Faded Charm
Every corner of Jane Emery’s Staffordshire home is filled with her collections of French and English antiques, all of them treasured finds
Jane Emery’s home, nestled in the Staffordshire village of Rudyard, is a whimsical confection with a distinctly French charm. Although semi-retired, evidence of her career as an antiques dealer and costumier can be seen throughout the house: every room is filled with her treasured collections, brocante-found furniture, antique and vintage textiles, taxidermy birds and beasts, and just the right measure of florals. All of which is set against a simple white background with hints of faded pink, apricot, blue and green – the sun-bleached colours of Provence – giving the house a soft, lived-in look.
Having searched for a house in the village for many years, Jane and her husband Ron had a serendipitous meeting with the former owner, which led to a swift purchase. ‘When we moved in the house was in a terrible state,’ says Jane. ‘So much so that we didn’t dare turn on the light switches!’ The couple have done a lot of work over the years, always preserving or reinstating original features where possible. ‘We love the house for its character and don’t ever plan on moving.’
‘My work definitely led me to become an ardent collector of theatrical costume, horses, and pieces that generally add a touch of the bizarre’
Built in 1910, it’s a far cry from the rambling French château-style homes that Jane has always lusted after, but years of visiting France, to source for business and for pleasure, has allowed her to create the dramatic and romantically eccentric look synonymous with such places. ‘It’s not easy to pin a label on my style, but it has evolved over the years into what I can only describe as French château and Victorian Gothic meets magical theatre and Tim Burton!’ she explains. ‘I often imagine I’m in a rambling old French house or a Victorian vicarage, or stepping into a scene painted by a French impressionist. I love to channel my interests into my home and, as a creative, it has been something of a canvas.’
Jane’s distinctly French style is seen in the simple yet elegant painted kitchen cupboards, the rustic table and chairs gently faded with time and delicate dried-flower accents. Shades of pastel blue and white create a calming mood, while blue-and-white vintage and antique kitchenalia and tableware nod towards stylish French living 
A mid 19th-century painted cabinet, with ship and map details, takes pride of place in the dining room. Jane bought it as it was being unloaded at an antiques fair. The toile de Jouy curtain and French wrought-iron gates from Nicholas & Steele create a romantic look. 
A corner of the sitting room embraces all of Jane’s interior passions, with its c1850s deconstructed French fauteuil chair from Le Mans in France, animal figures, ballet shoes, and plenty of weathered and worn painted furniture. 
Jane;s home is filled with beautiful and unusual treasures, like the grand-looking painted dolls’ house, which sits just inside the dining room. Jane treasures this piece, as it was bought from a dear dealer friend, who sadly passed away, and has great sentimental value.
A collector of all sorts, from costume and toys – favourites dating from the Victorian era to the 1940s – to equine forms and taxidermy, Jane has a wonderful way of creating a comfortable yet theatrical look, something that she attributes to her work in the costume department of an equestrian stunt and film team for several years. ‘That work led me to become an ardent collector of theatrical costume, horses, and pieces that generally set a scene or add a touch of the bizarre,’ she says. Her collection of costume includes ballet shoes and dresses picked up at UK antiques fairs, and even a set of headdresses used in a French opera. ‘I love the whimsical look and feel of vintage and antique costume, and always preferred to source old fabrics rather than new for the costumes I made.’ Used decoratively, Jane’s collection of tutus, ballet slippers and dresses add a distinctly feminine touch throughout the house.
An animal lover and rescuer, and devoted vegetarian, Jane has amassed a decorative menagerie of vintage and antique taxidermy. ‘It may seem strange for someone who cares so much about animal welfare to collect preserved animals, but I feel that if they’ve given their life then they should at least be loved.’ Her collection of birds –a large swan being one of the most remarkable pieces – and small mammals, is made up of pieces that were destined for the bin due to their poor condition. ‘I’ve rescued them and spruced them up with diamanté necklaces, bejewelled tiaras, ribbons and ruffs and put them on display,’ says Jane, who also has a weakness for renovating rocking and static horses from the mid 1800s to the 1950s.
Jane’s childhood experiences and her later career as an antiques dealer have taught her to buy with her heart: ‘My mum loved making her home, and was a keen auction buyer, who always bought this way –I have fond memories of going to sales with her and cutting out pictures from her homes magazines to put in my scrapbook. Interiors have definitely always interested me.’
This approach to buying means that Jane is less concerned with where things will fit in her home. ‘Part of the buying and collecting process is being flexible about my decor and allowing it to change and evolve accordingly. I often add in or swap pieces around but, as a bit of a hoarder, I generally do more adding in!’ she says, recounting many stories about buying pieces that pulled on her heartstrings. ‘During my 1960s art school days, a friend and I bought a huge horsehair sofa from a local auction house, which we had to push home. At one point it careered across a very busy road, narrowly missing a lorry.’ More recently, she and Ron bought a French serpentine chest of drawers that had been in the French embassy. ‘Poor Ron spent all day taking a skirting board off to squeeze it into my preferred corner of the house,’ says Jane.
Bringing back treasures from France has become a more involved process for vintage and antiques dealers post Brexit, and Jane and Ron have subsequently slowed down their business, French Vintage & Country. Not all is lost though, as Jane explains: ‘We’ve really missed our trips to France, but are so lucky to live close to Leek; a town with a wealth of wonderful places to buy antiques. My favourite shops here are Old Whyte Interiors, which sells French and Swedish antiques to die for, and Laura Lees, whose French linen and toile de Jouy cushions and curtains are stunning. Leek Antiques Market is a real gem, and we’re not far from Matlock and Baslow; both excellent treasure-hunting towns.’ Find Jane @frenchvintageandcountry123
In the bathroom, a classic roll-top white enamel bath with claw feet speaks of grandeur, while a humble pink painted chair keeps the look down to earth 
ornate taps sourced in France have adopted a verdigris patina over time 
Paying homage to Jane’s own history of working in costume and set design, the well-staged interior features pieces from her collection of costume. Distressed pale blue Swedish shutters are the perfect place to display a ruffled peach baby dress found at a car boot sale many years ago – just one of the many whimsical, decorative pieces in Jane’s collection.