Making a mark

We explore an artistically infused home in France that reflects its owner's desire for self-expression

- HILARY ROBERTSON

AS a serial homemaker Heather Chontos is adept at improvisation, her 'make-do and mend' attitude to decorating resulting in a gloriously individual space where rules don't apply. Heather found her latest abode in the tiny hamlet of La Tour-Blanche-Cercles, Nouvelle Aquitaine, France. This home, a couple of ancient rustic stone buildings, is where Heather, a mother of two daughters, has been able to combine family life and her work as an artist.

1 ARTIST'S MARKS

Due to the pandemic, when Heather moved here she wasn't able to shop for furniture. However, she made friends with the owners of Ali Baba, the local vide-grenier, full of things gleaned from house clearances.

No wall or surface escapes Heather's embellishment. A particularly striking piece is this monochrome armoire, upcycled and transformed by Heather's creative hand, painted a pale grey and applied with Cy Twombly-style scribbles.