Tan France: Turning a House into a Home

Tan France is exactly as you’d expect him to be, both on and off screen. We’re chatting over a video call, and the energy that has made him a household name since his appearance on Netflix’s Queer Eye is unmistakable. He is dressed in a striped vermillion shirt, its vivid hue a striking contrast to the floral de Gournay wallpaper that fills the bedroom he is calling from.

The reason for our chat? France’s collaboration with homegrown furniture brand Castlery. Comprising 18 pieces spanning sofas, lighting, dining furniture, rugs and home accessories, the collection marks not only France’s first foray into furniture design, but also Castlery’s first collaboration with an external designer.

“I didn’t want it to be a case of, ‘Let’s just stick a name on it,’” France explains. “During that first meeting with Castlery, I said, ‘First things first, I should make it very clear: if I were to collaborate with you, it has to be a Tan France collection. I have to design the collection myself, but I will need your help because I’ve never designed furniture before. I really need the freedom to be able to design a collection that feels very much like me.’”

At its heart, the pieces in the collection balance visual impact with everyday comfort, and they are designed to feel as though they belong in the rooms they are placed in, rather than to simply occupy a space. With their sculptural forms, tactile textures and warm, understated palettes, the furniture and accessories translate France’s heritage and eye for style into the language of interiors. 

For example, the curved lines of a table lamp recall the scalloped arches found across South Asia and pay tribute to his Pakistani background, while the details on the sofas are influenced by the wooden furniture and pillars in the homes he remembers from childhood. From deep orange to rich olive, the versatile hues reflect France’s belief in timeless style. Modern and adaptable, the furniture pieces are meant to work across a range of interiors while leaving room for individual expression.

There’s an ease to the partnership that makes it feel instantly right. “Castlery was built in Singapore, a city that has always made something new from the meeting of many worlds. When we met Tan, we recognised that same story in him,” Castlery co-founder Declan Ee says. “This collection is what two outsiders, each at home between different worlds, made together.”

Ultimately, the collection is about creating a sense of warmth and familiarity. France likens it to stepping into a “bourgeois” grandmother’s home, where everything feels comfortable, welcoming and quietly sophisticated. For him, it is this balance of ease and elegance that makes a space feel truly like home, and the hope is that the collection will inspire a similar sense of confidence and joy in those who choose to furnish their home with these pieces.

You’re known for helping people express themselves through what they wear. How did you translate the philosophy into this Castlery collection, when you think of the canvas as a home instead of a wardrobe? 

I’ve been working on design so much over the last six years because I designed my own home. I’m also a trained, technical fashion designer. A creative director will dictate the vision of a brand, but as a technical designer I oversee the process from start to finish. ‘This is how I want the garment to be, this is the fabric, and these are the colours. ’Designing this Castlery collection actually felt very similar to designing a fashion collection. It’s about the emotion we want to communicate. What’s the overall aesthetic of this collection? What fabrication do we need? What colours work together, and how is somebody going to live with that collection? Those things are all important in fashion. They are equally as important in the design of an interior space.

What do you enjoy the most about the creative process?

I’ve always been a very creative person. It doesn’t have to be home interiors — it could be in the kitchen, where I’m a very keen cook. Anything creative does something to my brain. I’m not an academic, nor have I ever pretended to be. I care about what I create because it does something to my soul.

Whenever I have the opportunity to design or create something, I love seeing it evolve from an initial sketch into something tangible that I can actually use. That’s what excites me about creativity. It could even be building my son’s wooden train track. I work with him on building that every two days. We change up how and what way the train goes. It doesn’t matter what the creative pursuit is, as long as I care about it and feel passionate about it.

When you walk into a home, what tells you immediately that someone has a strong sense of self?

Before I became an entertainer, my sister and mother lived in very normal homes where you made practical decisions: I need a sofa, so I’ll get a sofa. You may not have the means to curate a space, but once you do, you get to decide whether your home has soul or whether you’re simply filling it with things. When I walk into a home that feels like everything I’ve seen on Instagram or Pinterest for the past two years, it can be beautiful, but to me, it may feel relatively soulless. It’s an Instagrammable space rather than a home. I know people say home is where your family or loved ones are, and I agree. Ultimately, it’s about the soul you infuse into a space and the things you choose to express who you are.

Fashion can feel a little transient, while furniture is something we live with for years. Did designing something meant for everyday life influence how you worked on the Castlery collection?

I don’t live by trends when it comes to fashion. I might be encouraged to change my silhouette every now and then, but otherwise, I don’t really lean into them. The same applies to the home. On Queer Eye, I’ve always said that if you want to try something different, start with something inexpensive. Find it in a vintage or secondhand store and see if it feels right before making it your whole personality.

Furniture is expensive, so I don’t want to encourage anyone to spend wastefully. When I designed this collection with Castlery, I made it clear that I didn’t want it to be trendy. I know it might be cool to do a trendy collection, but I’ve never tried to be cool. There’s nothing cool about me. I just do what I think is nice, what I love, and hope people will love it too. I’m not for everybody, but that’s OK.

Do you think you’ve learned anything about the relationship between confidence and the spaces we inhabit?

For me, confidence is so often tied to happiness. When I’m happiest, I’m most confident, and vice versa. When I put together a look that I know works, it makes me happier. I feel the same way about the home and furniture. The way you choose to furnish your home can give you a sense of comfort and ease. I believe the things we surround ourselves with should inspire confidence, joy and comfort. That’s why I wanted to design a collection for everyone.

If your home could tell the story of your life, what would you want it to say?

I’d like it to convey that it’s considered, thoughtful and sophisticated. That may not have been my answer 10 years ago. Back then, I wanted to play, be silly and embrace novelty pieces that reflected my youth. But now that I’m 43, I want my space to feel refined, sophisticated and really considered. Even if someone hates it, I’d like to believe it conveys that this is a curated, thoughtfully designed space.

Shop the collection at castlery.com or visit Castlery’s Orchard Flagship.