TOILE DE JOUY - Jenny Blanc · Bespoke square linen pillow cases in two shades of tactile linen add the designer look and link the blue touches. DECORATING ELEMENTS A beautifully

THE ENGLISH HOME 69

When approaching this newseries on the topic of classicfabrics, it seemed only right to

start with one of my most favourite andenduring decorating styles, a style whichhas been loved by many for centuries.Toile de Jouy has always appealed to

me, and my love of all things French. Manyof the original designs, and indeed someof the most recently produced, provide aunique pictorial view on French history andrural life exquisitely printed onto cloth.However you use it, Toile de Jouy brings awonderful touch of femininity to interiors.The fabric was given the name Jouy

from the French town where the fabric wasfirst printed in the 1700s to compete withthe rare and expensive printed cottonsbeing imported from India. The mostcommonly known Toile de Jouy has alwaysbeen printed using a one colour print for arepeat design on a white or cream groundcloth. The most familiar print colours arered, blue, black and grey.Over the centuries there has always been ademand for the look toile creates withToile de Jouy wallpaper being introducedto give yet more design possibilities.Historically, interior decorators have usedboth wallpaper and fabric in one room

which produces an ornate, highlydecorative look. Today, by using less of thepattern in a scheme and blending it withsophisticated plains, Toile de Jouy canoffer more versatility and breadth ofappeal. Looking to their archives as thestarting point for the design, many fabriccompanies are recolouring favourite toilesfor new ideas that bring the style right upto date. They are also producing designsin reverse so that the background colour isthe stronger colour in the print. This gives

so many new options to explore from adesign point of view.Toile de Jouy, whether in the classic

traditional style or as a new interpretation,always looks good combined with acomplementary checked or striped liningfabric, helping to break up the print as arest for the eye. Toiles also suit beingtrimmed with a matching plain fabric or adecorative tassel, braid or bobble trim.With each part of this new series, I’ll be

introducing you to a room scheme thatcelebrates a classic decorating style suchas toile, yet shows you how to integrate itwell within a home that will be elegantlynow. Overleaf, I have chosen to use toilefor a bedroom scheme as it has long beenassociated with this room where aromantic look is often required. I haveused a beautiful new design on a highquality cotton from a collection by ManuelCanovas as the starting point. Thiscollection comes in a wonderful array ofvibrant hues including a burnt orange forstrikingly contemporary looks, but I havechosen this lovely colour combination ofchocolate and blue and used it in a morerestrained way to emphasise its beautyand create a sophisticated, modern yet stilltimeless setting.On the moodboard (which has been drawnto illustrate all of the furniture authenticallyto scale) you will find plain and texturedfabrics to temper the pattern as well aspaint and flooring. I have included somebeautiful accessories, from drawer handlesto blind pulls, which illustrate theimportance I place on attention to detail.And on the final page, you will find a fewof my suggestions for finishing touches tocomplement and complete the scheme. �

In the first of her new series, interior designer Jenny Blanc takes a fresh lookat classical fabric favourite, Toile de Jouy, and creates a sophisticatedscheme that reflects its best qualities yet feels in tune with today’s home

“Toile de Jouy brings awonderful touch of

femininity to interiors”

TOILE DE JOUYUPDATED CLASSICS: PART I

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UNDERSTANDING THE SCHEME

Employ the right finishes in the correctproportions for a successful result

TTHHEE WWIINNDDOOWW TTRREEAATTMMEENNTT It is important to use a Toile de Jouy fabric so thatyou can view the beautiful print well and there is nobetter way than when used for curtains or a blind. Bycombining full-length Toile de Jouy curtains with acontrasting Roman blind, these windows are dressedwith an interesting layering of fabrics. Fully interlinedcurtains provide warmth and darkness at night, whilethe blind can be used to shade the sun by day. Thissmocked curtain heading adds a feminine touch andthe curtains are hung from an imposing pole withbeautifully modern classic finials finished in nickel andtwine. I’ve suggested adding a blind pull for adecorative finish.

FFOOCCUUSSIINNGG OONN FFUURRNNIITTUURREE A bench stool placed at the end of the bed andcovered in the Toile de Jouy adds an imposingelement and provides a link with the curtains. Thisparticular style is buttoned, although it could besimply upholstered using either a decorative braid orpiped-edge finish. I recommend varying the types ofmaterials you use within a scheme, so here the stoolhas cherry legs, the bedside cupboards have asophisticated paint finish and are finished with hand-blown glass knobs, and the Louis-style chair, which iscovered in a contemporary cut velvet, has a chalk-on-wood antiqued paint finish.

