I have restored, remodelled and decorated houses in England, Kenya and France, drawing inspiration from the styles and crafts of each.
I'm mainly based in the Gard, Occitanie. My husband is an international consultant on the connection between peace and the environment, and we have two grown-up daughters.
My company's name, Heliotrope, reflects my love of light, an essential factor in the creation of a home.
My approach is to work with the clients’ wishes and personal context, for instance through the incorporation of favourite pieces, and also deferring to both architecture, location and surroundings. This also contributes to something close to my heart: endeavouring to preserve the environment by considering what our past, both personal and collective, has to offer in terms of a potential treasure trove of creative possibilities.
My father is an artist and a craftsman, and he partially rebuilt and completely restored the houses where I grew up in rural
Burgundy. As a teenager, I was passionate about sewing, weaving, crochet and embroidery. Many relatives on my British side (my father's side) are artists, architects and craftspeople. My mother restored antiques and instilled in me a love of art and architecture. My French grandfather and
great-grandfather were cabinet-makers, while my great-grandmother, also from Burgundy, had a highly-regarded shop in a small village selling upholstery fabric, trimmings, and accessories, to which customers from far and wide would come for their home furnishings.
I'm mainly based in the Gard, Occitanie. My husband is an international consultant on the connection between peace and the environment, and we have two grown-up daughters.
My company's name, Heliotrope, reflects my love of light, an essential factor in the creation of a home.
My approach is to work with the clients’ wishes and personal context, for instance through the incorporation of favourite pieces, and also deferring to both architecture, location and surroundings. This also contributes to something close to my heart: endeavouring to preserve the environment by considering what our past, both personal and collective, has to offer in terms of a potential treasure trove of creative possibilities.
I am experienced in working with
artisans, creating furniture, cabinetry and accessories, and have a strong network of local craftspeople (such as such as potters, glass blowers...) as well as tradespeople.I also have a network of retailers in France and Britain, and contact with artisans in Kenya, Morocco and India.
I currently offer design consultancy,
styling for selling or letting, and staging for house sales.
As part of this, my company also offers a professional photography service.
As part of this, my company also offers a professional photography service.
Mary Winstanley Channer
+33 6 30 28 07 82
marywinchan@gmail.com
