Family
Between Geneva and Annecy, a Former Post Office Renovated and Made Into a Family Home Featuring Eclectic and Ever-Changing Decor Is Sensitive to the Beauty of the Old
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Claudine Perrot and Matthieu Gautreau, Nina 7 and César 3 years old
We seek it out for both its soothing and fulfilling qualities. This need for balance in our daily lives that sometimes pushes us to leave, to leave everything behind. A contemporary quest that is played out on the stage of our family life: our interior and its design. The pieces in The Socialite Family collection offer you a bold and timeless embodiment of that spirit, and Claudine Perrot, one of our early readers, and her husband, Matthieu, are reflections of that. Dividing her time between Geneva and Annecy, this interior designer gives us a lesson in style in this former post office where “styles and periods are blended ‘by feel’, and everything is cheerfully eclectic”. Having lived in Paris, they felt the need to migrate to this exceptional setting between the water and the mountains. So the couple settled in Haute-Savoie, a region well known to spa-goers, where they found this “new family home, out of the ordinary, bright and with the look of a town house”. They frequently move their furniture and other items around and the decor is composed of fortunate finds, or “opportunities”. Designer items, including our Gioia iroko lamp, which has found a happy home, when it is not about memories patiently gleaned during visits to flea markets. Happy encounters in which this lover of 1950s Brutalist design sees a message full of emotion. It’s a bit “like people entrusting us with their belongings’ next life”, she says. Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, César and Nina’s parents passionately cultivate their mutual love for contrasting and clever pieces. By making them reflect the spaces that welcome them, like the bookcase that separates the living room from the kitchen, and which reminds us – with its hatch – of the use of the counter “window” positioned in this location. And when you add to this the breathtaking view of Mont Blanc, these Savoyards by adoption really have “struck the balance that they have always strived to achieve”.
Location
GENEVA
Author
Juliette Bruneau
Photos and videos
Jeanne Perrotte
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TSF
Claudine, Matthieu: could you introduce yourselves, please?
Claudine
I’m Claudine, I’m 38, and my children are Nina, who is seven and César, who is three. I’m an interior designer. After working in the housing, hospitality and service sectors, I’m now in charge of the design department of a high-end mountain property company.
Matthieu
Matthieu, father of Nina and César, 41 years old, and I spent fifteen years in a recruitment agency. I arrived in Geneva in 2016, and since then, I’ve been fascinated by Switzerland and its industries, especially watchmaking, and its diverse cultures.
TSF
Tell us about your education. Where did you grow up – and how did that influence the way your tastes developed?
Claudine
I grew up in a rather traditional way. I spent my holidays in large family houses in Burgundy and the Bourbon region as a child. So I’m very conscious of the beauty of old objects: furniture, knick-knacks, crockery, paintings, and so on. This is probably where my love for objects that have a history, whatever the period or style, originates. In general, I’ve always paid attention to environments and atmospheres and the impact they have on our feelings. My tastes are diverse and endlessly developing. I’m as enamoured of the clean brutalism of the 1950s as I am of the exuberance of the Italian Baroque.
Matthieu
I was born in Paris in the fresh and lively 1980s and grew up in Provence in a family environment that mixed tradition and fantasy. As a child, my awareness of beauty blossomed in our family homes in the Perche and Royan regions of France and through visiting heritage sites and places like the Louvre and the Jardin d’Acclimatation. I think I have, above all, developed an appreciation for others and, at the same time, a certain contemplative spirit. I have a passion for wild landscapes and their vastness.
TSF
• Why did you decide to leave Paris for the Haute-Savoie?
Claudine
A professional opportunity in Geneva for Matthieu came up at the right time, just as we were thinking of offering our newborn daughter a life away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. At first, the contrast was striking, but life is very pleasant here, between the lakes (Annecy and Lake Geneva) and the mountains. We’ve satisfied our desire for space.
Matthieu
I miss Paris and the fast-paced life to a degree. Here, we live at a different pace, dividing our time between work in the city and the great outdoors at the weekend. In the mountains and out on the water, the elements put us in our place and encourage us to reflect on our human condition. It strikes the balance that I’ve always strived to achieve.
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I’m very conscious of the beauty of old objects that have a history, whatever the period or style, originates.
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TSF
You chose to renovate a former post office to accommodate your family. Tell us how this project came about.
Matthieu
We lived for a year in a very large house with small windows and surrounded by a large plot of land. We wanted to own a new home, preferably one that was out of the ordinary, bright and had the look of a town house. Our property was the first one we viewed, and for me, it was an instantaneous love affair! The generous, immaculate, loft-like space on the ground floor seemed to me to be the ideal setting for our daily lives. And then there’s the history of this place, a post office built in 1912, and its many previous lives. We’ve kept the “public building” spaces and, in place of the old counter, the kitchen has been designed as a piece of furniture, with a “window” that can be opened and closed like a counter. We haven’t altered the original floor plan on the first floor as the bedrooms and bathroom fit perfectly into the former postman’s apartment, although we plan to change the house further to make it more functional. And then, as a huge bonus, there’s the view of Mont Blanc that anchors us in this beautiful region and the incredible sunrises with colours that flood the house.
