Family
In Marseille, in a typical sun-filled “three-window” apartment, blending ’70s influences, château-style living, and Brazilian modernism
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At
Benoît Palas and Guilherme Marques
In Marseille’s 6th arrondissement, between neighborhood life and dazzling light, Benoît Palas and Guilherme Marques have settled into a typically Marseillais apartment—a “three-window” flat—bathed in sunshine. The décor feels effortless, as if it naturally reflects the city’s light, energy, and Mediterranean spirit, all of which resonate with their personal histories. For Benoît, an interior architect, Marseille echoes a childhood spent in the South, among the yellow walls inherited from his mother—whose name, already full of promise, was Palas—and the architectural utopia of La Grande Motte, which early on shaped his love for the colors and forms of the 1960s and ’70s. This sunny foundation is complemented by Guilherme’s influence. A Brazilian contemporary art gallerist who has lived in Marseille for several years, he brings a perspective shaped by the modernism and design of Belo Horizonte and São Paulo, which naturally dialogues with the city’s own rhythms. Together, they have reinvented this Phocaean interior into a space where history, original materials, a warm aesthetic—and Georgette, the dog—coexist with effortless harmony.
Location
Marseille
Author
Anne-Laure Griveau
Photos and videos
Sabrina Hadj-Hacene
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Max Sauze side table, Murano vase, Hermès ashtray, DLGD Corbusier sofa, François Monnet lighting.
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Italian coffee table, Mushroom armchair by Pierre Paulin, Moustache bench, leather armchair by Sergio Rodrigues, Jean Pierre Garrault Monoprix rug, painting by Rodrigo Matheus.
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Noel Marinho tray, Loewe candle, painting from the Venice series by Pierpaolo De Bona.
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Georgette, the house dog, Mushroom armchair by Pierre Paulin.
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Pigeon by Zoé Ladouce, small painting by Veronika Dräxler, wooden vase from Brazilian craftsmanship.
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TSF
Can you introduce yourselves?
Benoît
I’m Benoît Palas, an interior architect and furniture designer. You could also say decorator, but I prefer “furniture designer” because it really captures my desire for things to coexist harmoniously. Before this, I worked as a journalist in Paris, mostly for television, and then I returned to the South, where I’m originally from, and started working in architecture and interior design. I love working with original materials, preserving elements that have a story, and blending them with my own universe, which is quite sunny and colorful.
Guilherme
I’m Guilherme Marques. I’m from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and I studied graphic design and fine arts in Brazil and Germany. I arrived in Marseille six years ago, and since then I’ve opened a gallery called Apartamento, where I organize exhibitions to bring to life here in Marseille the network of artists I’ve met around the world. It’s amazing to introduce them to the city, the local art scene, and to create new things together.
TSF
What brought you to Marseille?
Benoît
For me, it’s a return to my roots. I’m from the South of France, and my family is spread between the Gers, Nîmes, and Montpellier.
Guilherme
For me, it was a mix of chance and desire. As soon as I arrived at the Beaux-Arts in Marseille, I fell in love with the city, its sun, and its light, which remind me of Brazil. I’ve always dreamed of living near the sea, and here it just felt natural. A year after I arrived, I met Benoît, who was renovating apartments, and he even lent me one for my first exhibition here. I loved the idea and started showing my work in the apartment above ours. I’ve even exhibited in one of Benoît’s renovation sites for a restaurant! In May, however, we’ll be opening a proper physical gallery.
TSF
Your apartment has retained much of its original character…
Benoît
Yes, the guiding principles were renovation, preservation, and personalization. The walls date back to 1890, and the typical Marseillais layout with three windows and the original flow of the rooms has been maintained. Everything was renovated with respect for traditional craftsmanship—the terracotta tiles, the fireplaces, and so on—without falling into the clichés of today’s Mediterranean style, with plaster niches and curves. The idea was that, despite the modernist and Brazilian influences, the apartment should feel as if it had always been there.
TSF
And what about the color, with these variations of ochre?
Benoît
It’s a family heritage. I grew up in Montpellier, in a house where the walls were yellow or pink. There was a lot of artwork, mostly classical, mixed with a very exuberant style. My mother—whose last name was Palas—loved Louis XV and Napoléon III pieces; she adored things that were very grandiose. My uncle and aunt had a château, of which I only kept the painting in our bedroom. I grew up in this slightly dusty world, but above all, I kept a love for yellow. This color brings light, warmth, and most importantly, joy. Luckily, Montpellier is also home to La Grande Motte, and I was surrounded by its architectural utopia and ’60s-’70s forms, which you can see reflected in my work.
