This Summer, Miv Watts (The Maverick Soul) and Francesca Wezel, much celebrated colour consultant and  owner of  the renowned Francesca’s Paints  in Battersea London, will be hosting interior design courses. 

Using the property as an ingenious model, our guests take the opportunity to interpret the colours, textures, form and flow of the rooms as inspiration, discussing how to find comfort and confidence in one’s own design aesthetic. For the curious there will be trips to uniquely quirky private Chateaux, Markets, Antique Brocante Markets, Armagnac Cellars and perhaps a little dallying in Toulouse. For those that wish to have personal dally time, the pool and the local rose’ offer the perfect escape. Delicious lunches and dinners will be prepared daily by our Parisian chef Philippe. 

Author of the bestselling lifestyle book The Maverick Soul, Miv began her career as a window dresser for Burberry. She met and married Peter Watts sound engineer to the Pink Floyd with whom she had two children (Ben Watts Fashion Photographer, and Naomi Watts Actress).

Having enjoyed a global career as a Stylist in film, TV and Interior Design, she moved to the South of France and continues to create beautiful environments while working on a new book with Interiors photographer Tim Beddow.

Lexis is the latest iteration of Miv’s design work, and where she currently calls home.

After 7 years as a colourist and manager of Porter’s Paints in Australia, Francesca Wezel returned to London and launched Francesca’s Paints in 1996, one of the world’s first eco-friendly paint companies in the UK. Whilst expanding, Francesca has continued to evolve her production techniques, colouring and packaging

Francesca and Miv have collaborated, over the years on many projects, From the Marquess of Cholmondeley’s Palladian home at Houghton Hall in Norfolk Uk, The Earl of Leicester’s stately home at Holkham Hall, two unique boutique hotels, and several country houses in London and the South of France. They have designed three popular colour stories together and continue to collaborate.

Francesca is also a qualified Hatha Yoga teacher relishes in sharing her Yoga practice. 

Located in the Gers, Armagnac country, South West of France, Lexis houses three buildings on the property. Nothing in the house follows a straight line as the origin of this house dates back to three hundred years and all of the furniture is antique or bespoke. There is one permanent guest on the property; Whitty the cat, who regards herself as being the proprietor of all three dwellings and has the right to every bed. You, naturally have the right to shut her out!

MAISON de GUARDIEN: a four bedroom, three bathroom, farmhouse. All the rooms are full of character, decorated by Miv.

The PIGEONNIER: a two bedroom, one bathroom house, equally as well appointed. 

The MANOIR: the main property and has 2 guest bedrooms, and is where host, Miv resides. 

Further info on rooms can be found here or by contacting us via the form below.

Design workshop with Miv Watts and Francesca Wezel, 5 Days, 4 Nights

For two days of our workshops Miv and Frankie will talk on colour, texture, form and comfort in Interior design. Often clients’ find it difficult to work with confidence over decisions on colour and, frankly, more often than not end up settling for an indiscriminate shade of beige. But we don’t live in a beige world and working through the history of our lives, our most vivid memories just don’t revolve around those beige-ish days.

Our purpose over this retreat is to help you feel braver about expressing your own unique personality in your homes. Learning to be discerning in one’s choices and yet brave and skilled enough at recognising texture and form that resonates with ones’ own intuition and translates into a comfort and security that is uniquely one’s own. After all Home is where the heart lies. We need it to listen to the beat.

Our events and excursions will be to a selection of interesting Chateaux and homes where Baroque, Medieval,and  Renaissance interiors have seduced and inspired their owners over centuries. 

Francesca will also be offering yoga classes before breakfast and before dinner, daily.

For expressions of Interest on next retreat.

Contact Miv via sms or via the form on this page.

Inclusions

5 nights accommodation, design workshop hosted by Miv Watts and Francesca Wezel, chef prepared lunches and dinner, and all other details as listed in the provided itinerary. Please contact us for pricing and a full itinerary.