Collector in Residence

In France's Oise department, David Jimenez fills a centuries-old manor house apartment with antiques and art gathered across the countryside.

- By Diane Dorrans Saeks

From the start, I was swept away by this romantic apartment in the country," recalls interior designer David Jimenez. "When I first walked up the driveway toward the manor house, with its towers and classical harmony of design, I fell in love with France all over again."

After moving to Paris six years ago, the New York City native began looking for a stylish country house for weekend getaways. The criteria: a generations-old residence with handsome architecture that was no more than an hour from the city. Lovely private grounds with fields and forests for long walks accompanied by birdsong were also a must. He searched for two years and triumphed when he found his dream retreat-an expansive eight-room private apartment in a centuries-old manor house on the grounds of a dramatic 16th-century château. This glamorous bolt-hole is located near the charming village of Saintines, an hour north of Paris by train and 30 minutes from Chantilly. The house is surrounded by ancient oaks, fragrant pines, and open fields. Sparrows and larks greet the dawn.