Don’t snooze over Grace’s fabulous beds
Gavin Cater
When everything looks alike, dupes are the norm, and lack of originality has become the standard—interior designer Francesca Grace eschews it all, shining with her signature traditional style. If the name sounds familiar, it is because Grace has been on HGTV’s Fix My Flip along with Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills. Now with the launch of her first furniture line—design enthusiasts are going to be buying a whole lot of Fracesca Grace. The designer’s vintage-inspired pieces feel more flea market than furniture flip with high-quality pieces and unique, thoughtful detailing.
Here’s a look at the line along with a peek into Grace’s process.
Somme Gorgeous Furniture
Called Somme, the line launched with beds, while sofas and bolster pillows will be available later this year. The collection features five different upholstery choices, all of which are embellished with bouillon fringe. “I’ve continuously been drawn to fringe. I literally fringe everything. There’s something so romantic about how it compliments its surroundings. It can make something brand new feel like it has a story to tell,” explains the designer.
Coming soon
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While it is timeless, Grace also acknowledges fringe is currently having a moment. “Tends are in a constant rotation and vintage has been the new for quite some time now. That being said, I think if it’s survived decades of being admired, it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”
Grace’s European travel also inspired the aesthetic. “I spent a lot of time getting lost in France last year for a month-long solo trip and found so much beauty in the most random and hidden restaurants throughout. The lived-in elements speak to me the most,” she says. “Cracked stone walls…rich, warm, and worn out fabrics, florals, stripes—everything I could’ve dreamt of.”
It’s also important to note that Grace based her designs on what she was drawn to as opposed to what would be popular commercially. “I decided I was tired of trying to design pieces based on what I think the public would want, but more so design based on what made me melt.”
The Upholstery
The first piece she designed was the Estelle bed, which Grace tells me is her favorite.
Estelle
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“My dream was to have a floral bed, and so I began playing around with the shapes. The wood trim added balance to the chaos of the beautiful and loud floral. It immediately calmed it down just enough for it to be able to be understood by many, even those who may not enjoy too much vibrancy in their color and pattern choices.”
Penelope and Colette
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Colette is very different from Estelle yet stands out on its own. Grace tells me, “She steals and wrecks the hearts of many with her mystery and grace. Her confidence shakes your core, her playfulness tickles, and her eyes leave you with questions.”
Penelope has blush hues and adds a sophisticated shade of pink to a primary bedroom or even as a princess bed for a teen or tween.
Amelie
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Amelie features tiny stripes in alternating shades of green. It instantly turns any bedroom into a European hotel. This design has a grandeur about it but also feels accessible—making it ideal for anyone who appreciates Grace’s style but perhaps wants to play it just a little bit safe.
Cosette
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Cosette is the only solid. Yet, it has as much style as its print counterparts. The rich velvet is a vibrant rust color that’s very much become the designer’s signature hue.
Why Beds?
Grace chose to launch beds as her first product because she always starts designing bedrooms by choosing the bed first. “It’s always the beginning of the design process for me when creating rooms for my clients. It is so difficult to find unique beds that channel vintage and contemporary. When designing bedrooms, I have struggled to find excitement in the slightly predictable and common choices that float around when hunting for the perfect piece, which in my mind, should be a show-stopper.”
She humorously adds, “Also, the limited availability of fringe beds breaks my heart and I had to put it to a stop.”
Styling Tips
Stying a bold bed with proper pillows doesn’t come naturally to everyone so Grace suggests using a velvet or warm neutral Euro pillow, layered with two solid colors for middle pillows, and one bolster or smaller front pillow. “If you want it to feel vintage, go with the bolster pillow. For a more contemporary to modern approach, use a round ball pillow.”
No matter how they are styled, Grace’s beds are far from a snooze.