Crush of the moment: Marc Boudreau
Welcome to our ‘Crush of the moment’ section where you will discover our favorites in the furniture and decor industry, whether it be a company, a designer, a website, in short anything that inspires us at that moment! For now, let’s discover Marc Boudreau, an industrial designer who has many years of experience under the belt. For more than 15 years, he has been working in the design industry for the creation of residential & urban furniture, park games and various utilitarian objects before launching his own studio in 2002. Among other things, he created our newest entertainment furniture collections: Damask, Paisley and Tonik. Read on to find out more about his creative approach!
What was your source of inspiration in creating the Damask, Paisley & Tonik collections?
" I'm not very good at translating the philosophy behind a graphic concept into words. I would say that the intention was to stay simple. I played with very straight shapes. The originality comes, in my opinion, from the frame that stands out of the main volume and gives asymmetry to the piece while remaining functional. I also used one of my old recipes that consists of marrying different materials and adjusting their proportions. In short, I wanted to make a pure and minimalist product while exaggerating some details. And while saying that, I realize that I could say the same thing about many of my products.“
What are the latest furniture design trends that catch the most your attention?
" I've often been told that my products have a Scandinavian or " Mid-Modern“ American style. These are trends that are very strong at the moment so I have a lot of fun creating in this context these days. Otherwise, I try to stay in this area that we say "contemporary" as it remains relevant over time. Also, as oddly as it may seem, I do not have the impression to worry so much about trends, it's done very unconsciously.“
Furniture is not the only items you create, what led you to creating children’s park games like ‘’Manta’’ and ‘’Villa’’?
"In fact, I started my career in this field. I was initially attracted by all the possibilities it offered on a creative level. I still like it today for the same reasons. It contrasts extremely with the world of furniture and it feels good to come back after spending 2 months drawing chairs!“
After more than 15 years in design, you have won several awards including one of your most recent - prix Mobilier urbain à la 10e édition des Grands Prix du Design, what does it mean for you to win prizes like this one? Did this act as leverage during your career?
" It's always nice to win prizes. It reinforces our convictions, we can then say "they understood"! Otherwise, (and I speak for myself) I have never been able to actually see a change in my career due to a prize. It is often afterwards, and now when we talk about it, it gives a bit of credibility!“
What is your biggest success?
"There has often been a difference between my favorite products and my commercial successes. It would be difficult for me to name a particular product especially since, usually, my favorite products are the ones I'm drawing in the moment! Otherwise, being in business and doing well (a bet that was not won in advance) brings me great pride.“
To stay tuned with his latest projects, check out his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/marcboudreaudesign/
