At home in the French countryside with Messy Nessy Chic founder, Vanessa Grall
This isn’t the first time we’ve peeped into an interior space belonging to Vanessa Grall, Founder and Editor of online curiosity cabinet, Messy Nessy Chic and owner of those brilliantly clever (now viral) Style Spy videos. We photographed her studio back in 2018 after I met her at the launch of her first book, Don’t Be A Tourist in Paris. Once I’d become acquainted with her style, taste and penchant for the kitsch, unusual and often forgotten relics of bygone eras, I knew I wanted to not only peruse her space, but also to befriend her. Luckily I got to do both. Two years later, in between lockdowns, she and her husband Alex purchased a beautiful former water mill located in the countryside to the east of Paris. After staying with them for the weekend last summer, I knew it was the first place I wanted to photograph when re-launching my home tours this autumn.
The three storey property dates back to the 17th century, is situated on a small island and surrounded by a river (where they can paddle and fish), with two stone-clad garages, one that has become Alex’s workshop and the other is yet to be determined (I obviously suggested an indoor pool!). Inside, the house brims with colour, stripes, floral wallpaper, and is furnished solely with antique, vintage and pre-loved items that Vanessa and Alex have procured from brocantes (flea markets), le Bon Coin (equivalent to Gumtree and Craigslist), vide greniers (garage sales) and anywhere else their magpie eyes landed. It has a fairytale quality to it with its green shutters, water and not least, one hundred odd different types of roses planted in the garden (+350 rose bushes) by the former owner. I hope you enjoy this magical tour. (Scroll down for the photos).
How long have you had your house in the countryside? And what was the impetus to buy it?
We found our mill at the end of 2020 BC —before children — which is key, because if we’d had babies in tow, we never would have taken the leap or had the time to make it our own)! My husband Alex had been occupying himself during the lockdowns by scouring Le Bon Coin. We’d only visited two other houses prior, and we visited the mill on the gloomiest of days in deep winter, but we both still felt something about this place was absolutely for us. We look forward to seeing our children grow up here. To help with the upkeep and hopefully the restoration of one of the barns, we’ve decided to offer it for film & photo shoots. A photographer friend encouraged us to take this route, pointing out that parts of the house and garden could even stand-in as a Provençale backdrop, which can be quite attractive to production crews looking for locations close to Paris. Every little helps because, be warned: a country house is no investment! But it’s been worth every penny so far.
What do you love most about the property?
The water. We’re surrounded by a river, which goes under the house and makes a loop around our garden, so we’re actually on an island here. Funnily enough, according to the estate agent, the water is what deterred folks from visiting the listing at all because of the fear of flooding. We did our research (never in its history has it flooded) and we’re just glad others were put off by the water so we could call it home. The water brings life, Feng Shui and best of all, a place to cool off in the summer. Plus Alex loves fishing, so for him, water was literally a requirement.
Favourite room in the house?
I have a few! The entrance hall. I spent hours painting it with perfectly straight blue and white stripes. The living room, with its reading nook window that overlooks the river running beneath the house. I think it will be a favourite spot for the kids when they’re a little older. The guest bedroom with that lovely floral wallpaper that we kept from the previous owner. And I like my downstairs toilet too! I spent a lot of time cramming it with vintage books and bric a brac for people to look at while they’re on the throne!
How would you describe its interior style?
The previous owner came back to visit recently (a lovely lady who lived for her garden) and said she found the house has a lot of English influence now — in a good way I hope! I was probably aiming to add bits of English maximalism and Cotswolds-esque coziness, mixed with some Provencale influence from my childhood summers. So overall, very much influenced my upbringing between France & England.
How does the style differ from your home in Paris?
It’s much more classic than Paris. Modern and minimalist is for the city. I was allowed to indulge in my obsession with prints and patterns here.
What styles or periods have inspired you in its decoration?
At the brocantes, I’ve mostly had my eye on 18th-19th century pieces. I guess the intention behind that is to escape the hustle & bustle of the modern city and come here, slow down and feel a little bit like you’re immersed in a haven of old world countryside life.
Current favourite sources for interior inspiration?
It’s all on Instagram now for me, I don’t have the luxury of time to flick through magazines anymore. Home by Rue Rodier really does always stop me in my feed. And then there’s people like Luke Edward Hall and his whole set that post lots of delicious stuff for us maximalists.
Favourite piece(s) of furniture/treasures?
Recently most proud of the antique dollhouse I picked up at a brocante for 5 euros.
Any specific pieces you’re currently on the lookout for or would love for the house?
Looking for a long, narrow buffet table for the dining room. We have this house to fill it with people, and most of our people are Nutella Tartine-eating maniacs, so we need somewhere to put a toaster and a pop-up bakery come breakfast time.
Favourite places to buy for your home?
Le Bon Coin (we filter the search locally near the mill — and sometimes we’ll even luck upon the odd estate sale), the brocante in town (an Ali Baba’s warehouse — if he ever retires, I’ll cry) and roving provincial brocantes in the summertime. I also keep an ongoing map of antique treasure troves and consignment warehouses outside of Paris. I don’t think we bought anything new, and. like to go straight to the source - aka where the dealers buy from."
Shop the style
Words and photos by Marissa Cox.
