Cement is becoming a more and more significant material also at home. Concerning this, Matali Crasset, -one of the most well-known French designer all over the world - has thought of a concrete furniture collection, after taking the artistic direction of Concrete by LCDA (an interior design group). The collection comprises three pieces: a bookshelf, a table and a lamp. The mix between the craftsman skills and the designer’s ability to stand out the peculiarity of cement, contribute to achieving sculptural results through simple shapes. The surface finishings of the table preserve the traditional texture of the wood-made mould, even for appearance, thanks to a solid fiber cement. The lamp in composed of a led diffuser put into a bodywork; it appears to be “retro”, as it reminds the cement acoustic mirrors on the English coasts.

Finally, the freestanding bookshelf, which develops on a herringbone structure, is composed of two divisions placed side by side. The peculiarity that emerges is the usage of the most solid material to obtain slight furnishing. The French designer surprises: we know her ironic style, cleverly pop and colorful (“Who don’t use colors is afraid of living”, she said in a recent interview), but design is recognized for its eclecticism too. Born in 1965, Matali Crasset claims a 20 years experience, between design and architecture: from public spaces to set design, from multifunctional furnishings ( for companies such as Alessi, Danese, Campeggi and Domestic), to the artificial garden made for the Galerie Des Enfants of the Centre Pompidou, in Paris. Don’t forget her experimental hotels designed for Hi-Life chain: for example the Hi-Net of Nice with 9 types of room, the interactive Hi-Matic of Paris and the spectacular and ecological Dar-Hi in Tunisia.

INFO: www.matalicrasset.com