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Everything is more craveworthy because of the presentation. From her new store in the Village of Rancho Santa Fe, Chapman ignites conversation with rich stories and colorful history while shaping antiques for a new era of mix-mastery. Here, a Louis XVI settee is suddenly modern and sumptuous, reupholstered in black velvet. A 16th-century French farmhouse table achieves relevancy "all day long" in a contemporary home. "It remains as fresh and impressive today as it did 500 years ago," says Chapman of the table, "which is mind-blowing." Located on the corner of La Granada and Paseo Delicias, the shop debuted this summer, realizing a longtime dream for Chapman. For 22 years, she's lived in e Ranch (her sons attend R. Roger Rowe and Cathedral Catholic High School) but operated her stores elsewhere. Her first foray into San Diego was at Horton Plaza, where e Chapman Collection thrived from 2001 through 2019. Later, she held court at UTC for 14 years. Presently, her sprawling 650,000-square-foot showroom in Escondido is by appointment only. "Rancho Santa Fe and antiques go hand in hand, and it's been a dream to open here," says Chapman. "e McNallys paved the way for antiques to have such a well-respected presence here," a nod to Connie and Bill McNally, proprietors of longtime Ranch antiques destination McNally Company Antiques. A second-gen antiquarian, history is in her DNA. Raised in a historic 44-room house in London, her mother was one the U.K.'s preeminent Persian carpet specialists with a discerning eye for art and design in all forms. In fact, she was a government-sanctioned authenticator at the highest level. As such, Chapman developed an appreciation for heritage at an early age. e family name is synonymous with elegance, history, and impeccable taste in the world of antiques and fine textiles, luring a discreet clientele of celebrities, politicians, and royalty. "I try to educate my customers and let them see that you can buy one-of-a- kind pieces at affordable price points that will last for years," she says. "e low-quality, mass-produced furniture out there today is extremely expensive, and in many cases, not made of real wood." e Chapman Collection is fast becoming a centerpiece of the community. Her darling sons occasionally man the shop after school, and weekends are bustling with out-of-town guests from e Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Chapman is the ultimate arbiter of style, eager to share her own formula for creating a modern home that is functional for family life while authentically reflecting her design aesthetic. "Good taste is defined by deliberate simplicity," she says matter of factly. Case in point: Starting September 18, she will host the first in a series of monthly events aimed to inform and educate the community about restoration, value, and intentional design. On tap: a top coterie of "mega, mega major" experts and scholars that she's coaxed out of retirement. Beyond furniture, the collection boasts a stunning array of Persian carpets, tapestries, accessories (Limoges, Capodimonte), and gilded mirrors. e art portfolio is accessible by design: ere's 100-year-old oil paintings in original frames alongside signed lithographs by Chagall and surrealist masters like Miró. Chapman travels the globe on a perpetual search to curate objects that blur beauty and function, hand-selecting each one for inspired collections. She believes a home layered with unique objects and infused with rich stories and traditional craftsmanship can spark memories, inspire, and enhance everyday life. "Mixing materials and eras makes a home a home," she says. "It is my belief that a home should be your connection to the world." 858.349.2638, thechapmancollection.com Indulge home << ranchandcoast.com 64 SEPTEMBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE Chapman curates pieces from around the globe, including a hand carved oak and red velvet Spanish bench with decorative nail head trim from circa 1880