DDRREESSSSIINNGG TTHHEE BBEEDD The bed should be the most important statement.This bed head provides an eye catching design aswell as giving comfort. Work at layering the bed withdifferent fabrics. Here, a box pleated valance neatlyconceals the bed base. A quilted throw covers thebed yet allows the valance to show, and a bespokethrow neatly folded at the end of the bed adds adecorative, warm feature. Bespoke square linenpillow cases in two shades of tactile linen add thedesigner look and link the blue touches.

DDEECCOORRAATTIINNGG EELLEEMMEENNTTSS A beautifully warm paint shade sets off the Toile deJouy, and is the perfect foil for the mirrors and china-inspired prints. The carpet, a wonderfully thick cutpile in a high quality wool and a rich chocolatelybrown shade, adds a luxurious enveloping feel everytime you step into the room.

AACCCCEESSSSOORRIISSIINNGG Pairing elements can work well in most schemes, butparticularly in a bedroom where you want to create asense of calm and sophistication. The glass tablelamps with off-white shades are elegant yet light andreflect beautifully in the mirrors.

MOODBOARDDETAILSSuccessful room schemesdemand careful layering oftextures, patterns andfinishes in coordinatedhues. The fabric, paint andflooring swatchesphotographed are all asfeatured in the illustration.

SWATCHES FROMBOTTOM LEFT:• Tortuga 04707/04 Bleu,from £60.50 a metre,Manuel Canovas, used for curtains and bench stool upholstery.• Quilted white cotton sateen bedspread, from£250, to order from JennyBlanc Interiors. • Shetland 4677/05 inMarron/Masti, £97.50 ametre, Manuel Canovas,used for decorative throw. • Rambling Up, inHydrangea, £59.50 ametre, Robert Allen, usedfor decorative cushions. • Mosaic AmethystZMSC04008, £80.75 ametre, Zoffany, used forchair upholstery.• Maya 4525/15 Azure,£75.75 a metre, ManuelCanovas, used for the headboard.• Tiber, in chocolatecolourway, F1736/16/c, £20 a metre, DesignersGuild, used to edge bedthrow and back decorativebed cushions.• Mousse Linen in blue (C8)and white (01), £155 ametre, Mastro Raphael,used for bed pillowcases.• Cotton Club II Pervenche20 (blue), £37.95 a metre,Manuel Canovas, used forbed valance.• Striped Paco 18 10064990, £75.50, Zimmer +Rohde, for roman blind.

TOP RIGHT: • Flat Emulsion in Mushroom,£48 for 5 litres, Zoffany.• Carpet Demand More inRetro, £87.75 a squaremetre, Stark Carpet. • Wood finish for Boulardchair (see pg 72), in Chalk-on-wood 15, Massant.• Handmade silk blind pull,£24,to order from Jason D’Souza.• Silver leaf Murano glasscupboard knob, £25 each,Jenny Blanc Interiors • Taisho T570 beaded trim,£39 a metre, Osborne & Little (The small painted squareindicates bedside tablecolouration)

ILLUSTRATED DETAILS:• Bespoke headboard(POA) and mirrors from aselection at Jenny Blanc Interiors.

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72 THE ENGLISH HOME FOR WHERE TO BUY SEE PAGE 137

ABOUT THE DESIGNERJenny runs a successful interior design business which has received fouraccolades from the International Property Awards including ‘BestInternational Interior Design’ in 2007. Jenny’s philosophy is to designhomes that her clients will love to live in, underpinned by excellentproject managing.Jenny Blanc Interiors, 59 High Street, Teddington, West London TW11 8HA.Tel 020 8943 4440. www.jennyblancinteriors.com

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Table lamp TL96 small glass urn with squarebase, £372.95 each; 12” white empire shade, £117.50 each, Bella Figura• Bedside table MID 033 in Khaki, (63 x 54 x 35cm), £429 each, ChelseaTextiles (see square colour swatch on previous page) • Henrietta bench(116 x 52 x 43cm), from £389, Feather & Black • Curtain pole, 50mmdiameter, plain gunmetal, £114.50 a metre with F79 Twine finials ingunmetal/nickel, £126 each, all Fabricant • Boulard chair L15 TFA9£2,660 plus 1.9 metres of fabric, Massant • One of a set of fourFourmaintraux vase limited edition prints on handmade paper in silverleaf eglomise frame (53 x 64cm), £270.75 each, Trowbridge. �

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