Often times artisans attempt to design or replicate a piece of furniture that appears aged, giving it a distressed look that can only be achieved by careful detailing. This practice is done by studying antique furniture items to see where the natural aging marks fall on the piece. Designer Francesco Giampietro, created this buffet, with its curved legs and soft interior lighting, as an homage to antique French furniture.
The buffet is done in the style of eighteenth century Provence, France. The charming, weathered appearance was achieved with consideration as to how an original piece would age over the course of use and time. The splits in the wood on the exterior of the cabinet are created by a distressing technique that reflects the time period in which the buffet represents. Small, simulated wormholes are added to achieve a centuries old appearance by suggesting an unfinished or natural wood was used to create the piece.
The boards selected to construct the inside floor of the bottom cabinet and the back panel of the top cabinetry, are rough to the touch and mature in appearance. Using an unfinished board gives the buffet a vintage feel and appeal. The frosted and textured glass panels that adorn the inside-top cabinetry, allow the kitchenware’s housed inside to deliver a pop of colour through the pane. Hardware was sourced with an antique feel and a matching skeleton key to further the old-fashioned allure. The entire cabinet was painted in a soft off white and the wood is given a patina to create a quaint rustic look.
The charm of the cabinet is a reflection of the classic, yet rural atmosphere of France’s countryside provinces of Bordeaux, Normandy and Provence. The design alludes to a time when life was a little simpler and furniture was crafted by hand, all the while providing countryside residents a beautiful and stylish addition to their homes.
