Glazed Lava Cabinet by Christophe Côme

Christophe Côme's lava cabinet from 2014 is made of iron and hand-glazed aubergine lava tiles. This cabinet contains two front doors and one interior glass shelf.

Côme lives and works in Paris, France. Raised in an artistic family, his uncle is a renowned ceramicist and his sister an acclaimed illustrator. Côme studied under the French sculptor Louis Derbe, where he learned the technique of bronze casting. Côme started his career creating sculpture and jewelry, but by the mid-1990s began to explore and transition into furniture forms.

Côme's design inspiration ranges from architectural wrought ironwork to contemporary sculpture to objects found in nature. Starting with conventional iron, he shapes and defines his forms through texture and oxidation, producing distinctive finishes. The metamorphosis of this raw industrial material through Côme's stylistic vocabulary creates objects that transcend time.

A true heir to the French tradition of design and craftsmanship, Côme's work evokes the architectural austerity of Pierre Chareau and echoes the modern sensibility of materials found in the work of Jean Royère. His work has a distinctive style of pure elegance, balanced with a contemporary outlook. Côme's sculptural perspective permeates his furniture and lighting design, elevating everyday objects into works of art.