The interiors of Marin Montagut's home have an artfully jumbled, storybook charm of things collected over time, which creates a genuine, layered sense of story, life and warmth to each space. There is a surprising and delightful balance to be found between folk-style painted chairs, a hotchpotch of wicker baskets, fresh flowers in antique enamel jugs, striped walls and gilt-framed mirrors. Some of the items may not match, in theory, but the rooms hang together so well precisely because of this; it all has a perfectly imperfect sense of effortless, relaxed, lived-in style. His vibrant dining room is an excellent example of this.
There is a certain je ne sais quoi to these eclectic rooms, which can be hard to emulate, as collecting in the way that Marin has is a very personal thing. For example, many of his treasures have been foraged in the depths of flea markets and the dusty corners of antique shops, discovered by pure happenstance and luck. Nevertheless, we have searched high and low for similar pieces, both new and antique, if you're looking to decorate your dining room like this. These include some of Marin's own illustrated designs that can be seen throughout the house, which encapsulate his specifically French, whimsical style of interior decoration.
The red of the painted chairs and the blue of the large display cabinet are picked up by the striped floral design of the tablecloth, bought in Portugal. The display cabinet was found at a flea market, and is used to store a melange of crockery, as well as various glasses and mugs designed by Marin. The wire egg holder is a traditional French design, and a similar style can be picked up on Etsy. An aged gold mirror, industrial style lamp and set of vintage French storage pots add to the old-world Gallic country style of the room.
.png)
Head to Etsy shops that specialise in vintage and antique French homeware to find objects similar to those in Marin's home. La Mistralette, La Belle Ville and Vintage French Fair are all worth a trawl.
A combination of vintage jugs, bottles, and a vase designed by Marin sit on the stairs and are used to hold fresh flowers. The jute rug is a neutral base which counteracts the bold patterns and colours elsewhere in the room. Marin taped over the red walls and then painted the white stripes himself, but Alice Palmer's Tangier Red Stripe wallpaper has a very similar look. A curated mishmash of wicker baskets and straw bags hang under the stairs, creating a decorative yet practical display.
.png)
.png)
