The first time I heard about MAVA Studio was while filming my feature at Dean & DeLuca, one of their projects. I was immediately struck by the interior—and even more so by the remarkable quality of the finishes. You know how much I love interior design, so when I saw the standard of their work, I wanted to find out who was behind MAVA Studio and, of course, share their story with you.

In Monaco, you can’t simply push back the walls. That may be the best way to sum up the philosophy of MAVA Studio, the interior architecture agency founded in 2023 by Marie Piotte and Valérie Cursio.

The two architects met while working at Casamanara, the studio founded by renowned designer Piero Manara. Valérie spent fourteen years there and Marie six, contributing to prestigious residential and commercial projects in Monaco and abroad. This shared experience gave them a lasting conviction: good design must always go hand in hand with technical expertise. Every detail is carefully mapped out in 2D, allowing them to keep budgets under control and anticipate potential issues before work begins.

Since launching MAVA Studio, they have turned Monaco’s spatial constraints into their favourite creative challenge. Compact apartments, outdated layouts, never quite enough storage… Rather than putting up with these limitations, the pair rethink the volumes entirely. They make the most of every inch, creating floor-to-ceiling storage and giving individual spaces more than one purpose. A corridor might conceal a compact utility area; an overlooked corner can become a home office. Their guiding principle is simple: no space should ever be wasted.

One of their favourite examples is the renovation of a 130-square-metre rental apartment, where they were asked to create three spacious suites, each with its own bedroom, dressing room and bathroom. By reducing the circulation areas to a minimum—and making them useful with bespoke storage—they were able to give the living room and kitchen a far greater sense of space. The result speaks for itself: the apartment was rented to the very first person who viewed it.

MAVA Studio does not only take on large-scale renovations. The agency also handles more focused projects, whether it is redesigning a kitchen or bathroom, or simply creating the perfect built-in wardrobe. The approach remains the same: listening carefully, understanding how the client lives and guiding them through every stage, right up to the final handover.

Marie and Valérie are also quick to point out that transforming an interior does not always mean tearing everything apart. Sometimes, replacing wardrobe doors, adding a cornice or simply changing the warmth of the lighting is enough to give a room an entirely new personality.

Agathe’s little extra: What impressed me most about Valérie and Marie—besides their brilliant use of space—is their determination to take the stress out of renovation. That, too, is part of an architect’s role. They understand the anxiety of a budget spiralling out of control and the fear of deadlines slipping away, so they make a point of keeping both firmly in check. And that is another of their great strengths!

P.S. Pop into Dean & DeLuca or Heaven Monaco to see their work for yourself!