ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 75 74 SUMMER 2026 Verdant greenery and rugged stone walls create a striking juxtaposition, separating the tranquil swimming pool from the hectic city center just beyond. Black accents, including lighting, hardware and pottery, add a touch of drama to the narrative. In the breezy first-floor great room, for example, a sculptural black metal chandelier softly illuminates the surface of a bespoke dining table made with steel beams and a stone top. Positioned next to the stairway to the second floor, an iconic accent chair by Faye Toogood commands attention, playing off the black hardware Denis selected for the fluted doors concealing the nearby built-in cabinetry. “The dark elements structure the space and bring graphic coherence,” Denis notes. Painted in the same slate-blue paint color as the built-ins in the living area, the fluted cabinetry also elevates the cupboards in the open kitchen, where they have been paired with white marble countertops, an integrated backsplash with sinuous gray veining and a heady mix of rustic artifacts. “The multicultural objects, natural materials, and color palette give the house a real soul,” Denis explains. The collection, which encompasses rugs, basketry and furnishings, provides a pleasing contrast to the streamlined architecture and restrained material palette. The stairway functions as a quiet gallery in its own right, its walls and landings lined with ceramics and framed works. Such pieces occupy windowsills, tabletops and a long, built-in wooden ledge with a live edge that doubles as a work surface in the upstairs office. Natural materials such as wicker and jute pull the interior in a more casual direction, befitting a house built for slow mornings and long conversations over cocktails. A patterned, woven rug with rich chocolate and rust tones complements plush furnishings covered in natural linen in the lower-level living area. A second, simpler version anchors a black sofa and matching upholstered ottoman in a conversation area on the upper landing. Indeed, relishing their new retreat, the designer and her family typically spend entire summers there, as well as many holidays and some weekends, strolling through market halls, taking boat rides along the canals, visiting art galleries and hosting friends and family for summer garden parties that go well into the night. “When I arrive in Sète, it’s an instant return to my roots,” Denis shares. “This house is a refuge, a place that perfectly reflects my world.” The canals, the light, the long summer nights – some places never really let you go. 4 With artwork climbing the wall and African objects and woven pieces arranged on the steps, the stairway functions like an art gallery. Straddling the line between furniture and sculpture, the black Roly Poly chair is by Faye Toogood for Driade. 5 A black chandelier by Marrakech-based designer Soufiane Zarib illumi- nates a long dining table with a stone top and a base made of industrial steel beams. 6 In the office, a built-in wooden surface with a live edge serves as both desk and display shelf for a collection of ceramics and woven objects. Clad with white stucco punctuated by black metal windows and doors, the retreat is also an ideal spot to create new memories. The striking yet simple exterior color palette has been carried inside, where it creates a crisp, gallery-like backdrop for a sophisticated mix of designer furnishings, original artwork and one-of-a- kind objects. “I wanted to create a dialogue between Mediterranean light, natural materials and a selection of ethnic objects collected during my travels,” she relates. “The common thread is a clean, warm and lively style, where each piece tells a story.” 4 5 6