MORNING GLORY
Darya made her childhood dream come true when she moved to Marseille to live in a house with bucolic charm in the sought-after Malmousque district. From the layout to the decoration, right down to the choice of bright colors, she reveals the identity of this old house, thought out down to the smallest detail.
With the arrival of her son, Darya decided to change her horizons, abandoning Paris for Marseille, which she had cherished since childhood. With a very specific idea in mind: a charming house, with a beautiful sunny exterior and close proximity to the sea.
After several visits orchestrated by Marie, it was with conviction that she fell for this highly sought-after house, with ARCHIK’s support every step of the way.
In this new ARCHIK & YOU story, we open a window on summer.
Tell us about your encounter with ARCHIK, and how it all began ?
D – We’d been looking for a house in Marseille for several months, and at the time I was living in Paris, so I’d come down at weekends on the spur of the moment. Then one day on the train, I saw the ad for this house again, already published and I knew it had already been sold, and I said to my partner « this is exactly the house I’d dream of having, it’s such a shame…». Without missing a beat, Grégoire calls ARCHIK and says « I know we’ve already called you and that the house is sold, but we really want a house like this, would you have one in the same style ? », and Marie replies It’s crazy, the buyer backed out two hours ago ! », it was a Sunday.
An incredible opportunity ! At 8am the next morning, we visited the house, followed by many other potential buyers. But it was raining cats and dogs ! Not at all ideal… but luckily we met the owner, whom we were the only ones to meet, and our family history won her over.
Did you have any specific ideas about what you wanted to buy ? Was it something you fell in love with ?
D – YES (laughs). In fact, we were looking for a much larger house, and we found one in Saint-Barnabé that was magnificent. But the main criterion was to be close to the sea, because the real reason for coming to Marseille was to live by the water. I’d always dreamed of living in Malmousque, but I didn’t think it was possible.
So when we got here, the house seemed small, but it was a real « coup de coeur » ! The staircase, the kitchen door, this floor, everything – it had an incredible atmosphere. And then the location, of course. We knew right away we were going to live here.
« Marie was really professional, responsive, and above all a good listener. She accompanied us very well ! »
So tell us about your first impression when you visited the house ?
D – We arrived and immediately heard the seagulls ! Something that was very important to me, and that I discovered over the course of the visits, was that I didn’t want a house with a door opening onto the street. And here, the fact that there’s a gate, the garden and then the house, when we discovered it we didn’t have the impression of being in the city but rather in the countryside. When I was young, I wanted to live in a riad, because of my oriental origins, and when I arrived here, with all these arches and this checkerboard floor, I knew that this was my little riad.
How did you go about decorating your new home, and where did your inspiration come from ?
D – I’ve always wanted to live in a riad, so I’ve kept to a fairly oriental style, with little nods: on the terracotta terrace, or for the door to the cupboard between the living room and dining room, custom-made and very much inspired by the door of the Ispahan mosque in Iran. Then there are a lot of typical objects, arches, gold just about everywhere, with touches of gold on light fittings, door handles and taps. The rest of the furnishings and decorations, such as the paintings and the Togo sofa, have been hunted down, while others, like the dining room chairs, are family heirlooms. The contemporary furniture includes pieces by Honoré Déco, such as the coffee tables and sconce in the living room, the Gubi armchair, the cane bench by The Socialite Family and the Bonne Fakture rug.
I have a huge passion for Ravel pottery, so I collect a lot of their pots ! I love that the creations come from the region using natural materials. Like the console in the entrance hall, made by Talka, a local designer. My furniture and objects follow me from apartment to apartment, I don’t buy just to decorate, and I think that in 20 years’ time my decor will still be the same ! I don’t change my taste. I love colors, and even though I’ve stayed fairly neutral on the base, every room has a touch of color, often pink ochre or curry, very warm colors.
What did you like about ARCHIK’s approach ?
D – I have to admit that I didn’t think much of estate agents because we’ve moved around a lot in our lives. And in Paris it was a bit of a war to find an apartment. Marie, on the other hand, was really professional, responsive and above all a good listener. She did everything she could to make sure we got the house, found us a broker and gave us great support ! I was quite stressed because I was pregnant and wanted to get the work done before I gave birth. Marie had to go out of her way to visit the neighbors and engage in a lot of negotiations with the various parties involved to make the sale happen. She was exceptional !
What’s the most pleasant thing about living in an apartment ?
D – When you’ve lived in Paris, light becomes super important – it’s THE number 1 criterion for many Parisians. So we created a bay window over 4 meters long to let in as much sun as possible, and create an indoor-outdoor room that enlarges the living room. We use this terrace a lot with the kids and our friends !
Would you have any advice for people embarking on a project like yours ?
D – You have to be persistent (laughs), I think that if you want a nice, slightly exceptional property that stands out from the crowd, you have to stick with it… You have to be super responsive, available and never give up. You also have to be well supported, for example, without Marie we’d never have had this property.
THE 3 FÉTISHES
THE ROOM IN THE HOUSE
The staircase ! Its organic shape, the fact that it’s central and that it’s a real living space, where you can sit to chat, play or read… I think it’s magnificent with its curves and openings.
THE OBJET
My Ravel pots ! I often say, « I used to buy bags, now I buy pots ! » Now I’m a Marseillaise ! I have a passion for pots, I think they change everything in an interior, they really give it a soul.
THE ADDRESS
The rocks beneath Petit Nice. Whenever I have a phone call to make, or lunch, I love to sit by the water and watch the people, enjoy the sun and the special atmosphere.