With the arrival of three new designs to our consistently best-selling Love Story collection, we knew it was the confirmation of something very special – a love triangle! We wanted to capture and chronicle the sparks of ideas, inspiration, insight, and influence that made this dream a reality. And what better way to do that than to sit down with our founder and chief designer at French Bedroom, Georgia Metcalfe?
Where did the idea for Love Story beds come from?
"I’d worked in the interiors industry for a while. I found myself sketching designs of how I’d want my dream French bed to look and feel. The result was something very different to what I saw currently available on the market. I believe a large part of that was due to the ideas coming from a feminine perspective."
"Together with my design team, we were creating something from the point of view of new and working mothers, young professional women, women with grown families. The combination of a unique female perspective with diverse experiences and at different stages of their lives was electrifying. The energy was high, and the ideas just kept flowing!"
How was the name Love Story created?
"We see these French beds as our labour of love! The team and I designed them with love in mind – for our customers, for ourselves, for our planet. To see the designs realised and so popular among our customers is a true love story; one that continues to evolve, grow and become stronger over time."
Was it important for you to use natural materials?
"Very much so. The way I see it, we have a responsibility to our world. As a company we aim to preserve an authentic antique look, but without putting pressure on our world’s precious limited natural resources. Almost all our French-style beds and furniture are made from oak or mahogany timber, sourced from forests which are all part of regeneration programmes."
"I decided I wanted to use oak for our Love Story beds. I love the way the solid oak frame complements the upholstery, and the natural imperfections found in a completely organic material – just as nature intended!"
Each bed has a distinct feel to it, and yet they are all connected. Do you feel they have different personalities?
"Absolutely! Each of our three new Love Story bed designs has a different essence.
The first word that comes into mind when I think of our Love Story Carved Viscount Bed is ‘masterful’. The frame is solid and angular, which gives the bed a more ‘masculine’ feel as well as the gravitas of a statement piece.
We focused on the details of this upholstered bed to create a visually decadent feel. Every button and stud is placed by hand; every carving intricately considered and then meticulously carved into the solid oak. When we came to naming it, the only name that fully expressed the grandeur was ‘The Viscount’, and so it stuck! (Ok, it may have also come at the end of a Bridgerton binge.)"
The Love Story Pink Upholstered Bed is delicate, and very feminine. We used pink silk upholstery to give it romantic glamour, as silk is such a luxurious material. However we combined luxury with a touch of practicality and made it a poly-silk blend. This silk offers the authentic look and feel of natural silk dupion, but with the practical advantage of being gently washable and more durable.
The idea came from both the working mothers on our team with households of sticky-fingered children, and the young professionals who enjoy a glass of wine in bed… Invaluable input!
Our Love Story Naturelle Bed is different yet again. I wanted it to be a really calming piece for the bedroom, so I knew right away it would be in a neutral colour palette. I love how the beige linen upholstery and natural oak frame work together so harmoniously to achieve this. This bed is truly an heirloom piece. It’ll blend with all homes and styles as they evolve and change over time. From teenage late-night phone chats to first job nerves, to finally taking pride of place in your forever home. This is a bed that will capture all the precious memories of a lifetime.
If you were to recommend a book to read in each bed, what would it be?
For the Love Story Pink Silk Bed, it would be a story about strong women, without a doubt. I loved The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. It’s about a group of strong women testing the seemingly fixed boundaries of their existence. It’s full of family secrets, forbidden love and women pushed to the edge – I couldn’t put it down!
The Island Home by Libby Page is a tender, feel-good love story; perfect for drifting off to sleep with in our Love Story Naturelle Bed. It follows the story of the relationship between a mother and daughter, spanning decades and hundreds of miles.
For the Bridgerton and Royalcore inspiration that went into our Love Story Carved Viscount Bed, I think the perfect book to read in this bed is A Lady's Guide To Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin.
