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As a child, Pierre Sauvage spent vacations in a small village in Haute Normandie, not far from Giverny. “I always loved its color and diversity,” he recalls of Claude Monet’s fabled gardens, with its water lilies, wisteria, tulips, and azaleas. Fifteen years ago, when Sauvage purchased his own weekend getaway in the region, he quickly set about creating his own kaleidoscopic work of art.
Cushy velvet sofas from Maison Thévenon flank a chestnut table by Lou Fagotin for Christian Liaigre in the living room of Pierre Sauvage’s 19th-century vacation home in the Haute-Normandie region of France. The plaid curtains are in a Sanderson fabric, and the stools are from Zara Home.
Simon BrownIt took a year for Sauvage to renovate and design the 150-year-old house, aided by decorator Franz Potisek, a longtime collaborator with whom he has also worked on a Left Bank apartment, a grand 15th-century chateau in Normandy, and several boutiques for Casa Lopez, the artisan rug company he purchased in 2014 and has since expanded into a lifestyle brand offering tableware, home accessories, furniture, and fabric with haute-bohemian flair. “Before starting a project, Franz and I always talk a lot about the place and the way of life I want to create,” says Sauvage. In this case, that meant designing a warmly appointed nest where he could unwind and spend time with family, many of whom also have homes nearby: “I wanted to make it comfortable while retaining the spirit of an old house.”
Sauvage’s skill for color mixing is on full display in the exuberantly layered space, where a mid-20th century Turkish carpet incorporates shades from the ceiling beams (painted in Picture Gallery Red by Farrow & Ball) and olive-green walls (Mon Général by Zuber). The custom Casa Lopez ottoman is upholstered in Almaty Velvet by Carolina Irving Textiles.
Simon BrownThe starting point, as always, was Sauvage’s ebullient palette, dominated here by his favorite shades of olive green and cerulean and accented with bold swaths of red. (He cites David Hicks as one of his major design influences.) A background in fashion—he spent 20 years in press and public relations for Christian Dior and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac before making the jump to the world of interior design—helped ignite not just Sauvage’s fearless approach to color, but also his eye for distinctive fabrics (each of the four bedrooms is wrapped in a different fabric, including a handsome wool check and rich raw silk) and couture-worthy detail (the custom-designed ottoman in the living room is a prime example, with its patterned velvet, dramatic bullion fringe, and tasseled rosettes).
Sauvage’s longtime decorator Franz Potisek designed the cabinetry in the dining room; to the side of the fireplace is an 18th-century garden painting in the manner of Hubert Robert. The brass chandelier was found at antiques dealer Arthur Bruet’s shop at the Paris flea market. Tablecloth, Zara Home.
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The lush garden just outside the kitchen window inspired the room’s verdant color scheme, with cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball’s Calke Green. Traditional terra-cotta tiles called tomettes cover the floor.
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The house is filled with Sauvage’s myriad collections, like this assortment of antique blue-and-white ceramics.
Simon BrownWhat keeps the whole scheme from feeling stiff or fussy is Sauvage’s aptitude for mixing high and low, formal and rustic. The house’s roughhewn exposed beams were not only retained but painted in bright hues that highlight their gnarled, off-kilter charm, while lucky finds from Zara Home appear alongside treasured antiques and plenty of furnishings from Casa Lopez. “When I imagine an object, I always think of it for one of my homes,” Sauvage says.
In the primary bedroom, walls wrapped in Kashmir Paisley linen by Michael S. Smith are an unexpected counterpoint for millwork and beams swathed in Payne by Zuber. Bespoke bed and rug, Casa Lopez.
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In the primary bathroom, the Villeroy and Boch clawfoot tub and Winckelmans ceramic floor tile have a vintage, timeworn feel; the sinks are by Leroy Merlin. The wood-paneled walls, once hidden behind marble installed in the 1980s, are painted Off-White by Farrow & Ball.
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The “green room” features Carolina Irving Textiles’ Amazon linen on the walls and striped Casa Lopez carpet in a coordinating shade. A curtain in Tajmahal fabric by Braquenié through Pierre Frey provides contrast.
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Patmos Stripe (on beds) and Amazon linen (on walls) by Carolina Irving Textiles create pattern play in a guest room. Rug, table, lamp and shade, Casa Lopez. The bedding is a floral boutis from an Indian market.
Simon BrownWhile the house didn’t require any major structural changes, a renovation in the 1980s had obscured some of its historic charm; Sauvage replaced the roof tiles with more authentic wood ones, removed the marble on the walls of the primary bath to reveal original wood paneling, and replastered the facade. Carpeting was installed to hide unattractive tile on the floor and stairs; the kitchen was updated with retro-looking cabinets and fixtures.
A Holland and Sherry wool check envelops a guest room. Bedside table, David Hicks; rugs, Casa Lopez.
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Odd angles in a hallway are camouflaged by the same wool check. Console, Hermes; rug, Casa Lopez.
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A guest room is luxuriously wrapped in Japanese Stencil raw silk from Jasper by Michael S. Smith. Rug, Hartley & Tissier.
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Hydrangeas thrive in the region’s cool, moist climate.
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A peek through the hedge.
Simon BrownOutside in the garden, designed with the help of landscape architect Alexandre Phélip, a bevy of roses (both post-war French roses, prized for their “incredible color and fragrance,” and English climbing roses), dahlias (“infinite hues and shapes”), and hydrangeas (which thrive in the region’s cool, moist climate) bloom against a backdrop of Virginia creeper, which scales the facade. The effect is natural and even a bit wild, in contrast to the more curated vignettes that fill the interior. “Outside, I really like overflowing mixes with very English borders, but in the home, I prefer a bit more order,” explains Sauvage. “The garden has taught me so much about mixing colors and shapes, but also about how important light is on flowers, just as it is in the home.”
Sauvage is a consummate entertainer—he’s written two books on the subject—and loves to host guests in his garden; the tablecloth is made from Californian Caning Outdoor fabric by Casa Lopez for Carolina Irving Textiles; chairs, Kim Motzer.
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Shutters with a traditional heart cut-out detail are painted in Tonerre blue by Zuber.
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English climbing roses bring a pretty dose of pink to the Virginia creeper-covered facade.
Simon BrownTHIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN VOLUME 15 OF FREDERIC MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!
