Design, Light & Marseille Calm : Mediterranean Soul in a Designer’s Flat |Human Made Homes Chapter10

Welcome to another episode of Human Made Homes.
📺 Watch Season 3 of Human Made Homes :    / playlistlist=plt41od_gqf_cvvnnbk5qfmb31u2j...  
✨Find Ekhi on Instagram :
  / mariloudhr  
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What does it truly mean to feel at home?
In this episode of Human Made Homes, we step inside a stunning Marseille apartment where design, history, and personal storytelling come together. Ekhi, an artistic director and designer, has transformed her space into a living expression of her creativity—balancing raw materials, Mediterranean colors, and thoughtful design solutions that work within the home’s existing structure.

Marseille is a city where different cultures, histories, and aesthetics collide, and this apartment is no different. Nestled in the historic Vieille Ville Marseillaise, this home carries the architectural DNA of the city with its high ceilings, terracotta rooftops, and the signature three-window design, a feature dating back to the 1880s. Ekhi embraced these elements, weaving them into her vision of a home that is both a personal sanctuary and a creative showroom.

Ekhi’s approach to home design is deeply influenced by her background. Growing up between the Basque Country, the French Riviera, and Morocco, and later studying in Italy, she developed a sensitivity to color, texture, and space that reflects in every corner of her apartment. Here, she applies a technique she learned from Italian architects—observing the existing chromatic environment to build a harmonious space. The soft apricot terracotta walls mirror the rooftops she sees from her window, while deep blue accents reflect the Marseille sky. These colors aren’t just aesthetic choices; they root the home in its surroundings, creating a visual flow between inside and out.

Beyond aesthetics, this home is full of resourceful, budget-conscious solutions. As a designer working with major brands, including those in luxury, Ekhi understands that great design isn’t about unlimited budgets; it’s about making impactful choices within real constraints. Many of the elements in her home, from the kitchen updates to built-in furniture, were DIY projects that allowed her to rework the space without unnecessary demolition. Instead of replacing elements entirely, she found ways to enhance what was already there, just as she did in the kitchen and living room, where simple interventions created a fresh new look.

One of the most striking transformations in this apartment is the hidden home office. When Ekhi and her partner moved in during the pandemic, they both needed functional workspaces. Instead of carving out an entirely new room, she repurposed an old 70 cm deep closet into a compact yet practical office. Using medium-density wood panels, she built a custom desk, painted it in a rich blue hue reminiscent of Yves Klein Blue, and added built-in lighting. The result is a workspace that feels private yet connected, a place where she can fully focus and then close the doors at the end of the day, creating a clear boundary between work and home life.

For Ekhi, home is more than just a place to live. It’s a space to engage with design every day. Her furniture and decor are a mix of pieces from her collaborations with brands, turning her home into a functional showroom, carefully curated designer objects selected for their form and function, and DIY and reworked elements ensuring that everything fits seamlessly into the space. This mix makes her home feel intentional yet dynamic, a place that evolves with her creative practice.

At the heart of it all, this home is a reflection of Marseille itself. It is a blend of cultures, a celebration of history, and a space that balances tradition with modernity. This episode of Human Made Homes is not just a Marseille apartment tour. It is an exploration of how design can shape the way we live, think, and feel. Whether it’s working with existing structures, using color to define space, or finding ways to balance creativity and functionality, Ekhi’s home is filled with inspiration for anyone looking to create a space that truly feels like their own.
Let us know in the comments what part of Ekhi’s home resonated with you the most. Was it her use of color, the clever office transformation, or the way she worked with the home’s historical features?

If you loved this episode, make sure to check out the full playlist for Season 3, featuring homes from Paris, Berlin, London, New York, and more. Don’t forget to subscribe to Human Made Homes for more beautifully designed spaces from around the world.


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