Marina Bautier

Marina Bautier follows a discreet but very human approach to her design process.

For her, the richness of life does not immediately mean luxury or ostentatious forms. She gives priority to simple structures and easily manufactured materials, but she also attaches great care and detail to the appearance and the manufacturing of each product.

Though sober by design, her products have been characterised by their generosity in shape and size—such as the Lap shelving which has a simple profile offering more space for the contents. Marina Bautier starts from the observation of ordinary daily activities to develop her products to fit better in to our lives, to be comfortable and useful.

Speaking to CoffeeKlatch, Marina said "As I child I made wooden objects and wood is simply my favorite material. It’s accessible, easy to manipulate and warm. And because of the nature of wood, no two wooden objects are the same. Wood is sustainable, and I realize people do care a lot about the objects they surrounded themselves with at home.

"In my designs, I go for simplicity and try to minimize the production process as much as possible. I want to get the best out of my material and give each object a warm feeling. Simplicity and serenity are back in demand, in which nature plays a more important role, especially in the life of city dwellers.

"I find it fascinating to see how people live and how they create a certain atmosphere in their homes. Next to that, my daily life often serves as a starting point, for example when a specific piece is missing in my interior. When I’m designing, I love observing antique furniture, which often leads to progress in the construction of my designs."

Who is Marina Bautier?

Graduating from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, the Belgian designer Marina Bautier set up her design practice in 2002. She has gone on to refine her own deft design language to produce work for manufacturers such as Idée, Ligne Roset and Case, and also takes on interior and private client work.

Marina Bautier cultivates a design approach based on use. Away from any pretence, she creates furniture and objects which render many services without ever encumbering.

While she gives priority to simple structures and materials easily manufactured, she also carefully considers appearance and implementation qualities.

Away from technological rhetoric, Marina Bautier emphasizes the beauty and the modernity of familiar materials, and especially of wood. Spotted as ‘the names we’re watching’ by Elle Decoration UK in 2007, she has recently been awarded ‘Best use of Material: wood’ by Wallpaper Magazine.

Lap Shelving for Case, 2009

Lap is a simple and highly functional shelving unit comprising a solid oak frame and a variety of folded sheet metal components. The powder coated components include a bookshelf, a tray shelf, a deep box and a shallow box which drop into and overlap the frame. By adding an extension kit, the Lap system can adapt to the particular needs of the user.

Cruiser Chair, 2009

Taking little space when folded away, Cruiser keeps nevertheless the comfort of a standard lounge chair. Its language is voluntary the one of an indoor seat, thanks to the choice of material, the generous proportions and the padded seat.