During Salone del Mobile.Milano, Belgian designer Elias Van Orshaegen and interior architect Maarten Van Meerbeeck present GARÇONNIÈRE, a site-specific installation examining the relationship between furniture, interior architecture, and narrative space. The project is located at Via San Maurilio 14 in the historic centre of Milan.
© EliasvanO | Maarten v Meerbeck
The installation draws on the historical concept of the garçonnière, a secondary apartment traditionally associated with bourgeois lifestyles, offering a more private and expressive alternative to formal domestic interiors. This typology is reinterpreted as a contemporary environment staged with a cinematic approach.
Structured as a sequence of spatial experiences, the installation guides visitors through different stages of construction and composition. The entry point presents a backstage setting where structural elements, raw materials, and unfinished surfaces are deliberately exposed. Within this transitional space, furniture pieces are displayed as standalone objects, positioned between prototype and finished form.
The main installation unfolds as a fully realised interior, forming the garçonnière itself. Soft architectural interventions, including stretched fabric elements, redefine the geometry of the space and contribute to an immersive atmosphere. The scenographic approach references historical interiors such as Les Palmiers by Jean Dunand, while maintaining a contemporary interpretation.
Within the environment, furniture pieces are positioned as integral components of the spatial narrative. Desks, lighting elements, wall compositions, a daybed, and a custom rug are arranged to form a cohesive interior landscape, where each object contributes to the overall composition.
The installation introduces new works by Van Orshaegen, alongside collaborative pieces developed with Van Meerbeeck. Materials such as solid oak, mahogany, aluminium, rock crystal, and textiles are explored across the collection, reflecting a focus on materiality and craftsmanship.
GARÇONNIÈRE marks the first large-scale collaboration between the two designers, combining Van Orshaegen's sculptural approach with Van Meerbeeck's narrative-driven interior architecture. The project positions furniture not as isolated objects, but as elements within a broader architectural and experiential context.
Open from 20 to 26 April, the installation forms part of the wider programme across Milan, contributing to ongoing discussions on the intersection of design, space, and storytelling.
More information:
Maarten van Meerbeck
[email protected]
www.maartenvanmeerbeeck.com
Elias van Orshaegen
[email protected]
www.eliasvo.com
