Florence S. Fournier - Decorative Arts Specialist

**Introducing the next profile in our The Estate at Home series**

Florence S. Fournier is a specialist in Webb's Decorative Arts department. She began her journey as a passionate enthusiast attending Webb's auctions before joining the team in 2021. With a background in mid-century modern furniture and boutique brands, Florence has a developed a deep appreciation for enduring design principles.

Florence's expertise shines in exhibition installations and photoshoot styling, earning her recognition as a rising star in the New Zealand auction scene. Her curation skills and eye for detail are evident in the way she lives. She invited us to come have a look at her colourful home and we talked about her experience of collecting at The Estate.

Thank you for inviting us into your beautiful home! It is so full of colour and has great energy. What has been your design philosophy or approach for curating your space?

A pleasure to have you. I really believe in creating a home space that is uplifting (no grey-on-grey here!), and bringing in pops of colour is an easy way to do that. Everything in my home speaks to my personality, so my interior design style is a pure extension of myself. The main design philosophy I live by is that I don’t believe in spending money on things that I don’t find attractive. This means every home purchase has to be carefully considered, whether it’s a chair, a lamp, or a saucepan. As Marie Kondo wisely posits, “Does this spark joy?” If not, I will do without – even if it means I can’t own a microwave!

What are some items in your home that you’ve bought from The Estate?

I have a couple of Finel Arabia pieces including my trusty coffee percolator and a small ceramic jar that I keep tea in. My kettle is a little Bodum number that I saw and fell in love with – it’s a great example of a thoughtfully designed, quotidian object. I’ve also picked up some Iittala candleholders which can be otherwise tricky to find on the secondary market.

Which was the first, and which is the most recent?

The first piece I bought from The Estate was a book on Modern Furniture Classics by Miriam Stimpson which I keep beside my desk at work. It’s a really good resource, with beautiful examples of furniture styles spanning 1855 to 1987. My most recent win was an Arabia Finland Casserole Dish by Ulla Procopé. It’s a very special addition to my collection of vintage cookware, and the rattan-handled carrier will make it a perfect stove-to-table dish for entertaining.

What does your typical Sunday morning at home look like?

I like to do as much lounging as possible, usually reading with a cup of tea, or going through cookbooks and planning my weekend menu. I also spend a lot of time on Pinterest, looking for styling inspiration.

Being a Specialist in the Decorative Arts Department must mean you have a good eye for what to collect from The Estate – can you give us some insight?

Taste is so subjective; as long as you stay true to what you like, you can’t really go wrong. I love finding characterful pieces that sit outside of trends. A piece with its own personality is always timeless, and more likely to retain its value.

The more I work with objects, the more robust my understanding of what holds value, which items have a story, or are by a designer that’s really collectable. There’s a fine art to collecting with intention, but the most important thing to me is that it should be fun.

You have quite a range of artworks too! Have you collected them from Webb’s?

I've picked up quite a few works from Webb's! My beautiful poodle artwork by Juliet Peter, a Richard Lewer painting, and a Francis Upritchard screenprint were all purchased in Webb’s art auctions.

Then from the wonderful Tim Melville Gallery I have acquired works by both Russ Flatt and Areez Katki. My latest addition is a charming Gary Buchanan painting of the Christchurch airport, which I bought from The White Room.

What about the gold Max Gimblett artwork spotted there, does that have a story?

That was a 21st gift from my mother! It’s one of the original Remembrance quatrefoils that was hung around St David’s in 2015, so it has a slightly rough patina to it which I love. While I was studying, I was lucky enough to visit New York with a well-connected friend and spend some time with Max Gimblett, so it’s a perfect nod to that trip.

There is a huge collection of books and magazines in your apartment – which are your favourite of each, and why?

Magazine-wise, I always look forward to sinking into new issues of Homestyle. They’re such a great source of inspiration for interior ideas, and one of the best offline ways to keep up with talented creatives in Aotearoa.

Fiction-wise, Donna Tartt is my literary hero. I fell in love with The Secret History at 15, and am desperate for her to release a new novel soon. I don’t tend to reread books, but I could reach for any of hers again and again.

What advice do you have to someone looking to start bidding on The Estate auctions?

Save items to your watchlist when looking through the auction catalogue. I find it really helps me stay focused on the items I’m most interested in, and I can easily refer back to them ahead of the auction closing. Most importantly, set an alarm! The countdown on each lot makes it really easy to set an exact timer. I’ve missed out on too many beautiful things in the past by not checking the time, so now I plan my bidding strategy down to the second.

Lots of people talk about how striking your gallery installations are, can you tell us about them, and highlight a few that you are most proud of?

I love going through paint swatches to plan the visual mood of each auction. One of my favourite installations was for À la poursuite de la beauté: The Jack C. Richards Collection of Lalique Glass. We achieved a beautiful, minimalist display that showcased the fine detailing of the vases. This took a lot of self-restraint as I tend to go for a ‘more is more’ approach when it comes to colour, but I’m always guided by the personality of each auction.