A view from the garden of an 18th-century farmhouse in Provence, France, which was restored by its owners, Patrick and Lorraine Frey. For details, see Resources.
Welcome to the Luberon- la France profonde, the mythic France of the imagination. This is the heart of the particular section of Provence that unfolds over rolling hills and into fields of lavender, dotted with ancient stone villages that time has forgotten. Think red poppies, olive trees, and purple skies at dusk. The Luberon is not a fancy place in the way of the Côte d'Azur to the south, but it is a luxurious one: tranquility being the most elusive luxury of all.
For precisely that reason, the interior designer Patrick Frey and his wife, Lorraine, have made the Luberon their country home. Patrick runs the firm founded by his father, Pierre Frey, which designs traditional fabrics, carpets, and furniture. In a centuries-old stone house that previously belonged to Lorraine's parents, the couple has created both a retreat and a refuge, one that celebrates the colors and textures of Provence with some signature touches of the family brand.
“You have to keep in mind that this house is a maison paysanne at its core—it was a farm in the beginning,” Lorraine says. “I believe that houses should preserve their true history and should remain in their simplicity.” Patrick agrees. “We've done it in a style that's somewhat minimalist, but it's not a precious or fragile house,” he says. “It's what I call a true house. Of course it's contemporary and full of color, as we love color, but really it's timeless."
Patrick and Lorraine Frey on the terrace.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2022 من Elle Decor.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 2022 من Elle Decor.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
MORE, PLEASE
Eric Hughes joins forces with Standard Architecture to transform two neighboring homes into a sprawling family compound.
SIZED TO FIT
Designer Nannette Brown reimagines a new-build apartment with unexpected depth, character, and texture.
Play It Cool
In balmy Texas, Ashe Leandro brings urbane style and a chill vibe to a home in a historic district.
Mic Drop
For former talk radio star Tom Joyner, Studio Roda creates an oceanfront pleasure pad with out-of-sight views and disco-era glamour.
EYE IN THE SKY
How do you cozy up a Manhattan high-rise? Call designers Hendricks Churchill.
THE JOY OF KØKKEN
In Brooklyn, a writer transforms her kitchen into a space of warmth and connection, blending personal memories with Scandinavian design.
CURTAIN RAISER
ELLE DECOR partners with designers Christine and John Gachot to refresh an iconic lounge at a New York institution, the Metropolitan Opera House.
The Empire Strikes Back - A 19th-century gem in Cambridge, Massachusetts, gets a tour-de-force restoration thanks to Frances Merrill of Reath Design.
Is it possible to simultaneously go back in time and leap forward? This was the challenge a couple set for themselves upon purchasing a salmon-pink 1869 house in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not far from Longfellow House, the National Historic Site that served as George Washington's headquarters during the revolution. We loved all the beautiful old details of this house, the homeowner says.
Just Like That, But Cheaper. -One writer tried to replicate a classic ELLE DECOR interior in his apartment. Could he do it for $500?
It was all about the green curtains. In 2008, to my great surprise, I was offered a ninemonth fellowship based in New York City. I had lived there twice before, both times unsuccessfully, meaning I had failed to create any kind of significant social life, and so this was a chance not only to do research for my new novel, but also an opportunity to get things right. I swore I wouldn't let the city break me a third time.
And How! - Decorator Nick Olsen transforms a Sag Harbor home into a Hamptons retreat with an irreverent humor.
If you must go to the Hamptons, however-because it is devilishly good fun, after all-you may notice an apparently modest, low-slung cottage on Sag Harbor's Main Street and think, with a comfortable sort of feeling, Now that is how a house should look. Nestled amid the Botox bars, helipads, and club-staurants, it could almost set the sordid world aright both a rebuke and a solution to the chaos that surrounds it. A real home.