Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
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.
Find extraordinary Hervé Van der Straeten furniture on 1stDibs.
21st Century and Contemporary French Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Bronze
1950s French Brutalist Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Wood
1960s French Brutalist Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Leather, Wood, Cowhide
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Stainless Steel
21st Century and Contemporary French Primitive Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Hardwood
1950s French Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Wood
19th Century French Other Antique Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Silk, Oak
1980s English Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Wood
1950s French Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Wood
1950s French Vintage Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Metal
2010s Brazilian Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Imbuia
20th Century French Art Deco Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Herve Van Der Straeten Footstools
Chrome
