Interior architect
in Le Lavandou
From the harbour to Pramousquier, SB Design Riviera designs, renovates and delivers the villas of Le Lavandou for owners who are often far away.
Le Lavandou, twelve beaches and a corniche
Between Bormes-les-Mimosas and Le Rayol-Canadel, Le Lavandou stretches along some twelve kilometres of coastline at the foot of the Maures massif. The town owes its reputation to its succession of beaches — twelve of them, from the centre to Pramousquier — and to a corniche where villas step down through the pine woods, facing the Hyères islands. A former fishing village that became a seaside resort in the twentieth century, Le Lavandou has kept a human scale: a marina, a lively seafront and hamlets that each retain their own character.
For an interior architect, the territory is remarkably varied: apartments in residences by the harbour, village houses in the narrow streets of the centre, villas from the 1960s to the 1980s awaiting full renovation on the hillsides, contemporary builds delivered as shells to be fitted out. Most owners do not live here year-round. Our role is to design, coordinate and deliver without requiring them to travel back and forth.
SB Design Riviera has recently completed two projects on the Le Lavandou corniche — a full renovation in Aiguebelle and a new build in Pramousquier. That first-hand knowledge of the terrain, the local trades and the town’s planning rules matters on sites where access, slope and season dictate the schedule.
The neighbourhoods of Le Lavandou
Town centre and harbour
The heart of the resort: the marina, the seafront with its shops and the lanes of the old village. Apartments with views over the bay and townhouses where light and storage are won centimetre by centimetre.
Saint-Clair
East of the centre, a renowned beach and a quiet residential area, frequented by pointillist painters in the early twentieth century. Pine-wood villas, family houses to modernise, easy access in every season.
La Fossette
A small cove framed by rocks and pines, with discreet villas clinging to the slope. Projects here are often a matter of terraces, framed views and volumes opened up towards the sea.
Aiguebelle
A hillside hamlet between the corniche road and the beach. Steep plots and panoramic views over the bay and the islands: this is where we completely rethought Villa Aiguebelle, with its stone pillars and infinity pool.
Cavalière
A wide bay closed to the east by Cap Nègre. Seafront villas and residences in the pines: a sought-after area for family stays, where properties often call for a complete upgrade.
Pramousquier
The last hamlet before Le Rayol-Canadel, with its beach and wooded hills. Here we delivered Villa Pramousquier, a new build with a hammam, a wine cellar and a bioclimatic pergola.
Cap Nègre
A wooded residential headland with rare, highly protected properties served by private roads. Discretion, tightly managed site logistics and exacting finishes are the rule.
Villas, village houses, apartments with a view
Le Lavandou’s housing stock was built in waves: early twentieth-century holiday villas in Saint-Clair and Aiguebelle, pine-wood estates from the 1960s to the 1980s along the corniche, high-end residences near the harbour, then contemporary builds on the last available plots. Each generation of building calls for a different response — insulation, services, a new room layout or simply a fresh, contemporary interior.
We work across all of these types with one constant: bringing the sea into the house. Enlarged openings, removed partitions, continuity between living room and terrace, materials that withstand salt, wind and sun.
- Pine-wood villas on the corniche, renovated in full or in phases
- Waterfront properties in Cavalière, Saint-Clair or La Fossette
- Village houses and townhouses in the old centre
- Contemporary villas delivered as shells, fitted out from A to Z
- Apartments in residences overlooking the bay or the islands
Our services in Le Lavandou
- Complete renovation of villas and apartments
- Bespoke interior architecture and decoration
- Furniture, kitchens and joinery designed by the studio
- Outdoor design: terraces, pool, summer kitchen
- Enhancement before seasonal letting or sale
What to know before renovating in Le Lavandou
Le Lavandou is a coastal, wooded town that is very busy in summer. Three realities weigh on a project: planning regulations, the protection of natural areas and the seasonal calendar. We build them into the very first sketches.
Coastal Law and the 100-metre strip
Outside areas that are already built up, new construction is prohibited within the 100-metre coastal strip. For an existing villa, an extension or a pool depends on the zoning and is checked case by case with the town planning department.
Local plan (PLU) and zoning
The local plan sets, area by area, heights, footprint, setbacks and sometimes external appearance (colours, roofs, fences). An interior renovation is generally not subject to it; a change to the façade or to volumes is.
Protected sites and Natura 2000
The Corniche des Maures and the shoreline are covered by landscape and environmental protections — a listed site, terrestrial and marine Natura 2000 zones depending on the sector. They may require an opinion from the heritage architect or specific conditions.
Mandatory brush clearing
In the Var, properties in wooded areas are subject to legal brush-clearing obligations, generally within 50 metres of buildings. This must be anticipated in the landscape design and before any works during the fire-risk season.
Access and site logistics
Narrow corniche roads, private lanes at Cap Nègre, limited parking: deliveries, cranes and skips have to be planned. We organise the flows to limit disturbance and comply with the rules of co-ownerships and private estates.
Summer restrictions
Municipal orders may restrict noisy works in high season, and summer traffic slows everything down. A site schedule in Le Lavandou is therefore built from autumn to spring, so that the house is delivered before summer.
This information is given for guidance only: the exact rules depend on the plot and change over time. We check them for each project with the town planning department before drawing.
Our method for owners living abroad
A large share of our clients in Le Lavandou live elsewhere in France or abroad. We have structured our service so that a project can be decided, followed and handed over remotely, with a single point of contact.
- 01
On-site survey and diagnosis
We visit the property, take measurements, photograph the existing state and identify the technical points — services, structure, damp, access. You receive a clear report, free of jargon.
- 02
Design and 3D visuals
Plans, elevations, material boards and 3D views are presented to you by video call. Decisions are made remotely, on images faithful to what will be delivered.
- 03
Local trades and a consolidated budget
We consult contractors from the corniche and the gulf whom we know, compare their offers and hand you a consolidated budget, item by item.
- 04
Site supervision and photo reporting
Regular visits, an illustrated report after each one, video calls at key milestones. You know where the site stands without having to come.
- 05
Turnkey delivery before the season
Cleaning, furniture installation, styling and handover with you — or with your property manager — so that the house is ready the day you arrive.
Our projects in Le Lavandou
Two recent projects on the corniche, in Aiguebelle and Pramousquier: a complete renovation and a new build, both delivered with their interiors.
Frequently asked questions about a project in Le Lavandou
Can I renovate a villa in Le Lavandou without being there?
Yes. We handle the survey, the design, the consultation of trades, site supervision and handover. You approve each stage remotely on plans, 3D visuals and photo reports, and you only travel if you wish to.
When is the best time for works in Le Lavandou?
Off season. Noisy works may be restricted by municipal order in summer, and summer traffic complicates deliveries. We study the project in autumn, carry out the works through autumn, winter and spring, and deliver before summer.
Do I need a permit for an interior renovation?
A purely interior renovation, with no change to the façade or floor area, generally requires no planning authorisation. As soon as an opening, an extension, a pool or a change to the external appearance is involved, a prior declaration or a permit is required. We check the situation of your plot with the town hall.
Do you work in the hamlets and at Cap Nègre?
Yes, across the whole town: the centre and harbour, Saint-Clair, La Fossette, Aiguebelle, Cavalière, Pramousquier and Cap Nègre, as well as in the neighbouring towns of Bormes-les-Mimosas and Le Rayol-Canadel.
Neighbouring areas
A project in Le Lavandou?
Let’s talk about your villa or apartment. Confidential, no-obligation consultation, on site or by video call.
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