Studio of the Week: Œuvres Sensibles Shop and Atelier in Marseille

Arles-born artist Sarah Espeute learned embroidery as a child but did not return to the practice until decades later. After studying graphic design in Paris, working in Riso printing, founding a publishing house, and painting, she took up embroidery again for a one-off exhibition. The response was immediate.

She went on to found Œuvres Sensibles and relocated her studio to Marseille, where she now works from a made-to-measure atelier alongside a team of trained embroiderers and artists. Together, they produce her trompe-l’œil tablecloths and characterful works across formats—curtains, table linens, pillows, and more. The 300-square-meter space functions as both atelier and showroom: a public setting designed and hand-built in its entirety, where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of Œuvres Sensibles. Here’s a detailed look inside the Marseille studio.

Photography by Maxime Verret for Oeuvres Sensibles.

Above: The studio, at 7 Rue Villeneuve in Marseille, is anchored with long dining tables where pleated tablecloths and embroidered table linens are paired with specially curated pottery, utensils, and more. “The setting truly reflects how I like to present my work with the brutality and coolness of concrete in dialogue with the fragility and warmth of textile materials,” Sarah explains. Above: A wall hanging, the Roses Small Carpet, is one of the many unique pieces on offer. This one, embroidered on rustic burlap, was originally created for a special exhibition at the Hôtel de Puyricard in Cavaillon. Above: A custom-built plywood corner chair is fitted with an array of cushions depicting embroidered portraits, coffee makers, candlesticks, bouquets, and animals. Above: When Sarah moved into the space on Rue Villeneuve, she polished the existing concrete floors and painted the walls and ceiling beams. A custom curtain with cutout doors separates the Œuvres Sensibles offices from the showroom. Above: The kitchen is a feat of DIY. Designed and custom-built for her former showroom by Alexandre Lazo, it was dismantled by Lespagney Manon Architects, and reassembled by La Confiserie designers on wheels. The 6-meter-long kitchen is made up of a plywood structure, carefully stained by hand, with a vintage stainless steel sink from the 1960s and a stainless IKEA refrigerator and freezer drawer that Sarah sourced secondhand on Leboncoin. Above: All furniture in the space, including hang racks, was designed by Sarah and custom built by Alexandre Lazo. The glass globe lights hanging in the showroom are from a set of 1970s Parscot glass globes that Sarah found in a garage in Cannes. Above: A pegboard-like hang rack displays trompe-l’œil tablecloths and bed curtains. Above: Sarah showcases one of her table runners embroidered in black. Above: Echoing the classic red embroidery thread of her designs, accents in red include linear and metal pendants and lacquered shelves. “For several months, I had saved a particularly good listing for a set of red metal neon pendant lights from the 1970s—without knowing exactly where they would belong,” Sarah explains. “As the space gradually came together, it became clear that they had found their place here.” Above: Vases and tableware are presented in collaboration with friends and colleagues of the studio—all for sale in the showroom. Above: A setting of the Minimaliste Solo Placemat in black showcases the playful way to set a table amid Œuvres Sensibles linens—like a blueprint. Above: A rack of Clothing-Curtains, a collection where large-scale shirting becomes a window curtain on clips. Above: Another clothing rack of handmade and customized garments for sale. Above: Embroiderers at work in the atelier, pinning vintage lace napkins to linen runners before sewing and embroidering. Above: What Sarah has long loved about embroidery is the potential and simplicity of needle, thread, and fabric. Above: A look into the showroom from the office/atelier space behind a custom patchwork curtain. Above: The showroom opens to the street on Rue Villeneuve. Above: Sarah stands in the doorway beneath a hand-painted storefront by LN Graph in Marseille. Above: Œuvres Sensibles worked with Formagari to design custom typography, depicted in bright red.

Located at 7 Rue Villeneuve in Marseille

For more from Sarah Espeute, see our post Object of Desire: Hand-Embroidered Table Linens from Oeuvres Sensibles in Marseille. And if you’re a subscriber, enjoy our Q&A feature with Sarah, Quick Takes With: Sarah Espeute.