Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Remarkably sculptural but unexpectedly versatile, vintage Hervé Van der Straeten furniture and lighting is at home in all kinds of interiors. While the French designer’s chandeliers, tables and other works draw on everything from visual art forms in Japan to luxurious Art Deco–era furnishings to modernist icons such as Mies van der Rohe, Van der Straeten designs are unapologetically original and rather difficult to categorize.
Van der Straeten was born in Savigny-sur-Orge, France, in 1965. As a young man, he attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He studied painting but began making jewelry, too. Van der Straeten’s inaugural accessories, constructed with brass and rubber, garnered immediate attention. In 1985, French fashion designer Thierry Mugler had included several of Van der Straeten's designs in a show, and before long, he was designing for names like Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix.
Despite the success of Hervé Van der Straeten jewelry, the visionary designer shifted his focus to interior decor. "For me, jewelry was more like a parenthetical," he told 1stDibs. "What I always wanted to do was to design furniture." So, in 1992, Van der Straeten launched a collection of dishes, sconces and candlesticks. He opened a showroom in the Marais district of Paris in 1999, followed by a workshop in the suburb of Bagnolet.
Today, Van der Straeten oversees approximately 30 artisans at his ateliers who help bring his furniture designs to life. His work is delightfully unconventional and will draw the focus in any space — there is a compelling emphasis on the use of industrial materials, such as anodized aluminum and steel rods, as well as an integration of traditional techniques such as marquetry in his sculptural mirrors, side tables and other pieces. Van der Straeten’s furniture — some of which can be found in the alluring apartment in Paris that the designer shares with his husband, former Roger Vivier artistic director Bruno Frisoni — is available in the United States through both Ralph Pucci and Maison Gerard.
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21st Century and Contemporary French Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Stone, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Bronze
2010s French Organic Modern Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Stone
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Onyx
1890s French Mid-Century Modern Antique Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Bamboo, Straw, Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Brass
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Marble, Brass, Bronze
Late 20th Century Louis XVI Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Marble, Brass
Late 20th Century European Art Deco Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Glass, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Herve Van Der Straeten Gueridon
Brass