AH&L Talks All Things Entertaining with Celebrated Designer Timothy Corrigan

In the petite salon, walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Harbor Fog and contrasted with a warm white to showcase the richly carved oak paneling and pilasters.

On the List “For a weekend party at the château, I prepare a list for each guest of everyone in attendance and their rooms. Inevitably, some of the guests are meeting for the first time, and it is helpful and reassuring for everyone to have the full list of names.”

sweet tooth “I like to leave little treats in each guest room every day. This is nothing elaborate, often a home-baked goodie or a few chocolates, but it lets guests know how much I appreciate that they have come.”

sleeping beauty “Nothing is more important to a successful visit than a comfortable bed and lovely bed linens. I am fortunate to be able to use my designs for the Italian linen company DEA-Italy, and I coordinate them to the colors of each guest room. Invariably, guests comment on the softness of the linens.”

“I always have a welcoming drink on hand when guests arrive, as often they have made lengthy journeys. A favorite is my signature Tim-tini: A mix of vodka, cucumber, mint, sparkling water, and a touch of simple syrup.” —Timothy Corrigan

Parting ways “On the last evening, I like to leave small gifts for my guests, tokens upon their departure. It’s lovely for people to go away with something tangible to help them remember their visit to your home.”

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles: From the grand entry foyer to elegant sitting rooms and verdant grounds, La Chevallerie delights and intrigues. What space of your home do guests gravitate toward most, and what pulls them in?

Timothy Corrigan: The Blue Salon tends to be one of the most popular hangout spaces. It’s the first of the public rooms that guests enter, but it’s also bright and welcoming with comfortable furniture, upholstered in my outdoor fabrics for Perennials. Blue and white is a favorite color combination around the world, so people feel at home there.

AH&L: Entertaining can be overwhelming, and in the book, your use of unexpected spaces (like passageways) and items (like floral bed sheets as tablecloths) break the traditional “rules” of entertaining. What is your advice to readers on achieving an air of effortlessness when hosting?

TC: Have fun and don’t take entertaining too seriously. Mix and match linens, china services, and glassware. It communicates a sense of confidence and effortless style while creating a relaxed atmosphere that will delight your guests.

AH&L: At Home in France is a love letter to your adopted home, featuring expertly curated, thoughtfully designed spaces. And while lavish, you express  “even the world’s most beautiful room is not successful if it is not also comfortable,” reminding readers that homes are meant
to be lived in. What would you say to those who desire an inviting space, but don’t know where to start?

TC: I strive to create environments where people feel welcome and at home, and comfort is the key ingredient. Comfort is more than just being soft and cozy, it’s also a mental thing. Is the furniture the right scale for the space? Is the color palette warm and inviting? Can you let kids play in the room without being afraid they will ruin something? A room communicates that it’s comfortable in so many subliminal ways. With terrific performance fabrics available, it’s crazy to have a home filled only with fragile materials or fine objects, and we no longer need to make a trade-off between beauty and practicality. Mix furniture, art, and design from different periods to keep rooms from looking too studied and “matchy.” Fill your home with things you love and be willing to rearrange this regularly.  That way, your home will always be pleasing and feel fresh.

At Home in France

In his third book, world-renowned designer Timothy Corrigan shares the joys of decorating and living in his Paris apartment and countryside château, both historical structures that have been lovingly restored for modern-day living. A must-read for lovers of French style, the new tome’s inspiring spaces encourage readers to design à la française.

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