Entente Cordiale

Meticulous planning and a deft decorative touch ensure that classic French furnishings sit comfortably in this compact cottage in the heart of Norfolk.

- Celia Rufey

Nicole Fabre was already living in a Norfolk village when she set out in 2012 to find a house that would be a better fit. This was a matter of location: it had to be quiet and close to nature. The cottage she found matches that brief exactly. Driving down a track that lies on the edge of a landed estate, Nicole describes her first viewing of the property as a magical moment. “I had to have it,” she recalls. “The track runs through woodland, an acre of land with two ponds, and I can play very loud classical music without disturbing anyone.”

Nicole came to England from France 50 years ago and established a reputation as a specialist in French textiles and antiques, with a shop on London’s King’s Road. When she began to print and weave her own fabrics, based on her exceptional archive, the collection was quickly taken up by the design world, making it possible for her to close the shop and leave London.

CALIBRATING COLOUR