Monday, September 30, 2019

The Great Timothy Corrigan: A Design, Style and Interiors Celebration

Congratulations to Timothy Corrigan on a richly inspiring new book for Rizzoli, published this month.

Bravo for the new book, Timothy, and for embarking on the elegant restoration of a majestic French chateau (your second).

You are a marvel of the interior design and architecture world. I admire your spirit, your creativity and generosity, your work ethic, your style, and the scope of your brilliant mind.

This week on THE STYLE SALONISTE: A lively profile on the international design whirlwind, Timothy Corrigan.

New book. New chateau. New ideas. New products. New passementerie collections. New fabrics. See them all here.





Join me for a tour of the pages of his new book, ‘’The New Elegance Stylish, Comfortable Rooms for Today’ (Rizzoli). And I’ll show you his interiors, his products, his trim designs, his fabric collections and ideas.

Come and revisit his first chateau…and now a second even grander and more ambitious French chateau restoration.

Come with me for an inspiring new profile of one of my favorite designers.




Timothy Corrigan’s new book (his second) ‘The New Elegance Stylish, Comfortable Rooms for Today’ written with Michael Boodro, is published this week by Rizzoli. It’s the follow up to his best-selling ‘An Invitation to Chateau de Grand-Lucé’ the story of Timothy’s French Chateau. Timothy is one of the world’s most successful and admired designers. In this book’s 256 pages, you will see the range and detail of his newest work.







I’ve known and admired Timothy Corrigan (who is based in Los Angeles and Paris but works around the globe) for around two decades or more. In the meantime, he has all major design awards. He came from the world of business and design, set up design offices two decades ago in California and Paris, works all over the US, in London, and in the Middle East and Asia.

Timothy is the only American designer honored by the French Heritage Society for his restoration and classic design of several national landmarks in France. He’s a life-long Francophile, and now he says he is ‘obsessed with chateaus’.







In Timothy’s new book, eleven diverse projects illustrate his defining philosophy of comfort and elegance and the important especially of comfort and function.






In ‘The New Elegance’ Timothy states, “Comfort is not antithetical to elegance, but rather its support and backbone. No-one can truly feel elegant (at least not for long) if he or she does not feel at ease.”

Eleven very different and inspiring projects are shown in the book. Houses and apartments (and mansions) are in many very diverse locations, and all illustrate the detail, polish, focus and especially comfort of the interiors Timothy created.

This design master’s attention to detail is legendary. He designs luxury trim and passementerie for top trim maker/ designer Samuel & Sons in New York, and many of his interiors show this refinement and rare finish.

There is a John Fowler-inspired London townhouse, and a house in Los Angeles infused with Hollywood Regency glamour. He designed an art-filled Chicago apartment with sweeping and exciting views over Lake Michigan. There’s his delightful and ultra-luxe new Paris pied-à-terre.









Inspired additions to the book are the eleven informative ‘Interludes’ 'design knowledge pages between each chapter. Here Corrigan and Boodro detail and delineate and outline important aspects and elements of design, including Symmetry, Layering, Drama Lessons, Details, Architectural Details, and Art and Mirrors.

These ‘design lessons’ make the book especially valuable to designers, design students, and aspiring designers. The advice is constructive and useful. Studying these Corrigan trademarks…and with the images for reference…make the book a handsome reference, full of ideas and how to execute them.







Timothy embarked on the massive and style restoration of the Chateau de Grand-Lucé in the Loire Valley over a decade ago. He redesigned the garden along historical lines…and designed inviting and assuredly comfortable interiors of great charm and off-hand style, nothing too ‘period’ and everything relaxed.










Timothy’s newest project is the restoration of Chateau de la Chevallerie in Arconnay, Pays de la Loire (Loire Valley) in one of the most beautiful and historic regions of France. Think 18th-century oak paneling, elegant roof lines, and his décor of comfortable elegance to follow. There’s a former chapel of course, and endless gardens, and beautiful limestone, plus Benjamin Moore paints, and I’m sure lots of his fabrics for Perennials. 












Timothy is in demand for his design sense, his decorating flair, his understanding of updated traditional décor, and the refinement and polish of his ideas.

He has designed licensed fabric, trim, wallpaper, carpets, fixtures, performance fabrics, porcelain, and decor collections for Schumacher, Perennials, Samuel & Sons, Fromental, Royal Limoges, THG-Paris (bathroom fixtures).












