MILAN — Tan France, the star of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” and “Next in Fashion,” deepened his interest in interiors while building his dream home, a Salt Lake City Tudor estate, with his husband, Rob.
The media personality made his debut into furniture after his agent received a call from Singapore-based furniture Castlery, he told WWD. “They agreed to let me design whatever I wanted to, as opposed to selecting new colors and fabrics [for] what they already make, which was a major plus point for me,” he said.
On Thursday, Castlery launched the Castlery x Tan France Collection, which includes 18 pieces spanning living, dining, lighting, rugs, decor and accessories. The line blends France’s personal, multicultural perspective with Castlery’s focus on craftsmanship, materiality and accessibility. Key pieces include the Anika table lamp in handblown glass, the Kagan sofa, Anaya tea table, Tarin side and drink tables, Rumi accent chair, Rava sideboard and TV console, and the Avan Dining Collection, along with mirrors, vases, rugs and cushions. Materials include warm oak, travertine, carved wood and New Zealand wool upholstery. Born Tanveer Safdar, France grew up in a Pakistani Muslim household in South Yorkshire, England, and said the collection is emblematic of his background.
“I wanted my multiple backgrounds to shape this collection,” France said. “I wanted to give it a singular point of view that could only be from me. I think the collection looks sleek and modern, but if one looks closely enough, you’ll see all of the cultural touch points within it.”
Elements of the line reflect France’s combined South Asian and British heritage by referencing architectural and visual motifs common to both regions. The Anika table lamp and Rayan mirror, for example, reference classic South Asian doorway arches with their curved and scalloped shapes. The carved solid-oak details on the Kagan sofa and Anaya tea table are inspired by patterns found in South Asian design, while the pieces’ pillars reference a central element of British architecture.
“Living between cultures and countries has taught me that home isn’t just somewhere you live; it’s something you create, wherever you are,” France said.
The Anaya coffee table from the Castlery x Tan France Collection.
Tan spoke about his English-Tudor-inspired Salt Lake City mansion and the aesthetic elements that define it, including its scalloped details. “It’s something that I saw dotted around so much of South Asia, but also around the U.K. on what were traditional English buildings. That was the main inspiration behind the collection,” he said.
The line will be sold through Castlery’s online store in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and Singapore, and in showrooms in New York, Sydney, Brisbane and Singapore.
Castlery was founded in 2013 by a group of friends, including Declan Ee, a Singaporean entrepreneur and former investment banker best known as the company’s cofounder.
Tan said the Castlery collection took two years to come to fruition. At the moment, he does not have any other interior collections in the works, as he is in the process of designing yet another home on the East Coast.
“Work and husband require me to be on the East Coast, so I’m designing and building a new home out there that I’m very excited about.”
The Avan dining table and chairs and Reya vase (top right), from the Castlery x Tan France Collection.
Courtesy of Castlery
