Timothy Corrigan Collection
Mélange maison
Referred to as the Versailles of the French countryside, Château de la Chevallerie was born out of a grand estate originally constructed in 1640. Renovated and reimagined in both the 18th and 19th centuries, the property was home to advisers of King Louis XV and Louis XVI over its prestigious history. Its 90 acres of grounds boast gardens conceived by the landscape architect of both the Tuileries Gardens and Parc des Buttes Chaumont in Paris, Édouard André, as well as a picturesque canal, scenic follies, and outdoor sculptures. Now the home of designer Timothy Corrigan, the château has been returned to its magnificent past with rooms adorned with original marble fireplaces, antique furniture, hand painted wallcoverings, and treillage. A sweeping three story stair is decorated with hundreds of portraits from the designer’s extensive personal collection and an ornate wrought-iron banister sporting the château’s coat of arms. It’s a true labor of love for the designer, who earned recognition from the French Heritage Society for its restoration.
But more than just a place of respite and celebration, the château also serves as muse, informing Corrigan’s latest collection of textiles and rugs for Perennials. “Even in the fanciest of locations, practicality plays a big role in the way that I approach interiors because no one is really comfortable in a room if are constantly worried about ruining something because they have spilled,” says Corrigan. “The château is all about comfort, and I have been able to use both fabrics and rugs from the new collection there. This way my guests are surrounded by beauty and still live fearlessly.”
Although both the château and the designer’s first Perennials collection, which launched in 2019, are filled with grand gestures, the newest array encapsulates a quiet luxury. “My first collection for Perennials had several larger-scale patterns that are terrific for statement pieces, so I decided that this new one should have more of an emphasis on use for upholstery inside the house,” he says. “We use Perennials for so many of our indoor projects that I wanted this collection to address those situations where quieter patterns and textures are required.”
Designers looking to these latest styles will find a mix of softer shades with pops of more expressive hues. “Because blue is the world’s favorite color, I made sure that we have some great light blue options,” says Corrigan. “I see yellow becoming increasingly popular, so we are introducing some terrific options that will mix well with other colors. Finally, the other color that is coming back in a big way is green, and we have developed some fun colorways in that range.”
For 2024, Corrigan updated his previous patterns Feel the Heat and Go For Baroque in these trending shades, including a sunny version he avows is “certain to make people smile.” New styles like the velvet Stripe Du Jour and Les Fleurs, a reversible chenille, render traditional motifs in sumptuous earthy tones while Leaping Leopards adds vitality with an exuberant design. All are meant to be mixed to create a lively, individual interior.
“I’m a big proponent of mixing prints—both large and small scale—with textures and stripes to achieve a rich, layered look that fully reveals itself only after you spend some time in the room,” says Corrigan. “A roomful of solid fabrics lacks imagination and becomes boring very quickly.” Without question, by implementing these latest Corrigan creations and blending in past examples, interior designers everywhere are certain to face a glorious future—just like his beloved château.