The Design Inspiration Behind Le Petit Marché
![Marchet of Le Petit Marche](https://www.woodgrain.com//wp-content/uploads/marchet-682x1024-2.jpeg)
“The idea came to me while traveling throughout France and seeing the countryside dotted with little markets. I thought, if I ever wanted to start a new business, I would love to open a little market. And that’s what I ended up doing when I moved to Atlanta 10 years ago. It went from a market to a café to a full-blown restaurant,” Marchet recalls.
![Le Petit Marche sign](https://www.woodgrain.com//wp-content/uploads/marchesign-1024x682-3.jpeg)
Marchet’s entrepreneurial-DIY-bootstrap spirit and c’est la vie attitude are evident in Le Petit Marché’s aesthetic. Working with interior designers Gavin Bernard and Alyssa Cassatto of Grafite, they created a look that Marchet describes as “my grandmother’s house meets Anthropologie.”
![grandmother](https://www.woodgrain.com//wp-content/uploads/mirrors-682x1024-3.jpeg)
Framed by crisp moulding, the floral wallpaper-adorned walls of Le Petit Marché tell a story of their own. “Pictures of my parents are everywhere around here…as well as my grandmother’s china and mirrors,” she says, pointing to a few pieces on the wall.
![](https://www.woodgrain.com/wp-content/uploads/family_photos-1024x682-3.jpeg)
Borrowing design elements from her own past, Marchet’s restaurant feels like she’s inviting you into her home. “This is design on a budget. Everything here, pretty much, is second-hand. My dad even built our specials board,” she says, motioning to the sign.
![](https://www.woodgrain.com/wp-content/uploads/chalkboard-682x1024-2.jpeg)
“That’s what makes this place so interesting. Nothing matches and seems very random, but that’s intentional. I don’t want there to be any uniformity. It adds character to the space,” she explains.
![](https://www.woodgrain.com/wp-content/uploads/Image-1-7-600x456.jpg)
Marchet continues, “I have to give credit to Joe Alcock, the architect of this building, for giving me a great, carved out interior to build on. The pitched roof, the modern lines…the exposed wood is a nice touch because it reminds you of what this space used to be; and it wasn’t perfect.”
![](https://www.woodgrain.com/wp-content/uploads/wide_shot-1024x682-3.jpeg)
Embracing imperfections is what Marchet Sparks (and by extension, Le Petit Marché) is all about: “I’ve just gone with the flow, and here we are.”
![](https://www.woodgrain.com/wp-content/uploads/table_decor-682x1024-3.jpeg)
Blending family history with comfort food to create a warm and personable atmosphere, it’s easy to feel at home at Le Petit Marché. Thank you for sharing your story (and food) with us, Marchet!