Decorating & Design
February 23, 2017
Find The Perfect Statement Piece From Philippe Malouin
Busy Canadian expat designer Philippe Malouin is known for selecting unexpected materials, and these designs illustrate his unique approach. Originally from Montreal, Philippe now has a studio in London where he runs his own eponymous firm. Click below to see three standout pieces from the talented designer.
Learn more about Philippe Malouin and his creative process in our April 2017 issue, on newsstands from March 6th.
Philippe was inspired to create the Gridlock series (which includes a table, coffee table and light) while driving from the airport in Bangkok. The crisscrossing metal supports he saw that supported the tall billboards by the side of the road are referenced in the design of the Gridlock table’s legs. Topped by a concrete slab, the table feels industrial, but the legs of the structure are assembled entirely by hand from thousands of tubular brass parts, like an intricate piece of jewelry.
Not many designers would think of crafting a rug from metal, but the Yachiyo metal rug is practically indestructible. Made using an intricate Japanese chain mail method, the rug’s trompe l’oeil designs resemble a 3D cube.
A close-up detail reveals the looped wire construction. The wire is hand cut into small rings which are riveted together in a ‘12-in-2’ pattern. It’s impossible to make this rug by machine: it requires more than 3,000 meters of galvanized wire and 3,000 hours of handiwork to create it.
Many would assume a stool made solely from fabric would prove too flimsy. The Hardie stools Philippe designed for Danish textile company Kvadrat are fashioned without a frame using the same piece of fabric from the inside to the outside. As a result, the stool is light to move yet sturdy enough to support a sitter.
Rolling up the fabric makes the Hardie stools structural and rigid. When topped by resin, the fabric acts in a similar way to laminated fibreglass or carbon fiber.