RESIDE WINTER 2020
MATERIAL OF THE MOMENT RESIN IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR FOR CRAFTING BESPOKE FURNITURE AND HOME ACCENTS
ncreasingly, designers are using the versatile substance to craft bespoke furniture and home accents. enerally thought of as a plastic derivative, resin, as interior designer ina agon of ontour nterior esign in ouston describes, is “a naturally occurring organic compound sourced from plants that consists of a noncrystalline, liquid substance that is fusible.” And resin casting is a method often used for making furniture, whereby a mold is filled with liquid resin, which then hardens. “ ne of the most noted designers, who was groundbreaking in using resin in furniture, lighting, and accessory design in the late 1960s, early ’ 0s, was arie- laude de Fouqui res,” says uy egal, a ew ork-based dealer of fine art and antiques. “Through a chemical reaction, the material is given a crackled effect,” he says. And ine Vautrin, who worked through the 19 0s, ’40s, and ’50s, was well known for incorporating resin in her sunburst mirrors, which created a luminous effect, egal says. “ oth of these artists’ works are highly sought after by collectors and achieve five-and-si -figure prices at auction.”
UNIQUE ADAPTATIONS
Above: Resin designs by Phillip Thomas show off the material’s range. Top right: A table designed by Quincy Ellis.
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ne of the main reasons for resin’s growing popularity is its versatility, fle ibility, and durability; ust a simple hand sanding at home can smooth surface scratches. t also can be used as a varnish or lacquer, which not only makes it something that can suspend ob ects
effectively think coins or insects in a paperweight, for e ample but also coat them, agon says. arina anisch of arina anisch nteriors in ew ork tries to incorporate resin into wood slab furniture. “The luminosity reflected in the resin combined with the organic nature of the wood creates a perfect harmony between natural and synthetic materials,” she says. nterior designer hillip Thomas, founder and principal of hillip Thomas nc. in ew ork, has used the material in millwork designs for counters and shelving, to cover flooring, and as artistic home accents. To create a focal point in a study, Thomas used a fractured resin sphere to decorate a green lacquered desk. As the light changed throughout the day, the sphere went from looking slightly opaque to more translucent to a glowing bron e. “ love how fractured resin captures the light and changes as the light in a space changes,” he says. MODERN MAKERS
ndustrial designer uincy Ellis, owner of rooklyn-based Facture Studio, an art furniture company, thinks of resin as art, then made into something functional. nown for his molded popsicle-like resin pieces that blur the lines between sculpture and furniture, Ellis plays with how the eye perceives color and depth at the same time. “They’re active pieces that are ever changing along with light conditions,” Ellis says. “The way we can shape, color, and make resin transparent and into a beautiful ob ect that lasts forever is ama ing.”
From left: Kris Tamburello; Quincy Ellis
paque or transparent, colorful or muted, resin is a chameleon O of sorts and it’s having a moment.
