Family
Joy lives in this 19th-century Marseille villa
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Ananda Danielfy, Matthieu Dru and Léonard, 2
At Ananda Danielfy and Matthieu Dru’s home, the story unfolds in two voices, imbued with the lively yet gentle energy that seems so characteristic of Marseille. Their 19th-century villa, perched on the Corniche Kennedy, faces the sea as one regards a familiar presence—constant and endlessly inspiring. Sunlight drifts softly through the rooms, bouncing off the original mouldings, catching on chrome finishes and seventies curves. Flooded with light, the living room is the beating heart of the house: a space where tubular furniture, friends’ artworks, Italian finds and everyday objects blend effortlessly, arranged with natural simplicity. Having moved from tech to interior design, Ananda has an intuitive way of softening spaces, punctuating them with a unique artistic vocabulary. Matthieu, the child of a creative family, brings his builder’s instinct and a taste for objects steeped in stories. Together, they have created a home that is luminous and spontaneous, filled with lingering conversations, impromptu dinners and simple rituals—like the evening baths that marked their early days in Marseille. A warm, living home where everyday life flows seamlessly with the sea. A place full of life, and very much a reflection of themselves. Take a look inside.
Author
Anne-Laure Griveau
Photos and videos
Sabrina Hadj-Hacene, Gautier Billotte
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Tableau Bastien Marienne et lampadaire Bud par Harvey Guzzini & Studio 6g pour Guzzini.
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TSF
So, who calls this place home?
Ananda
Matthieu, Léonard – who’s two – and myself! I used to work in tech in Paris before leaving the city, right in the middle of a break-up with Matthieu. When I arrived in Marseille, I found a flat that I renovated, and I realised not only that this city – its sunshine and its shoreline – made me happy, but also that this was what I wanted to devote myself to: imagining spaces. That’s what Matthieu and I do today with the period properties we sell. I take care of designing the interiors so they reflect what we love – very 1970s, with plenty of tubular pieces for me! – and so that buyers can picture themselves living there. I’ve always been an avid thrifter, so much so that I ended up opening, near Vauban, a space dedicated to 20th-century furniture. For the past few months, I’ve been co-running Eccho with my friend Chloé Lecat.
Matthieu
I grew up in a very artistic family: my mother is, among other things, a sculptor and writer, deeply involved in humanitarian work, especially in Senegal, supporting women and children. I’ve had several lives: a responsible fashion label with my sister, then a natural wine brand… And then I left everything behind to win Ananda back in Marseille! I came for a weekend, then another, and before I knew it, I’d emptied my Paris flat in two days and moved here for good. Then Léonard arrived. I spent several years working in music event production, and today I’m a property dealer. The two of us now work together on renovations and building projects.
TSF
How did this house come into your lives?
Ananda
We had just sold our house – very 1970s, full of stainless steel and concrete – with a layout designed by Margaux Fritz. We needed a place to rent in the meantime, and a friend who’s an estate agent told us about this one, which was available to rent. We came to view it… and were left speechless. The light, the old floors, the view.
Matthieu
We just said to ourselves: ‘Right, this is it.’ Once you’ve seen this place, you simply can’t walk away and leave it behind.
Ananda
It was our ‘Eureka’ moment – or rather our Ecco la! It means ‘Here you are’, the expression you use when you find the perfect piece. That’s also why I named my showroom ‘Eccho’.
TSF
How did you make this space your own?
Ananda
It reflects us because, as with all the properties we work on, we respected what it already was. This is a 19th-century house, already beautiful with its Art Deco mouldings, period tiles, and Palladian balustrades. Then we reinterpreted it with our furniture, vintage finds, artworks, and favourite materials: tubular furniture, chrome, wood, glass… that 70s Italian mix we love.
Matthieu
And the artworks of our friends (Lou Hubert Astruc, Flore Faucheux…), our family, and my mother. The little ceramic piece on the living-room shelves is hers. It has been with us for years. Having these personal touches around when you no longer live in the same city is truly precious.
TSF
How do you live in this house day to day?
Ananda
We spend a lot of time working here, often at the dining table, facing the sea. We entertain a great deal, often from noon until midnight, as is the tradition here. I love cooking – Italian, Asian, French – although for big meals we order from our favourite Italian restaurants. The meatballs from A Moro are incredible.
Matthieu
My speciality is more fish, which I pick up at the market! We go there every Sunday. With Léo, our rituals are simple: dinner in the veranda, a bottle on the sofa – our favourite room to relax together – and a bit of music. Lots of Erik Satie. When we first arrived here, to help Léonard fall asleep after story time, I started playing Les Gymnopédies. Now we’ve been listening to them every night for a year and a half. I think I must be in the top 10 Erik Satie listeners on the streaming platform!
Ananda
I’m more into Sade ! And Oxmo Puccino; I also listen to a bit of rap – mainly French rap.
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My family taught me to follow my own taste. It doesn’t matter if a piece is ‘signed’ – the value matters less than the emotion it evokes.
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Céramique Lou Hubert Astruc
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Carino cushion The Socialite Family –
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TSF
You mention Marseille a lot. What does this city mean to you?
Ananda
It comforts me. I arrived there with a broken heart, and the sea helped me heal. Reading alone by the water, meeting friends at 7 p.m. for a swim, improvising a drink at Malmousque… I felt that this city genuinely cared for me. Now, as parents, we experience it differently: with our son, after nursery, we spend an hour and a half at Plage du Prophète, then head home for dinner.
TSF
Italy also seems to be everywhere in your lives?
Ananda
We share a passion for Italy. We’re getting married in Sicily next year. We love Naples – its magnificent chaos, raw beauty, daily life, and proximity to the islands – Capri, Procida, Ischia. Everything there inspires us. We hunt for furniture and clothes, visit museums, and, of course, eat far too much. Many of the pieces in our home also come from Italy.
TSF
Any other memorable destinations?
Ananda
Mexico. The architecture, raw concrete, the colours… and the tacos. We visited Mexico City this year. There are art galleries everywhere. Mexico City is amazing.
TSF
What these places have in common is that incredible light, which also plays such an important role here.
Ananda
It shapes everything. In Marseille, it’s almost a cliché, but it’s true: the light is incredible. In the evenings, everything turns pink and orange. The stainless steel reflects the skies – it’s sublime. I also play a lot with mirrors and the sea. When Léo was a baby, to calm him down, we’d say: ‘Let’s go see the boats.’ That view soothes everyone.
TSF
Do your childhoods and the environments you grew up in explain your tastes?
Matthieu
I grew up in a creative family. My sisters are directors and stylists, my brothers are musicians, and my father works in advertising… I’ve always been surrounded by artworks, music, and sculptures. It taught me to trust my own taste and follow what I fall in love with. That’s stayed with me. Today, whether it’s art or furniture, it doesn’t matter if a piece is ‘signed’ or not – the value is less important than the emotion it evokes.
Ananda
I don’t come from a family immersed in art or design. My tastes developed over time, through travel and seeing things elsewhere. At my parents’ home, the focus was more on clothes and passing them down than on furniture, so that’s where I started – with thrifting and fashion. 1970s design came later, almost naturally: its tubular shapes, its mix of materials… I love what metal and stainless steel bring, their simple elegance. And their curves, which soften everything. They make the materials feel warm, almost tender. That’s what draws me.
TSF
Is there a piece from The Socialite Family that touches you particularly?
Ananda
The
sofa, of course, with its unmistakably 70s lines, but I also really love the
wall lights, with their square glass panels. You’ve just told me they’re made in Italy, in the Venice region – the connection is probably there!
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