A Neo-Art Deco Collection by Astrid Houssin

INTERVIEWS

Astrid Houssin

A Collection of Neo–Art Deco Creations with a Modernist Spirit.

For her debut collection, French designer Astrid Houssin presents seven signature pieces: a bedside table, mirror, tray, stool, chair, pouf, and shelf. Each object is defined by timeless lines and elevated with ornamental details that reflect her desire “to reintroduce decorative elements into furniture design.” At the same time, she seeks to soften them, “blurring the boundaries.” “Both masculine and feminine,” as the designer explains, the collection lies at the crossroads of “modernist, neo–Art Deco, and Japanese-inspired influences.” Each refined, made-to-order piece is crafted by skilled artisans in Portugal.

Portrait

Astrid Houssin is a Paris-based designer and architect who trained in England. With this collection, marked by a sharp sense of restraint, the designer reveals her refined universe. Pieces with bespoke finishes – some handcrafted, like the Nautilus mirror and Nautilus stool – which she envisioned “as pieces that could be part of her own home.”

The Lauren Bedside Table

In the Details

Astrid's custom-made pieces are distinguished by a selection of noble finishes that elevate the seven creations. Materials range from the organic such as oak, walnut, or elm burl, to the sophisticated, with lacquered or hand-painted surfaces inspired by tortoiseshell and faux parchment motifs.

Leitmotif

It was while researching in the archives of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris that Astrid Houssin found inspiration. Among the pages of old catalogues, the timeless and whimsical motif of the Nautilus emerged as a recurring theme.

“The Nautilus is everywhere in Paris: on balconies, lamp posts, doors, and handles. A detail characteristic of the Art Deco era – seen in the graphic, sculptural, and design work of the time – but one that, let’s not forget, was also borrowed from antiquity. It’s an emblem that transcends time,” tells the designer.