Valérie Colas des Francs

To create this straw marquetry table, Valérie Colas des Francs let her imagination sprout. Subtly geometric, her creation blends traditional craftsmanship with the graphic lines of contemporary furniture. Between shades of blue, green and violet, it seems as alive and vibrant as the natural material it comes from.

Valérie Colas des Francs had the fortune of growing up surrounded by 17th-century objects. Their colors, as well as the techniques used during that period, sparked her interest. A marvel to the senses, straw - a luminous, lively material if there ever was one - particularly moved her. For fifteen years, she learned the craft of restoring objects and antique furniture at Lison de Caunes' workshop. This specialist in straw marquetry, who inherited the skill from her own grandfather, decorator André Groult, opened up a whole new world of possibilities for Valérie.

How would you describe your relationship with straw ?

I really think I do this job "because it is her, because it is I" (as Montaigne put it). We found each other. I don't usually have any patience but with her. Straw makes me feel good. It's sensual, it vibrates and is constantly playing with light. It is both simple and refined. After all these years, I'm still fascinated by the straw's journey, from its field to me and my creations.

How would you define your profession ?

Straw marquetry allows you to embellish a surface by creating a pattern. More precisely, it's about making a veneer that's glued from edge to edge. The idea is to draw the eye into a graphic, or rather colorful composition, as is the case with the table I designed for Majuno.

Working with decorators, architects and customers is an important part of my business. It can be quite the adventure to understand each other's desires and ideas. And then there's the challenge of carrying out the plan. Once the technical issues are out of the way, we move on to colors and shapes. I'm passionate about every stage, no matter how different, with a slight preference for the pure creative process. It opens up a space where anything is possible, where the only limits are those we set ourselves. For example, for years I've had this wild plan of making a giant spinning top. I love the idea of movement in all creations.

What attracted you to the Majuno project ?

I liked the simplicity of Julie's approach. She came to the workshop, she touched and tried to understand the straw as a material and how its imperfections are what make it look so lively. And then I liked her commitment to the materials for this project, the color choices she suggested and her willingness to be bold, quite simply. For me, furniture is as valuable as a work of art. They both contribute to our well-being.