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Price category: 2,500 - 5,000 usd / eur

This brilliant coffee table with red and black ceramic tiles is a piece characterised by the design genius of Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron. It visually represents why Votre Maison, the French duo’s company, significantly influenced French design history.

The renowned French design duo Guillerme et Chambron placed equal emphasis on function and visual interest, creating an instantly recognisable and arresting aesthetic. While their work is distinctively conservative and identifiable from project to project both in form and medium (their wood of choice, waxed oak, was often lightened or darkened to the same few tones), the duo’s pieces also possessed an unusual flare. They incorporated elaborately detailed tiles and unusually bright fabrics, which could be used interchangeably in various pieces. This coffee table is one of the most stunning examples of the success of their design experiments. It is hard to choose between the tabletop with ceramic inlays or the sculptural legs as the most captivating visual point. The thin glazed ceramic tiles are artistic, with interesting non-figurative patterns in various hues of red and black. The vivid colours stand out significantly against the light oak body that has aged beautifully and displays a lovely grain within the wood.

The collaboration of Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron was not just prolific, it was destined to be as influential as it was. Their company, Votre Maison, produced over two thousand models during the second half of the twentieth century, leaving an indelible stamp on the design of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Their output served as a model for a vast field of livable contemporaneous design and designers, inspiring a generation of creators.

Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use.

Dimensions:

29.13 in Ø x 17.72 in H

74 cm Ø x 45 cm H

About the Designers:

Robert Guillerme graduated in 1934 from the École Boulle where he excelled in architecture and furniture design. After the Second World War he moved to Lille, in the north of France, where he decorated homes and designed furniture for the well regarded Rogier workshops.

In 1948, Guillerme was joined by his long-time friend, decorator Jacques Chambron in Lille. The following year Guillerme and Chambron met master cabinetmaker Émile Dariosecq, owner of a woodworking shop and the company Votre Maison was born. Together, they defined and imposed a new furniture concept. Thanks to their distinctive creativity, originality, and quality, the Votre Maison quickly became well-known.

The Votre Maison marked the history of French design. Guillerme drew the furniture designs while Chambron played the part of salesman, welcoming and advising clients. The power duo was complemented by Dariosecq, whose workshop took charge of the manufacturing. Together, they defined new furnishings concepts. Well-crafted chair back, polished wood and thick cushions make the reputation of their armchairs and sofas. Votre Maison continued to produce furniture right into the 20th century, with Jacques’s son Hervé Chambron, a designer and graduate of the École Boulle, having taken the over in 1983. ~H.