RENOVATE : RESTORE : REDECORATE

Since 2014 my art has been placed on hold while I renovate, restore and redecorate a beautiful 6 bedroom maison de maître in south-west France, last decorated in the 1960s.

We relocated here from Scotland, with the ambition of setting up a Creative Residency. We spoke limited French, were self-employed, had no money and a fair amount of debt, and no property to sell in Scotland, in fact, I was a first time buyer! Somehow, someway, with the encouragement and support of loads of friends and family on the way, we are here!

How on earth did we manage it? Read some of our story from 2017 published in French Property news here, and listen to an interview with my husband, Colin, on Spotify from 2024 here.

We welcomed our first Residents to Studio Faire in 2018 and the venture has been a great success, with talented makers visiting us from all over the world. We are over the moon with how much they love this place and how it seems to truly support the generation of new ideas. They often describing it as ‘magical‘!

I love this building and, with an ongoing obsession with all things ‘home’, limited decorating experience and disposable income, I have tried to do as much of the work myself.

I consider this home my latest sculpture.

It’s still an ongoing process, of course, but I feel most rooms are at the point where they are ready for more softness and texture to be added, through the addition of artworks and soft furnishings.

I’ll update this page as I go, but in the meantime, I thought you might enjoy a few photos of ‘work in progress’…

Wallpaper stripping, glue scrubbing, plastering patches and filling cracks, sanding, priming and painting: Julia Douglas

Wallpaper stripping, some ceiling painting, paint buying and much patience and emotional support: Colin Usher (my husband and business partner)

All plumbing and electrics: The Professionals (you’ll be relieved to here!)