The eight-bedroom château in the French countryside is the summer-home of American Furniture designer Todd Hase and his family. It is stunning. As the article suggests, it’s hard not to envy their life.
“In the morning, the village baker leaves a fresh baguette by the gate as he bicycles by. In another ritual, the family walks to the nearby patisserie for café au lait and buys dessert for dinner that night. The children take riding lessons. A daily market provides fresh produce. Michelin awarded a notable three fork-and-spoon rating to the local restaurant. And in nearby Rouen, a ready supply of museums and art shows keeps the days stimulating.”
We are grateful when we wake up if there is enough milk for coffee. We can only imagine how good the Hase family must feel as they rise from their slumber.
Do you know if they're interrested in adopting?
No kidding. How does one become a riding lesson taking, cafe au lait walking, baguette etaing member of this family?
When I first saw this in Elle Decor last week I thought "man, I didn't know furniture design was so lucrative!"
Rachel, it seems lotto or adoption are the only options I have.
...And if you are asking, lotto might be the answer for you.
I loved this in the magazine, but the source pages didn't say who makes the campaign-style round side table in the room with the striped wall. Does anyone happen to know? thanks.
hopefully this doesn't become a double post ... but i believe that there is a very similar (at least) table from restoration hardware for $270:
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product_suite.jsp?productId=prod210045&navCount=2
this is sort of off topic, but do any other Elle Decor subscribers get their issues late, or after the month has begun?
(and last december, i got the november issue, egads!
i had been internally evil eye-ing my neighbors.
considering how much i enjoy a new issue, this is sort of almost traumatic)
is it because i got their super discount, $15 subscrip?
i figure it's maybe a way to induce anxious, new Elle cravers people to pick up a newstand copy, early, then give the late arriving subscribed one to a friend?
yes. i, too, rcv my copy late. they used to be really good and arrive early. it's hard not to peek at the ones on the newstand.
Keep in mind that wealth begats freedom and more wealth. Many of the people we read about who live these wonderful lives come from families who already have a comfortable background. Their family's initial wealth allows them the freedom to pursue careers and goals that are non-traditional and attempt to pursue their dreams.
Success usually takes at least a few failures. If they fail, these people can try again without worrying about not making rent or having enough money to pay for the next few days of meals.
That is why it is so hard for poor people to make that big break. It not only takes an immense amount of self-belief, but also exposure to a universe of possibilities that most people never get to see. It is my belief that it is usually the latter that keeps people from living extraordinary lives. How can you aspire to do or be something you've never seen?
America is one of the few places where significant upwardly mobility in one generation is possible, but the playing field is still fairly steep.
Thomas
Um, this isn't just an issue of rich versus poor....
there is a big gap between "upper middle class" and "chateau as second home."
But good for Todd!! His furniture is absolutely gorgeous. Some comfort in knowing he's getting rich by being a purveyor of good taste, finely crafted.
ps: If you've not seen his furniture, or his AMAZING collection of luxe textiles in the sexiest "non-color colors" this side of a Calvin Klein swatchbook, get to the showroom on (I think) Spring at Hudson (ish?). THIS is investment furniture, with a timeless quality that will ultimately warrant the price by its style longevity.
Yes, there is quite a lot of social mobility in the USA. However, recently much of it has been down due to the declining middle. Wilkommen globalization.
thanks Tippy i feel better
(i was kidding about the trauma bit...)
:-)
The psychological and educational hurdles one has to overcome to jump from upper middle class to rich is a lot less difficult than from poor/working class to middle class in America...that's all I'm going to say on this subject.
ps
my Elle came today, must say i'm pleased, good issue.
but now that i've read it? 3 featured homes are vacation homes (one being a 17th century chateau on 5 acres), kinda gross!
Ummm...I think someone missed the part in the story of Todd Hase that says " the truth is that Todd and Amy have worked hard to find their place in the sun...since founding their company a decade ago, they have turned their four chairs in a window on Wooster, to a mutimillion dollar company".
In any case, the story (chateau not withstanding) is about DESIGN- why not take their design ideas and try to find inspiration in them?