Craft & Design Meeting – Raku Yaki Series by Emmanuelle Simon

Raku dates back to the early 1550’s in Japan and was highly favoured by Zen Buddhist Masters for its simplicity and naturalness. The unique look has always served its purpose well in the world of ceramics. We’ve seen beautiful bowls and vases crafted using this low fire technique where crackles scatter the surface of these pots.

Interior designer and architect Emmanuelle Simon spotted a gap in the market and ran with it, applying this raku technique to her wonderful range of furniture and lighting that mixes Industrial design principles with this age old method.

Obviously the incorporation of such a technique in to the wider world is inspiring in itself, but there’s also something very natural about Emmanuelle’s aesthetic overall. It makes sense that she’s inspired by the wabi-sabi philosophy, using these natural materials mixed with the minimalist lines of contemporary architecture.

This is very unique as we tend to see either a trend toward the ultra modern, or going to the other way toward a more rustic aesthetic. Simon has been able to strike this beautiful balance that’s very calming and zen. Which definitely links in with the raku method of firing! I would love to spend time in all of the interiors she designs. Let’s hope for more spaces with such a cohesiveness and that can bring us a little respite from our busy world.

emmanuellesimon.com

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