ESCALE
Globe-trotters at heart, Charlotte and Jean-Baptiste have been following each other around the world for as long as they can remember, and have finally settled in a lovely family home on Marseille’s Pointe Rouge.
Newly arrived in Marseille, they chose ARCHIK to help them rethink the garden of their new home, and for various renovation work inside. And the result lives up to their expectations!
Did you fall in love with this house? What was your first impression when you visited it?
C – JB – Our plan was clear : find a house with enough space to grow our budding family, while continuing to welcome our friends from all over the world. And this house had everything we were looking for : thick walls with a whiff of the past, a slightly disheveled garden with trees, and an incredible view of the Marseilleveyre massif.
And a little architectural extra : an extension designed by architect Julien Monfort. Enough to immediately convince us to make it our home port for the next few years.
“A cocoon garden has emerged, whose modern accents play with the traditional character of the building.”
You’ve put your stamp on the garden. How did you imagine the renovation?
In terms of style, we were neither ultra-modern nor too Provençal. Rather, we were looking for an unpretentious, “relaxed modern” style.
ARCHIK introduced us to landscape architects Morvant & Moingeon, who were responsible for the overall design of the space and site supervision. We imagined this new garden hand in hand.
How would you describe it?
It’s a cocoon garden with modern accents that play with the building’s traditional character. The outdoor living spaces are numerous and distinct: the large wooden terrace is home to the dining table and, further on, the living room. And in front, the tiled swimming pool for family relaxation.
We chose a contrasting palette of plants, and colorful Fermob furniture gives structure to the space in a graphic spirit.
In terms of materials, we used beige porcelain stoneware tiles for the pool deck, and porcelain stoneware tiles in shades of gray for the interior, giving a brook-like color to the water.
The terrace is in exotic massaranduba wood, the path is in beige Gard crushed gravel, and the plants are a mix of perennials and grasses accompanied by a few decorative shrubs, in pretty Ravel pots.
A pleasant living detail?
This outdoor space is a true extension of the house, and can be lived in like a living room for six months of the year. The outdoor furniture has been designed to create a comfortable and convivial living space. A large corner sofa for relaxation, a large table for lunch or dinner with friends, illuminated by playful hand lamps. All in coral and khaki green, without overpowering the eye. And the gray-green of the swimming pool, for a colorful, cheerful atmosphere !