At Villa Rossignols in Marseille, two old pine trees shape daily life in a family home converted from a former caretaker’s house. Nature is part of the home’s daily rhythm. The renovation ties the building to its Provençal surroundings.
Interior designer Sandrine Sarah Faivre led the two-year project, drawing on her experience with luxury and private spaces. The villa now covers 200 square meters inside, with a terrace just as large. The design respects the house’s modest beginnings and its dramatic location between the Calanques and Cassis. Architect Caroline Milliet from Atelier Vue Mer managed the construction.
The owner grew up next door and still has family nearby, so the house was designed as a permanent home. That personal connection shaped the project from the start.
Every design choice centered on the two century-old pines. Pine wood was used for the floors, and the terraces were planned around the trees. Masonry seating follows the horizon, while the field fills every view. Pine and beige stone set a restrained palette; natural fabrics link the old structure to the new additions.
The lower level, carved into the rock, holds the kitchen and dining area, along with a reading space featuring a custom oak radassière by Faivre. Mirrors bring in more light, and soft curtains filter the sun. The layout keeps the Mediterranean in sight from every room.
Furniture and art bring together creativity and family history. The interiors feature pieces by Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Chapo. Provençal tables sit alongside ceramics, while vintage finds share space with contemporary works linked to Marseille and southern France. The terrace, with pale stone and simple furnishings, extends the living space outdoors and offers wide views from the Calanques to Cassis.
Faivre says her first visit to Marseille in the late 1990s shaped her approach. She found a freer, more open sense of modernity than in Paris, always tied to local tradition. That attitude runs through Villa Rossignols, where family history and creativity sit naturally within the Mediterranean setting.
AD Italia notes that the project shows how careful design can turn even a simple building into a home that feels personal and architecturally thoughtful. In a region where the link between buildings and nature is often ignored, Villa Rossignols offers an example of balance. The house sits quietly within its setting and draws attention to it. The project offers ideas for future renovations in sensitive Mediterranean areas, showing how memory and place can inform lasting design.
