If you think you know what to expect when reading the name Touch of France on the directory of the Dallas World Trade Center, you’ll have a pleasant surprise awaiting you when you finally enter the showroom.
Touch of France, owned and operated by Regis Vialeton, prides itself on offering a wide variety of the most current styles, from sophisticated rustic to transitional. Also on offer are upholstered seating, handcrafted wood furniture, indoor and outdoor lighting, wall décor, Rambouillet tapestries and pewter accessories from Italy, as well as trophy quality taxidermy.
The company name was inspired by the home country of Vialeton and his sister, Françoise, and speaks to the touch of class they bring to furniture design.
After a decade of local work in design, including an interesting stint designing furniture for ski resorts, Vialeton and his sibling opted to open their own company in 2004. His background in architecture and graphic design led Vialeton to discover a talent for furniture design and the Regis Patrick Collection was conceived.
The eponymous collection features wood furniture in rustic and soft transitional styles, handcrafted in oak with an assortment of finishes and custom options. “My collection is not really a reproduction of ‘classique’ pieces; it’s created and designed using inspiration from architectural elements and rustic pieces from around the world,” Vialeton says.
Touch of France caters to the design trade and also sells to small retailers. The team works closely with their clients to ensure the highest quality services and satisfaction. Many of the company’s lines can be customized to order and outfitted with a large variety of fabrics, leathers or alternative finishes.
Showroom manager Steve King comes to Touch of France with a vast background in design and customer service, and he works hard to provide solutions for every unique challenge that is presented to him.
Touch of France has partnered with Design NS, one of the major players in the home theater category, to offer sophisticated, German-made motion seating with memory foam, Italian full grain leather and frames constructed of Baltic birch, all assembled and manufactured in the United States.
The showroom offers the Pacific Green line, made in Fiji, a range of extremely comfortable and sturdy pieces built with palm wood and applied with different leather and hair-onhide upholstery. This line adopts many design flourishes from the traditional crafts of the Pacific Islands. Touch of France also offers a collection of authentic silkscreened Rambouillet tapestries, which are newly manufactured, high-quality replications of the historical imagery first created by French craftsmen in the late 1600s.
“Rambouillet was the only company allowed by the museum in Paris to take close-up pictures so they could make reproductions, which could be hung while the originals were going for restoration,” Vialeton notes.
In addition to these brands, Touch of France is proud to work with a great group of companies in various industries to create the amazing custom products that they offer. These companies include Harden Industries, American West by Paladin Furniture, Alder & Tweed, Pacific Green, Cox Manufacturing, Solara Lighting, Designs by Bree lighting, and many, many more.
Touch of France offers the utmost in customer service, striving to make a designer’s job fun and stress free. “No job is too big or too small,” says King. “Let us assist you in making your next project a rewarding experience!”
Don’t let the name fool you: At Touch of France you’ll find much more than French furniture in the eclectic showroom. And, with such an impressive range of products, Vialeton and his team recommend a personal visit to experience the true scope of what is offered.
Andy Stonehouse is a writer and editor based in Boulder, Colorado,specializing in automotive, recreation and shelter stories. He can be reached at rossandrewstonehouse@gmail.com.
