In the heart of Asturias, surrounded by nature, Objet Particulier is established as one of the most sophisticated artisan workshops in Spain. Its founder and creative director, Mamen Diego, keeps alive her commitment to rescue and value the craft of exclusive straw marquetry and other artisan creations based on the use of exquisite and unique materials such as galuchat and parchment.
In his atelier in Gijón, Asturias, Mamen Diego designs and handcrafts custom decorative coatings in straw and leather marquetry. With them he covers wall panels, pieces of furniture, lighting or decoration, destined to interior design projects in which he applies these ancestral techniques on functional and ductile light materials, such as HPL, Duropolymer or solid surface. Mamen Diego, the director of the Objet Particulier project, trained in Paris in marquetry and discovered the applications and natural beauty of straw, galuchat and parchment finishing. His idea was always clear: to create custom decorative coatings, using tools and materials from other trades, a “cross innovation”, on new, modern supports that add functionality to the current interior design. With this in mind, Mamen created Objet Particulier, which aims to apply the classic techniques of straw marquetry to projects that really want to stand out for their uniqueness. As for the techniques used in his workshop, everything is produced manually, based on natural materials and using precise gestures. Straw marquetry is characterized by its iridescent nuances and geometric designs, transforming the humble into something sublime.
The silicon contained in the straw gives it an unalterable hardness and shine, which add to its natural resistance to fire. Another of the natural materials used is the galuchat, which is the skin of the dogfish (shark) and the ray. It is an extremely resistant leather, characterized by its ivory-colored pearls and that can be dyed in an elegant range of colors. Following the rules of leather marquetry, artisans apply this material to panels or carpentry, furniture or objects, playing with thickness, colors and textures. Parchment is another of the materials with which Mamen Diego creates sophisticated custom decorative coverings. In this case, it is the sheepskin or goat skin that is transformed, dyed and placated, creating exclusive finishes. While wooden marquetry is known in Spain, straw marquetry is much less so. The delicacy of the pieces created and the scarcity of artisans specialized in this art continue to link this specialty with the most exclusive luxury. With the aim of transmitting this savoir-faire and making this trade known, Mamen Diego and Objet Particulier have created a specific training and teach the techniques of straw marquetry. He aims to bring the beauty of his trade to the new generations, and give them the opportunity to link to an artistic and artisan activity little known in Spain.