TSF
So how would you describe your work?
Benoît
A bit of all that, combined with the modernist sensibility that Guilherme has brought me. I like to renovate without completely destroying everything. I prefer to preserve—I always keep an existing element, like a yellow granito tile or a terracotta tile, and usually I start from a detail that inspires me. Once people have shown me their references, I try to understand how they live and what they truly love, beyond what you see on Instagram. And I love working with color—I’m from the South, so it has to feel alive.
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Cactus lamp by Mickael Koska, vintage marble table by Roche Bobois, painting by Fábio Colaço, Danish chair.
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Egg cup and cutlery by Christofle.
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The making of pão de queijo, little Brazilian cheese bread balls.
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Monoprix salad bowl, Christofle bread basket.
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PH pendant light by Poul Henningsen.
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Everything has been renovated with respect for the original craftsmanship—the terracotta tiles, the fireplaces, and more—yet without falling into the clichés of today’s Mediterranean style, with its plaster niches and curves. The idea was that, despite the modernist and Brazilian influences, the apartment should feel as if it had always been there.
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TSF
Guilherme, how did you choose the artworks, and how do you play with the sunlight when arranging them?
Guilherme
I work with artists who have strong, sometimes irreverent personalities. Their work has to provoke, move, and create a dialogue with the space. Here, there’s so much direct sunlight that it shapes how each piece is displayed. Not every artwork can go anywhere—because of conservation concerns or reflections—each has its exact place. But the light in Marseille is still a hugely important element for artists. Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso… countless artists throughout history have settled in the south of France, inspired by it. There’s a flip side, of course: it also means plenty of mistral wind, since it’s what clears the clouds!
TSF
How do the neighborhood and life in Marseille influence your daily life?
Benoît
We’re in the 6th arrondissement, close to Cours Julien. We love the market just downstairs, where we buy our fish, flowers, and vegetables. We’re lucky—this region has such wonderful produce. This is the neighborhood of antique dealers, and a few are still around. On Rue Edmond Rostand, there’s L’Estive, run by a lovely crystal and silverware seller—we adore her. It’s really a neighborhood that embodies the art of living, a little old-fashioned, and that’s exactly what we love about it. It’s not fully trendy yet, but it’s slowly refreshing itself with restaurants like Jacqueline, where we go regularly, or the very authentic Café de la Banque.
TSF
And in terms of materials and furniture, what choices did you make for this apartment?
Benoît
I really wanted a desk in the bedroom—which we did—but honestly, I haven’t worked there once! We spend a lot of time in our bedroom, which I adore, but the direct sunlight in the living room is so energizing that it naturally draws us there when it’s time to work. In the bedroom, we chose two stainless steel kitchen cabinets, placed as a mirror around a fireplace, along with an antique painting from my family. Their functional side contrasts with the rest—the quilt from my mother on the bed and the dressing room curtain—and I find that mix really interesting. On the other hand, to create a sense of continuity between the living room and the balcony, I used tiles—I love tiles—but laid them like parquet mosaic. In fact, it was Guilherme who came up with this interior-exterior idea, which works even better in the summer and, I think, preserves the Mediterranean essence of the apartment.
TSF
Do you have any rituals in this apartment?
Benoît
Breakfast at the living room table, where the morning sun floods in. We also have a small, sun-soaked balcony where we’ve set up a little summer kitchen, and we spend a lot of time there. We’re not very social butterflies and don’t go out much, but we do enjoy hosting friends. When we do, Guilherme makes pão de queijo—little Brazilian cheese bites—which are absolutely delicious!
TSF
What upcoming projects do you have?
Benoît
On my side, Solstice, an audiophile restaurant and bar that just opened in Marseille. Coming from Japan, the vinyl bar concept can feel a bit cold, so I wanted to bring warmth to it, drawing inspiration in particular from Olafur Eliasson’s very sun-filled The Weather Project exhibition in London in 2003.
Guilherme
And above all, the opening of our shared space!
Benoît
Yes, we will very soon be opening a space that will serve as both Guilherme’s gallery—Dyptique, with his first exhibition taking place in May!—my office, and the showroom for my new venture in curating design, furniture, and architectural objects. The launch is planned for late March or early April, complementing the work of my interior architecture studio.
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Marble boxes by Alva Design – Brazil.
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Malmousque chair by Mickael Koska, curtain fabric by Nobilis.
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Christian Royer upholstery, headboard by Nobilis, Componibili bedside table by Anna Castelli, vintage table lamp from ICI – Brazil.
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Professional kitchen furniture, “Télévision” series table lamp by Frédéric Bourdiec.
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