Chip Pankey
St. Joseph majestically welcomes visitors to the French home in a specially designed entry hall niche.
Nick French is a man who knows a thing or two about great homes. He has sold many of them during his long career as a top-selling real estate agent (46 years and counting!), and through the years, he and his wife, Gail, lived in a number of gorgeous houses. French is currently with Crye-Leike, and the list of his awards and achievements are as long as your arm. He did tell me, however, he is most proud of his 2018 Lifetime Achievement award from the Memphis Area Association of Realtors.
With their two sons, Taylor and Ned, grown and long out of the house, and having resided in large homes over the course of their 52-year marriage, Nick and Gail decided it was the right time to make the move into a house on the grounds of the Trezevant Retirement community. That was six years ago, and very sadly his beloved wife died the next year. However, Nick takes comfort from the fact they did get a chance to enjoy the home together, if only for a short time.
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French says he loves his bright white kitchen with its view to the white caladiums and crepe myrtles in the garden beyond.
Photography by Chip Pankey
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The rich patterns and textures used in the decor of the living room — the heart of the home — make this a warm and handsome space for rest and relaxation.
Photography by Chip Pankey
Earlier, a good friend with excellent taste told me that French’s art-filled house was both handsome and unique. Was she ever right! The first thing I noticed was all of the religious art — statues, paintings, altar pieces, and other icons throughout the house. I was equally impressed by the Western art, including the paintings of famed artist and master colorist Fritz Scholder, who combined pop art with abstract expressionism. A member of the Luiseno tribe, Scholder was well-known for his often-controversial depictions of his fellow Native Americans in modern settings.
French and his wife had lived in Santa Fe for five years (2002-2007), where he was vice-president/manager of Sotheby’s International Realty. The culture and character of the place had a profound effect upon both of them, and when I asked if he had loved living there, the answer was, “Oh my, yes.” During this period, he became very fond of the work of the great American sculptor Gilbert (Gib) Jerome Singleton, who is known for bringing spiritual art into the mainstream. A modern master of bronze sculpture, Singleton and French became friends.
The wonderful “fleur de lis” bench (you might say a French bench!) in the entry was purchased long ago from Robert Crump antiques.
Photography by Chip Pankey
French’s 2,600-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home at Trezevant reflects the family’s time in the West. The couple’s good friend and designer Gail Woods again stepped in to offer her expertise. The white walls provide continuity and a feeling of spaciousness, and the floors are dark hardwood. Tall privacy fencing was added out back, baths and closets were rearranged, light switches and thermostats were moved, and doorways were modified. The upstairs is larger than in most of the community’s homes, and French was able to finish it out with a cedar closet and one big room, which is part office and part catchall for more of his collections.
French stands with his beloved golden doodle Michael next to a gorgeous carved wood antique El Niño altar piece in the entrance hall.
Photography by Chip Pankey
French and his wife both inherited antique pieces, which of course they kept and were able to use in their new place. Gail French’s mother’s crystal chandelier hangs in the master bath, and Libby King, director of marketing and sales at Trezevant, says this is her favorite bathroom in the whole community. The piano at the head of the stairs is another family piece. The couple also bought items from Memphis dealers, including Robert Crump, John Simmons, Leroy Montgomery, John Isbell, and others.
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This handsome bedroom with its bright textiles reflects French’s love for Southwestern decor.
Photography by Chip Pankey
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This large room on the second floor is part office,bedroom, and catchall for very special objects collected by French.
Photography by Chip Pankey
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The spacious master bath features an antique chandelier. According to Libby King, who works in marketing at Trezevant, it is her favorite bathroom in the whole community.
Photography by Chip Pankey
At the same time, the French family’s decorative tastes were eclectic, and they collected many interesting objects in their wide travels around the world, from Vietnam to Ecuador and many points in between. A Mexican jail door, for example, was made into a headboard. As Nick French says, “If we didn’t agree, we didn’t buy it.”
In addition to the work of Gib Singleton, French has a passion for all manner of religious art and artifacts. He told me how his mother once said, “if you bring one more piece of religious art into your home, you will have to hold services.” Clearly he did not listen to that admonition, as crosses and crucifixes abound in the home. After all, he says, “Who else has the disciples hanging over their kitchen sink?!”
In particular, French and his wife became fascinated by Spanish colonial religious art and purchased a number of pieces on several trips to Ecuador, including a statue of St. Joseph, who stands majestically in a specially designed niche in the entry hall.
One other decorative idiosyncrasy is that French collects alligator objects — yes, alligators — and they are sprinkled around the house, depicted in silver and china. His friends remember and often provide new items for his ever-growing collection, bringing him gifts of, what else, alligators?
As we peeked out through the kitchen window, French apologized for the fact that his white caladiums and crepe myrtles were not yet in bloom. I said we would just have to make a return social visit sometime soon, although he told me that he was just about to leave for Lisbon to celebrate his birthday and would then continue on with a Smithsonian tour to Spain and France.
And I could not help wondering if he was likely to pick up a few more small religious objects in his travels. I am betting yes, of course!
