@loudoillon
HOUSE OF LOU
Every home tells a story, this is Lou Doillon’s
Our tale takes place in the French countryside, just outside of Paris, in a stone farmhouse that is home to model, singer, actress and artist, Lou Doillon.
It’s clear from the first step inside that Lou is a collector; a collector of words, of stories, of feelings. Her home is a reflection of the fragile beauty she captures in her music.
A natural storyteller – she is the daughter of the iconic Jane Birkin and French director, Jacques Doillon after all – Lou’s history is woven through every inch of her space, in artwork, treasured vinyls, bottles of scent and everywhere, books.
Lou has often spoken of being drawn to “crooked beauty” and fragility, and that can be seen in how she’s built her home. The spirit of her literary heroes imbues the space; the honesty of Bukowski can be seen in the crumbling paintwork; the pastoral romanticism of Hardy in the pictures of loved ones, and throughout, there is Joan Didion’s eye for collage-like detail, candid and artful. Like the journals Lou has religiously kept for years, her home is an anthology of a life lived in full colour.
Yet where it could feel cluttered and claustrophobic, Lou’s house is a study in effortless charm, as the French do so well…
READ THE ROOM
The Living Room
A life-long bibliophile, Lou’s living room is an ode to the written word. Along with her mighty collection of books and journals, our wallpaper in GAIA adorns the walls, creating a cosy, cocooning feeling with its ‘Midnight’ blue palette and wild, unfurling blooms. The gothic print is accented with rich, green panelling and original oak beams. This deep, brooding room is the perfect place to curl up with a tome, or relax after a long day of writing and listen to a record.
GET THE LOOK
BILLET DOUX
The Bedroom
Lou’s bedroom is a treasure-trove of collected memories. Dark wall panelling and a picture rail run the entire space of the room, filled with fragments of Lou’s life; photographs of her sons, concert posters, illustrations and of course, more books.
As a savant of heartfelt songs of love and longing, it’s quite apt that Lou chose AMATORIA as her bedroom wallpaper; inspired by 1950s’ Valentine’s cards, the print depicts flower folk exchanging love letters. The bright florals stand out against the backdrop of deepest black, pairing perfectly with the dark wood of the panelling, creating a space that is subtly dramatic and enveloping.
The highlight of this room though, is the black claw-foot bathtub at the end of the bed, lending the space an air of quiet luxury.
JEWEL BOX
The Bathroom
A jewel-box of a room, the bathroom is a vision in red (and blue). Timeless with a rock ‘n’ roll edge, our Jacobean Indienne floral, MAJORELLE in ‘Henna’, climbs the walls. Rather than playing it safe, Lou has picked out the sky blue in the print and painted the woodwork, creating off-beat colour cohesion. The black picture ledge acts as the red thread connecting this room to the others, and little touches like black electrical sockets and the addition of vintage fabrics draw a balance between curated and care-free. The room evokes a rustic nonchalance; an unkempt kind of cool that sums Lou up perfectly.
DREAM A LITTLE DREAM
The Kid’s Room
Lou’s son’s room could have been plucked straight out of a story-book. Mixing old-school charm and a modern sense of irreverence, the walls are papered in our STRATUS cloud print in ‘Sky’ blue. The signature panelling has been painted a soft white and a checkerboard pattern in the shades of the wallpaper cloaks the floor, creating a sense of harmony. The room is embellished with all the things a little one could need to dream up adventures and stories, from a writing desk and vintage posters to antique costumes and, of course, stacks of beloved books.
GET THE LOOK
Want more Lou? Discover her…
Want more Lou? Discover her…
On Social: @loudoillon
On Web: www.loudoillon.fr
On Vinyl: ‘Look at me Now’ available at www.fnac.com
