At Home With Our Fashion Contributor Delphine Rethoret
Arriving at the home of fashion stylist, Delphine Rethoret, is like entering a Balinese oasis. The setting is very much Singapore - a narrow residential street with homes filling their blocks, almost touching they are so close - the hustle and bustle of a busy shopping strip nearby and the sounds of a school yard ringing out across the street. But in amongst this typically busy residential neighbourhood lies a beautifully curated home hidden by a huge frangipani tree.
Step inside the high fence and you are greeted by a modern home clad in bamboo screening and surrounded by tropical foliage. The home feels tucked away and private and very far from the streetscape it belongs to. Delphine worked closely with an architect to design and oversee the building of the home so it is no surprise that it offers a true reflection of her personal and home style - a blend of bohemian, eclectic and classic simplicity. In this home she has created the perfect antidote to city life.
Delphine is a traveller at heart and left her native France at the conclusion of her studies. Her home reflects her travels and she has a knack for combining all of her different finds - there are African mud cloths alongside Morrocan cactus silk cushions; Asian furniture finds a home beside design classics and she combines Indian block printed napkins with French linen placemats on the table with a finesse that reveals her stylists eye. It is this ability to combine styles and keep everything feeling harmonious and relaxed that makes Delphine such a wonderful fashion (and home!) stylist.
What I love about Delphine’s home is that it exudes warmth and personality - and by not following interior trends Delphine has created a home that is authentic and timeless. It also helps that for Delphine and her family, Singapore is home. Having lived here for 18 years, this is where they intend to stay and the home they have built feels permanent.
At the entrance of the home the outdoor deck extends indoors and wrap-around louvered windows continue the outdoor/indoor design. A beautiful big daybed from Bali is matched with two mid century black canvas butterfly chairs.
At the rear of the home, Delphine designed an open plan kitchen and dining room that has a wonderful sunroom attached which provides a place for the kids to play and a casual table with benches for breakfast and snack times. There is also a small indoor courtyard with an Indian corn grinder table and lots of greenery.
Delphine’s fashion style is not unlike her home style - it is a mix of all the things she loves with a nod towards bohemian and it never feels fussy or over-thought. She wears high-street brands with high-end luxury and will finish off a look with a treasured vintage find. Her natural eye for aesthetics was snapped up early in her career when she was employed by high-end European fashion houses to seek out treasures and artisans in Asia - and send back inspiration of her finds for new designs in Europe. In recent years she has consulted on home and fashion styling and most recently, decided to dedicate her business, Atelier Jacqueline, to fashion.
At the top of the home lies Delphines home office. A relaxed space full of inspiration - pin boards lean against the wall and little trinkets adorn the space. There is also an impressive collection of magazines that span almost a whole wall! It is from here that Delphine works with me to produce the fashion content you see on the blog.
STYLE TIPS TO BORROW FROM DELPHINE’S HOME
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When mixing different styles try and include three objects relating to one style in the room and space them out so that you have an even distribution of style
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Stick to a loose colour palette that will help to tie together your different styles
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Search for unique objects on your travels and don’t be afraid to organise shipping to get things back to Singapore
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Buy what you love and try to ignore interior trends (unless of course the trend is your inherent style)