Dezeen Magazine

Colonel uses colour to update handcrafted materials for 2015 furniture collection

Isabelle Gilles and Yann Poncelet, founders of French design brand Colonel, have paired traditional craft techniques such as woven rattan and marquetry with colourful accents for their latest range (+ slideshow).

Colonel's 2015 collection

Colonel's 2015 collection comprises a sideboard, a wardrobe, a table lamp, a set of pendant lamps and an armchair.

Colonel's 2015 collection

"The key inspiration for the collection was to use traditional techniques and craftsmanship like caning and marquetry and to mix them with light wood and bright colours, to make it more contemporary," Poncelet told Dezeen. "Caning has a big graphic potential and it is interesting to use it for furniture because it gives big pieces something airy – lighter than if we only used wood."

Colonel's 2015 collection

The Straw wardrobe and sideboard are both made of solid beech with traditional canework door fronts. The lacquered wooden frame is available in three colours: vermilion, anthracite and indigo.

Colonel's 2015 collection

The conical Straw pendant lights comprise a lacquered metal frame in yellow, black or coral, which supports the triangular woven rattan panels that form the shades.

Colonel's 2015 collection

"For the lighting, rattan is an interesting material, because it is perforated, so it makes a interesting play of light," said the designer.

Colonel's 2015 collection

The Hills armchair takes its cue from garden furniture with a large 62-centimetre-wide seat. Two fabric-covered polyurethane foam cushions sit on a white lacquered metal frame with braided leather armrests.

Colonel's 2015 collection
Arabescato table

"We would like people to feel the summer side of our creation and always feel they are on vacation when they look at our collection," said Poncelet.

Colonel's 2015 collection
Hills armchair

The cuboid Kyoto table lamp is made of a solid beech with slits cut into it to let the light through. It was inspired by partition walls found in Ryokan – traditional Japanese inns.

Colonel's 2015 collection
Straw sideboard

The Arabescato table is made of solid beech. Marquetry techniques have been used to replace one corner of the wooden tabletop with marble and to insert a slice of yellow lacquered wood between the two materials.

Colonel's 2015 collection
Kyoto table lamp

All the products are made in France in collaboration with local craftspeople.

Colonel's 2015 collection
Straw pendant light

Photography is by Massimo Pessina.