Muriel and Jean-Marc’s home studio is nestled in an antique industrial building in the charming city of Bordeaux, France. Their house remodel project started 17 years ago when they moved into the bare and industrial two-story building with their two small children. The street level was a plumbing workshop with a living area on the first floor. They spent all their free time remodeling on a tight budget, which resulted in a warm home, functional work space, and a fantastic creative playground for their friends and family.

Muriel works for the City Opera House as a costume designer and is also the creator of the fashion brand MO. Jean-Marc works in a theater as a public relations manager. The couple is clearly influenced by the theatrical universe, but they both also share a fondness for objects from the ’30s to the ’60s, books and vintage finds, as well as family souvenirs and art by their children, Nina and Pierre.

No matter the season, they can often be found enjoying their plant-filled terrace watching the ever-changing beauty of the sky and sharing ideas about their next creative project.

Our Style: Eclectic, artistic, vintage

Inspiration: All form of mid-century art, especially from the 1930s to the 1960s. We are very inspired by theatrical art, opera, and music.

Favorite Element: The huge bookshelf downstairs, the view from the garden, and the fantastic light upstairs.

Biggest Challenge: When we moved into the house — which was formerly a metal and plumbing workshop — the dust from the previous owner was everywhere.

What Friends Say: They love to come to our house, sometimes staying weeks, even months. We like having a lot of people around. Muriel invites people to work with her in her studio, and sometimes we organize an open house and transform the space into an art gallery.

Biggest Embarrassment: The endless remodeling.

Proudest DIY: To still be together after all these years (*laughs*). After all that work and effort, the house grew with us and our children. It’s a beautiful process. Seriously, though…everything is a DIY. We did it all ourselves!

Biggest Indulgence: The plants on the rooftop terrace! It’s a beautiful collection of wild plants, plants that we found, plants that grew from seeds given to us by friends, and plants that remind us of loved ones who have passed.

Best Advice: Trust your instincts, stay in touch with your emotions, surround yourself with things you love, invest in art, and buy your friends’s artwork. Let time follow its course.

Dream Sources: Magazines, the Internet, and nature

LIVING ROOM
Metal chairs — Moroccan piece from 1960
Table — Mosaic by Jean-Marc
Couch — IKEA
Lamp — Toobe F. Lavini ed. Kartell
Wall paint — Naif

WORKSHOP/STUDIO
Glass cabinet — Muriel’s various inspirations
Wooden wardrobe — Muriel’s family heirloom
Industrial wooden shelves — Found in the basement of the house
Pink plastic chair — IKEA
Black leather couch — Musterring from 1989
Red artwork — Le Gentil Godjo
Wooden desk — Found in the house when we moved in
Blue artwork — Found at a garage sale
Wooden industrial shelves — Original from the previous workshop

KITCHEN
Table — Jean-Marc’s family heirloom
Chairs — Musterring from 1987
Artwork — Anna Falce
Sculpture on the fridge — Made by Jean-Marc
Central kitchen island — Thrifted cabinet with IKEA tabletop

HALLWAY
Artwork — Pierre Lievin
Poster on wall — Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton
Little writing desk — Made by Muriel’s grandfather

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