Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen

portret muller van severen

 

Muller Van Severen was founded in the early Spring of 2011. With both Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen being artists, it’s natural that their collections sit somewhere between design and art. Muller Van Severen have been on an inspired quest for sculpturally interesting furniture objects, always including the space around it, and characterized by a careful research into their shared passion for art, architecture and materials. At the same time Muller Van Severen’s designs appear to be created almost intuitively and with total effortlessness. It looks as if the designers draw with crayons in space.

 

After winning countless awards and collaborating with prestigious museums (such as Vitra Museum, Centre Pompidou and Musée d'Art Decorative Paris) and galleries (Galerie Kreo, Andreas Murkudis, Tim Van Laere Gallery) worldwide, Muller Van Severen is considered to be one of the most image-defining European design teams of today. Their creations are globally identified in both private homes and public spaces. All of Muller Van Severens own production pieces are handmade by small-scale fabricators and skilled artisans, with an honesty to the rawness and irregularity of the chosen material.

For the love of materials

Our love of materials is the starting point for many of our designs. We continually search for new ways to showcase the natural beauty of our materials and strive to let the materials speak for themselves, without concealing anything. “Our objects reflect our deep appreciation of the materials we use to create them. When it comes to colour, we prefer to use integrally coloured materials, in which the colour penetrates to the very core of the object. Our paints are applied in textured layers, lending the designs a natural radiance.” Most of our objects have passed through the hands of many skilled artisans before arriving in our studio.

We then provide the finishing touches and inspect everything carefully before the objects make their way to our customers. We work with a variety of carefully selected materials, each of which has its own unique qualities. The techniques we use to craft our objects, the way materials age over time, and the tactile experience they provide are all deliberate choices on our part. Sharing information with our customers about our choice of materials and the proper way to take care of them is a vital part of our philosophy.

PE

polyethylene

This material consists of coloured plastic sheets. We love polyethylene for its standard range of colours and its appealing look and feel. A sturdy material with its own ‘personality’, it was originally created for use in the food industry. A number of standard colours were developed in order to enhance hygiene and avoid cross-contamination. Each colour is associated with a certain type of food; for example, blue is used for fish and red for meat.

leather

We use cow leather tanned in traditional methods in order to maintain it’s natural beauty and soft feel. The variations in colour and texture are the prized characteristics of beautiful vegetal tanned leather. Over time, the leather will acquire a patina and may darken due to the oils of the skin and direct sunlight. Scratches and other consequences of use will change the natural look of the leather.

brass

Brushed finish with a protective coating of beeswax. Over time, this material will gradually darken. Areas that are touched frequently may become tarnished, but eventually the piece will acquire a deep, rich patina.

steel

Some of our objects are made of raw, unfinished steel. Before delivery, these objects will have been treated with carbon black polish or beeswax. To prevent oxidation, treat with beeswax once every six months.

marble

marble

Marble is one of the first materials we ever worked with. From the very beginning, we have combined different marbles, highlighting the playfulness of the otherwise rather rigid or heavy material. The different drawings in marble add to its playful character. In collaboration with natural stone company Van Den Weghe.

enamel

We became infatuated by enamel in 2016. Not entirely unexpected, as we have a soft spot for forgotten materials and techniques. During the traditional process of enamelling, colored powder glass is