Centuries of history? Yes. An impeccably elegant facade? Absolutely. Landscaped grounds full of graceful trees? Of course. Château d’Amilly in Normandy has every one of the classic elements its name evokes – but stepping inside, you find something unexpected.
Thanks to the Spanish heritage of its owner, top interior designer Pierre Sauvage, its rooms are bursting with Mediterranean warmth and colour, as if the house itself wanted to welcome you in.
© COUCHE STUDIOThat’s exactly the effect he was aiming for, says Pierre, whose maternal grandmother was Spanish and whose Paris-based lifestyle company Casa Lopez overflows with Iberian inspiration.
Naturally, Pierre comes here whenever he can and loves to bring friends along with him. Joining him for our shoot is Sabine Van Vlaenderen, a Belgian-born philanthropist who lives in the French capital with her husband and their two children.
© COUCHE STUDIOSabine, who met the designer 15 years ago, says she’s a big fan of his "creativity and can-do approach", of which his château is a perfect example.
Pierre, how old is Château d’Amilly?
© COUCHE STUDIO"The original building dates back to the 15th century, and a tower still remains, but most of the château was destroyed during the French Revolution.
"It was reconstructed around 1840, and we believe that the park, with its oak and cedar trees, was probably planted at the same time."
© COUCHE STUDIOWhen you acquired the house in 2014, it was in ruins. Restoring it must have been quite a challenge...
"Yes. It took about six years, because everything had to be redone, including the roofs and facade. As for the grounds, they’d been divided in two.
© COUCHE STUDIO"So I bought both parts and we stitched them back together, respecting the original paths. I had the help of decorator Franz Potisek, a friend who has worked on my Casa Lopez shops, and also of landscape gardener Louis Benech."
Speaking of the grounds, it's clear that you're a real animal lover. You have horses, sheep, chickens, swans and even two rescue donkeys here...
© COUCHE STUDIO"I do; I’ve tried to make this the best possible home for them too!"
Then there’s an orchard full of pear, peach, almond, cherry and quince trees...
© COUCHE STUDIO"Yes, and we’ve put the swimming pool there. It’s where we have lunch when the weather is nice."
Let's turn to the interiors. What did you aim for with the decor?
© COUCHE STUDIO"It expresses my obsession with comfort, and I’ve tried to make sure that everything looks as comfortable as it actually is.
"You can see that in the shapes of the furniture, the hard-wearing floors and the colours I’ve chosen, as well as the amount of attention I’ve given to fabrics and tableware."
It expresses my obsession with comfort, and I’ve tried to make sure that everything looks as comfortable as it actually is. You can see that in the shapes of the furniture, the hard-wearing floors and the colours I’ve chosen, as well as the amount of attention I’ve given to fabrics and tableware.
© COUCHE STUDIOTableware is a speciality of Casa Lopez. When do you put in the most effort with your own table settings?
"When I’m hosting close friends and family for Christmas and birthdays. I always create a special tablecloth and sometimes even a whole dinner service, or I have each guest’s first name hand-painted on the side plates. All the napkins are custom-embroidered for the occasion.
© COUCHE STUDIO"As for flowers, Eric Chauvin, who lives nearby and is a very talented florist, often comes to help me."
Which are your favourite rooms?
© COUCHE STUDIO"The dining room, where I often work at the table after breakfast, and the living room, which is a great place to relax before and after dinner."
How did you come to set up your company?
© COUCHE STUDIO"At the start of my career, I was lucky enough to work in public relations for Christian Dior and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Being around truly talented designers really helps you develop your eye. You get used to more daring mixes of colours and materials.
"Later, I helped several people set up their companies, and that’s what motivated me to launch one of my own."
© COUCHE STUDIOWhat do you enjoy most about your work today?
"Without a doubt, the creative part. I love to imagine objects that I’d like to own myself and I’m passionate about the process of producing them, from sketching and prototypes to manufacture.
© COUCHE STUDIO"I also enjoy designing our shops and collaborating with other brands that inspire me."
You’ve published three lifestyle books. What can you tell us about them?
© COUCHE STUDIO"The first one, Casa Lopez: Effortless Style, talks about my three homes in Normandy, Paris and Provence, and how Casa Lopez objects adapt to each environment.
"In the second, Be My Guest, we asked 20 or so hosts to show us how they do it. The third, which is just out, is called How They Entertain, and is a continuation of that idea featuring new and very varied personalities."
© COUCHE STUDIOSabine, how did you get to know Pierre?
"It was during a winter holiday organised by mutual friends who, at the last minute, were unable to make it.
© COUCHE STUDIO"We’ve become inseparable in the 15 years since then. Pierre is a really fine person, whose creativity and can-do approach I admire. He also has a great sense of humour."
Tell us about your family’s charitable project, the Vocation Foundation...
© COUCHE STUDIO"It was created in 1959 by Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, my husband Benjamin Badinter’s grandfather, and is now chaired by my mother-in-law Elisabeth Badinter.
"Every year, we award 30 prizes to people aged 18 to 30 who stand out for the strength of their commitment to their vocation, their excellence and their determination to overcome difficulties.
© COUCHE STUDIO"We continue to support them in the long term, and strong bonds are formed so that everyone is able to help each other."
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