Meet the Artist: How Nathalie Lete's Country Home Influenced Our Newest Collection
Photo by Marianna Troiani
One of the things that we love most about what we do is getting the opportunity to collaborate with people who we've long admired. We've been fans of Nathalie's work for years and years, and we personally own and love many products featuring her beautiful art. So, when the chance to do a wallpaper collection with her arose, we jumped at it. Between when we first started working with her and now, the pandemic sent her from Paris to her country home in Suzanne, France where she started hand painting the designs on her walls that would inspire much of this collection, especially our first foray into wallpaper borders.
Pictured: Butterflies (Parchment) wallpaper | Diamonds (Parchment) border
This collection allows you to mix patterns and colors freely, which is something we've long been passionate about. That freedom captures the spirit of Nathalie's country home with it's eclectic mix of colors and motifs. All of the elements work equally well on their own, of course, but we especially love the way the borders look when paired with a wallpaper.
We talked to Nathalie about her aesthetic, what influences her work and how she approaches decorating her own home. Her answers inspired us to think about our own spaces differently, and we're sure they will do the same for you.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
"I like things that have a soul and which give me emotions. I like mostly things made by hand with their imperfections. I like folk art and art and craft from all countries. i am not focused on one style; my aesthetic is the mix of colors, of patterns, of folk art from different countries. I think it is because of my two different origins, so I like Asian art and craft as much as Eastern European. I like to be surrounded by objects I like and try to replace or embellish any object that I find not in my taste."
Your artistic style is unmistakable. How did your style develop? What are you influenced by?
"This is difficult to answer as your style is you only you. I never tried to do a style. I’m just trying to be myself and to work as I want to work. Each day is different. Some days I want only to observe and try to paint what I see as close as possible to reality. Other days I want to be more free and work more like an outsider artist. I find a lot of pleasure with both and finally the mix of the different ways of painting became my style I think."
Pictured: Lune (Ebony) border
"In my home, there must be compositions everywhere, in every corner, and when I feel one detail is not nice, I change it or customize it. And finally, those bad corners become precious ones!"
We’re very inspired by how your fill your home with so much joy. The colors, patterns and artwork you choose and create have a very carefree, happy feeling. What advice would you give someone wanting to achieve a similar look and feel in their home?
"Freedom is important, but it is not always easy to feel free to decorate your home as you want when you share a house with other people. I decided to begin with one little room which I considered as mine. I began to paint it totally free with no restriction which means I painted only with joy. When you do it with all your heart, I think the other people will feel all the love you put in to what you did and will enjoy it too. In my case I was able to continue outside my room and now my husband urges me to continue. I know that not everybody can paint which is why I wanted to create wallpapers and borders - to have the possibility to create something similar to my house for anyone who would like to do it."
Pictured: Butterflies (Malachite) wallpaper
Pictured: Je T'aime Paris (Ebony) wallpaper
Pictured: Fleurs (Mist) wallpaper
We're so excited to launch your new wallpaper collection with us. Why do you think your art works so well in this application?
"I’m very excited too! I’m very happy with the beautiful quality of the wallpapers which remind me of the vintage wallpapers I have collected. They are all printed color by color which I prefer rather than digital. I did my best so that my art is working well for an application. I ask myself what would I like to see on this wallpaper and go from there."
Pictured Butterflies (Mist) wallpaper | Diamonds (Deep Gray) border
How do you envision these wallpaper and borders being used?
"I would mix a wallpaper and a border. This is what excites me personally, but I can imagine that someone with a more classic home would use only the wallpaper or paint a wall and just play with a border on the bottom or top. Or I'd apply the borders on the sides of windows and doors just as I painted them in my house. You can also use the wallpapers to custom the inside of a cabinet or cupboard."
Hygge is a Danish concept of finding coziness in life's small comforts and simple pleasures. What is hygge to you?
"I appreciate simple pleasures too and find happiness in little things - nice pillows on a bed or sofa, embellished little corners of the home that bring joy with flowers, colors, mixed and matched textiles, taking a small break to have a tea and eat a Sunday cake, walking in the forest on the weekends, reading a book near the fireplace, and painting my house - this all makes me happy."