TSF
You are clearly passionate about design and decoration: how did you plan the decoration of your different living spaces?
Claudine
Our decoration is constantly changing. The furniture moves around depending on the mood and the parties we hold. The configuration of our open-plan living room makes the process easier! We opted for a large sofa, which can be adjusted as required, either for everyday use with the sections all together or for use as separate seats during evenings with our friends. It’s not uncommon for an armchair, once in the living room, to end up in a bedroom or for a painting hanging on the wall in the corridor to end up sitting on a piece of furniture a few weeks later. We take great pleasure in blending styles and periods “by feel”. It’s all cheerfully eclectic. In my opinion, style is generated by contrast and boldness. Harmony can be created in many more ways than through uniformity. That’s why here, bare wood and marble rub shoulders with Plexiglas and chrome, as well as animal and wax prints.
TSF
You’re always on the lookout for treasures. What are your favourite finds and – because they are intrinsically linked – some of the stories attached to particular objects?
Claudine
The whole house is furnished with lucky finds. Le Bon Coin, Selency and car boot sales are my favourite hunting grounds. I think 90% of our furniture and decorative objects have been found that way. Some of our pieces are the result of extensive searching, but most were found by chance. An object attracts me primarily because of its material, its lines and its appearance. It’s thrilling when you find something! We love each piece, but we know that the next favourite may replace an old one due to lack of space. What fascinates us, beyond the pleasure of the quest, is knowing the history of each item that enters our home. It’s often linked to family memories and has spanned several generations. Our latest acquisition, a beautiful Italian ceramic greyhound made in the 1960s, came from a couple whose wife dreamed of owning it. She saw it displayed in a shop window she passed every day on her way to work. One day she was made redundant, and she bought it for herself with her severance pay! Ultimately, it’s a bit like people entrusting us with their belongings’ next life.
Matthieu
I’ve always enjoyed wandering around flea markets, but with Claudine, I find I notice more. With a bit of luck, I may even identify a treasure before she does! I enjoy the lively discussions about an object, and learning about its history is a way of enhancing its passing things on.
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Our property was an instantaneous love affair! For the history of this place, a post office built in 1912, and its many previous lives.
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TSF
You have known The Socialite Family since its inception. What does our brand mean to you?
Claudine
Life! Highlighting diverse families in their homes demonstrates that having good taste and style doesn’t mean being stuck in a fashion trend and living in a showroom. And for me, The Socialite Family is also about a range of furniture and objects with desirable designs and strong personalities.
TSF
What are your favourites from our collection?
Claudine
The gorgeous Gioia in all its variations, the soft cotton gauze and all the cushions that invite you to relax and let go at the end of the day.
TSF
On 10 December we opened La Stazione, a boutique-chalet in Megève! What other places would you recommend visiting in the area?
Claudine
Our neighbourhood is extensive here, so I’m thinking of the lovely Biutiful Shop in Annecy (I buy my candles there, and they have a great selection of books), the rooftop of the Hôtel Métropole in Geneva for a cocktail overlooking the Jardin Anglais, Lake Geneva and the Jet d’Eau. In the resort, the festive restaurant La Bokka in Les Gets has a very elaborate trattoria atmosphere, and the kitchen staff are 100% Italian! And for a spot of culture for the family at the weekend, the MAMCO and the Museum of Natural History in Geneva.
TSF
Christmas is coming. What significance do the end-of-year celebrations have for you?
Claudine
Christmas is always a very intense period. We try to see as many people as possible in a minimum amount of time between the Lyon region and Provence. But no matter where we are, celebrating with the family is essential, and the ingredients are preferably traditional: a beautiful tree, an open fire, candles, delicious little dishes and champagne.
Matthieu
For me, Christmas is both a time of reflection and a time of celebration! The challenge is to take advantage of both aspects and avoid drowning in the frenzy of this family marathon.
TSF
Where will we see you next?
Claudine
In the Alps. I’m working with Alpine Collection on a number of projects involving residences, hotels, spas and restaurants. And to relax, I’ll be in our living room with our friends and family on the shores of Lake Annecy and Lake Geneva with a thermos flask of tea, watching the sunset.
Matthieu
On the road in Switzerland for work during the week, and with my family at the weekend exploring this beautiful country. And here in our house, enjoying a good meal with friends and planning interior and exterior improvements to make our home feel even better!
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The whole house is furnished with lucky finds. Le Bon Coin, Selency and car boot sales are my favourite hunting grounds. I think 90% of our furniture and decorative objects have been found that way.
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