Timothy Corrigan to lecture in San Francisco, October 5, at The Fall Show (formerly the Fall Antique Show), Fort Mason, San Francisco

This year promises to be an exciting year for The Fall Show, under the astute, creative and brilliant chairmanship, leadership and guidance of the great interior designer, Suzanne Tucker. Preview party October 2. On show again this year: four designer vignettes featuring de Gournay custom-made handmade wallpapers. Members of the de Gournay family will be present. Exciting.

October 5: Timothy Corrigan will be honored at the Institute of Classical Architecture Northern California chapter annual designer lunch, Festival Pavilion, Room with a View. Fort Mason, The Fall Show in San Francisco.

Lunch by invitation of the Institute of Classical Architecture Northern California. Classicist.org

Following the 12.30pm lunch at Room with a View restaurant, Timothy is presenting an illustrated lecture ‘Living Elegantly Today, Around the World with Timothy Corrigan’. At approx. 3pm there will be an informal book signing adjacent at Hayden & Fandetta post lecture.

It will be an exciting day, with opportunities to meet and speak to Timothy…and to acquire a personally signed copy of his new Rizzoli book.

For more information: sffallshow.org

The beneficiary of this annual Fall Show fundraiser (now in its fortieth year) is ENTERPRISE FOR YOUTH, which mentors and guides teens and young adults with job and life skills, now in its 50th year. Enterpriseforyouth.org

The 2019 San Francisco Fall Show is once again delighted to welcome Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx) as one of the generous principal sponsors.






Two Essential Questions for Timothy

DDS: What do you love most about being a designer?
TC: Interior design is a very fleeting, transitory thing so it’s important not to take yourself too seriously. On the other hand the architectural part of our job is much more likely to have a longer impact.

I try to create an environment where people feel really at home and welcomed. Comfort is the key ingredient. Comfort is more than just being soft and cozy though—comfort is also a mental thing—do you feel comfortable enough to be able to put your feet up on something? Can you put down a glass on a table without worrying about leaving a mark? Can you let the kids play in the room without being afraid that they are going to ruin something? That is essential.



DDS: What advice would you give to young designers, beginning designers?

TC: Design is all about trust between you and your clients and you and your suppliers. You must establish that sense of mutual trust and continue to reinforce it all along the way. Designers must listen to the client. It’s not about you or your ego.

It is important to study the history of architecture and design. Even the most contemporary design has its roots in the past. Designers must always continue to learn and grow in your knowledge. Designers should try new things and venture out of their safety zone sometimes. This is a business so designers should handle a client’s money as prudently as if it were your own!






Timothy Corrigan Company Biography

With a strong foundation in classical design, Timothy Corrigan believes it is not necessary to sacrifice a beautiful setting to be comfortable and practical. A successful project is one in which every room is used.

Timothy’s work has been described as a balance of European elegance infused with California comfort.

In order to achieve these objectives, he carefully mixes the best examples of furniture, art and design from different periods in order to create a space that is interesting, warm and alive.

Globally recognized for a signature style of casual elegance, Timothy Corrigan has designed projects for some of Hollywood’s top celebrities, European and Middle Eastern royalty, and corporate leaders.

With offices in LA and Paris, the firm has completed such diverse projects as a 65,000 square foot new build in the French style in Los Angeles, a 40,000 square foot new build in the Mediterranean style in Doha, the complete renovation of a 7,500 square foot Georgian Townhouse in London, a 6,800 square foot contemporary-style new build penthouse in Chicago, and the total renovations of a full floor apartment in a 1912 landmark building on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Recent projects have ranged from a 2,000 square foot mid-century residence, a 9,000 square foot eco-friendly Villa, to a 45,000+ square foot château in France, and he is currently working on what will be one of the world’s largest private yachts.

Timothy notes that he always strives to achieve an overall ambience that has the look and feel of something that has evolved over years, and will withstand the test of time.








CREDITS:

For more information on Timothy Corrigan and his products: http://www.timothy-corrigan.com/tchome.html

His new book is published by Rizzoli USA: www.rizzoliusa.com

Follow him on Instagram: @timothycorrigan

All photography courtesy Timothy Corrigan and RizzoliUSA.