You are a decoration addict,
but once you’ve closed aside your favorite magazine,
how to adapt the precepts of the experts at home?
Here are some of our favourite personalities who have
been kind enough to share this vision of interior design.
With generosity, they indulge you with their choices,
share tips and inspiring advice.
In conversation with…
Charlotte Camus
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m an interior decorator. I’m originally from Paris and I came south 21 years ago. After a spell in the Luberon, I moved to Marseille 12 years ago. I launched my own agency in 2015 after a stint as a theatre, film and historical monuments painter. You can find us at the old port.
I restored a ruin in the Luberon which became our family home. After that I started to receive requests from friends who wanted buildings renovated and little by little, quite naturally, a few years later I put aside my paint brushes and started to focus uniquely on interior design.
What is your decorating mantra?
« Colour was not given to us in order to imitate nature. It was given to us so we could express our emotions. » Henri Matisse
The general ambiance matters more in interior decorating than each individual detail. Interiors are like people: it’s in the imperfections that you find what is unique and attractive. I could also quote Pablo Picasso:
« Painting is not about decorating appartements. It’s a weapon to be used against the enemy. »
What do you make of the concept of good taste?
I think it’s totally subjective. It’s always good to have a bit of bad taste in an interior, it’s what brings it to life. There is nothing more boring than a perfectly orchestrated interior where all the furniture and colours match.
If you were a room?
It’s hard to choose only one! My instinct is to say the bathroom as that is often the room where you get to really express yourself. I also like to spend lots of time in my bedroom, talking, working, reading and chatting.
If you were an artist?
A painter of course! Édouard Vuillard or Matisse.
Your dream project?
A beautiful chalet in the mountains! Apart from that I’ve already been lucky enough to realise my dreams.
Édouard Vuillard, Au lit, 1891
Your current obsession?
Green! I’m inspired by all shades of green. When I was training I was taught that there are more than 900 shades of green in nature. I have no idea how they worked this out but it means that you can express yourself ad infinitum in green!
Charlotte’s tips
What are your sources of inspiration?
My inspiration mainly comes from works of art and nature.
You trained as a painter: tell us more
I trained at the Institut supérieur de peinture Van Der Kelen in Bruxelles where I learned how to create trompe-l’œil and wood and marble finishes using paint. I was lucky enough to work on some amazing scenery for the Comédie française, the théâtre de la Monnaie in Bruxelles and lots of others. I loved my job, especially working with artisans on theatre scenery.
Your headquarters in the Rue Neuve: the place to be?
We restored the space which now houses Marion Bernard’s architecture studio (which I love), the Mécènes du Sud collective that supports contemporary art in the region, and the Fonds épicurien, a fund that provides financial support to food projects to encourage entrepreneurs to engage in sustainable projects in the South. And then there is the showroom which stocks all sorts of things for the home (lights, material, furniture…) and, of course, our studio.
Your preferred colour palette?
I like different shades of white and natural, faded colours. But it’s usually the space that guides me to the colours that will work the best.
What is your favourite type of work to do?
I particularly like doing up family homes and hotels. For me one of the most important things is to create an excellent relationship with my clients.
How you bring art and artisanship into the home?
I love to work with artisans and artists. Manual work is vital for me and I hugely admire all the different forms of artisanship. In another life I would have worked with wood.
How do you make an interior unique?
By respecting what makes it unique and magnifying the natural beauty in its DNA. After a renovation, I like it if people think the house is the way it always was.
Your most recent project?
The Le Petit Beaumarchais hotel which opened in July. Now I’m working on the Le Petit Oberkampf which will open its doors in May 2022 if all goes according to plan!
What do you make of the concept of good taste?
