High up in the lush Cévennes mountains of the Gard in the South of France, British-born couple Lou and Dan Sayers have painstakingly restored a 17th-century farmhouse that is full of unexpected surprises. Antiques collected from across the world – from Kenya to India – share space, unified by a natural colour palette and an elegant feel
From Kenya to France: A Journey Towards Slow Living
Lou had a desire to see the world from a young age and, after training as a teacher, was posted to a Kenyan primary school where she fell for the ‘big skies, vast savannah, freedom and the wild landscapes.’ After leaving Africa in 2003, she and Dan moved back to England but felt a pull to return to a wilder way of life.
‘We visited family in the south of France and fell in love with the Cévennes, its rich history and also its remarkable scenery,’ says Lou. They made the move with their two young daughters, Kitty and Maud, in 2007. Lou now works as a photographer and writer with a popular blog, Fig Tart, where she documents their French life. She has also begun a year-long photography project exploring the 72 Japanese micro seasons in her garden.
Antique Furniture and Brocante Finds in the Cévennes
Lou has furnished the house using distinctive antiques that she’s collected on her adventures in Africa, Asia and Europe. ‘My passion for antiques comes from a fascination with other cultures and a desire to surround myself with memories of my travels. Our house is filled with objects that evoke special places for us,’ she says. Lou particularly adores India and Morocco and is inspired by the textures and colours of interiors there.
‘I was delighted to find a couple of great dealers nearby in France who import pieces: Azimuth in Rousson, and Athezza in Uzès. I find I’m particularly drawn to carved wood – we have collected a lovely mixture of sideboards, old doors and coffee tables over the years. I do also love woven items, such as wicker lampshades and baskets,’ she enthuses.
There are also plenty of French antiques in the farmhouse, and most weeks Lou can be found at the many local vide-gréniers and brocantes held in the surrounding villages. ‘My passion for photographing flowers in our garden means that I’m always attracted to floral objects. I start to find similar things, and have various mini collections as a result. I particularly enjoy the old French lacquered floral trays, which I tend to keep propped on the kitchen worktop – firstly as a display, but also ready to transport a slice of fig tart and cup of tea to our garden,’ she says.
French Farmhouse Interiors Inspired by Nature
Lou’s artistic creativity is evident throughout their home, from the ocean-blue, hand-painted headboard in the master bedroom which she made using different tester pots, to the framed floral photographs she has taken. She is also an avid gardener who works hard to create a space that appeals to all the senses year round; the air is heady with scents of wild thyme and roses.
As a nature-lover, Lou’s surroundings have always influenced her interior choices. ‘Seeing the skies over the valley turn daily from vivid blue to pink and plum as the sun falls, and the mountainside move from lush greens to dusty browns through the seasons, led me to these colours. The scenery here is so different from the African plains, but the palette isn’t very dissimilar. I’ve been bold because I wanted our home to be closely connected to the places that I love.’
The jewel-like walls of their home have gradually evolved. Lou painted everything white at first but found that, when teamed with her antiques collections, the house felt more like a gallery than a home. The kitchen, which was extended to bring in light and give Lou more room to entertain and cook, is now a rich shade of fig.
the headboard in the master bedroom, so created an ombré effect using old tester pots. ‘To give it a dream-like feel with lots
of texture, I used a little bit of Polyfilla,’ she says. - Brent Darby -
She used Emery & Cie’s zellige tiles as a splashback and added a micro-cemented wall, which cleverly conceals a laundry room. It was painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pelt, to match the tiles. ‘I like how my collections of ceramics, wooden antique furniture and artwork pop against the colourful walls, but leaving some rooms white has kept a sense of calm,’ she says.
Slow Living in the South of France
Life here is lived slowly; time is taken to truly appreciate the small things and, each evening, Lou and Dan retire to the deck under their rustic pergola to enjoy the sunset and that magnificent view. ‘When I left Kenya, I lost that connection to nature, and I longed to live somewhere I could see the horizon and breathe in big skies. We didn’t intend to stay so long, but now we’re rooted here,’ she says. ‘Our lives have a routine that is closely tied to our surroundings, and there’s always the thrill of what I may find in the weekly brocante!’