot.fr.
What is your definition of chic?
George Clooney epitomizes my design credo of comfortable elegance.
The actor at Villa Allamel on Lake Como. Photograph by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.
If you could live in any house in history, what would it be and why?
Le Château du Grand-Lucé, my house in the French countryside. It blends the finest of neoclassical architecture with the relaxed and easy furnishings of today. There is something about the place that allows everyone to be their best selves. Isn’t that what home should do for all of us?
The designer’s 18th-century estate. Photograph by Eric Piasecki.
An enchanting corner of one of the château’s guest bedrooms. Photograph by Eric Piasecki.
In keeping with the style of a traditional French country home, the entrance hall is decorated with antler trophies. Photograph by Eric Piasecki.
What is your favorite design book?
The Gardens of Russell Page by Gabriella van Zuylen and Marina Schinz. Also, Les Décorateurs des années 40 by Bruno Foucart and Jean-Louis Gaillemin.
A stately Russell Page landscape.
Les Décorateurs des années 40.
What is your favorite movie?
Tough, tough question. I love The Leopard, Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and The Wings of the Dove.
Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard.
A scene from Barry Lyndon.
Helena Bonham Carter in The Wings of the Dove.
What was the starting point for your Schumacher collections?
The process of designing these fabrics pushed me to evaluate what I’m drawn to in terms of design. First, I had to really analyze what shapes and colors I love. Then I had to determine how to turn those into a cohesive collection that would work in homes all over the world.
Huntington Gardens 175560 in classic blue and crisp white with Vincent Linen Braid 65400and Anton Linen Ruche Trim 65451.
What did you want to achieve with your Schumacher collections?
Design is moving away from stark modernism towards a warmer, more organic, and lyrical aesthetic. I wanted the collections to reflect this transition with patterns and colors that are more vibrant and nuanced. The world is ready for pretty again.
Table skirt in dusty pink and camel Cap Ferrat with ivory Directoire Tape.
I wanted to create designs that are life-enhancing. From the pretty birds in Huntington Gardens to the gorgeous colors of Chateau Silk Damask, these are fabrics that make you smile.
Corrigan’s collection includes a palette of bright pastels. From left to right: Chateau Silk Damask in Springtime and Huntington Gardens in Multi.
I strongly believe that home should feed and nurture body and soul.
Curtains, table skirt, and sofa throw pillows in Huntington Gardens in Bleu Marine. Table skirt trim in Vincent Linen Braid and Anton Linen Ruche Trim. Wall upholstery in Mandeville in Pacific. Wave Lounge Chairs and Wave Sofa, all upholstered in Mandeville Field in Natural. Lounge chair throw pillow in Madeleine Velvet in Midnight. Lafayette Cocktail Table and Lafayette Side Table. Patterson Flynn Martin Impulse abaca rug.
View the complete Timothy Corrigan collection…