ARDOISE DESIGN - THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN BRAND

Catherine Pirim creates high-end slate objects for indoor and outdoor gardens. Wall decorations and planters give rise to truly designer landscapes. The designer offers plants a precious setting, and art and nature lovers an accessible luxury item. A unique encounter between black stone and the infinite palette of plant colors.

A setting conceived as a sculpture, whose natural elegance and purity of lines evoke those of Constantin Brancusi. Like the Romanian artist, or the American minimalist Carl Andre, Catherine Pirim prioritizes aesthetics. Reducing the object to its essence allows for a dialogue with the environment, while always keeping function in mind.

The designer developed pioneering techniques for working with this stone, which has been present on Earth for 400 million years. Drawn to its exceptional durability, she was right: slate possesses the same density as marble or granite, resulting in unparalleled finesse. Armed with pliers, a guillotine cutter, and her imagination, she reveals the dark light within her material. A unique expertise.

A STORY OF PASSION AND EXCELLENCE

In her bright studio in Ivry-sur-Seine, Catherine Pirim's plants flourish happily beneath her glass roof. The connection between nature and creation, so evident to her today, has developed over the years. Catherine Pirim grew up in a family where the joys of innovation and creation were paramount. This inspiration led her to study drawing and painting, and later to study at the École Boulle. A qualified interior designer, she settled in Normandy, decorating villas in Deauville and private châteaux, as well as prestigious hotels and restaurants. For this discerning clientele, she immersed herself in the excellence of the arts and crafts, acquiring a deep knowledge of exceptional materials, particularly tiles.

In 2008, Catherine Pirim discovered a batch of antique slate. Luminous, light, elegant, and durable, the stone immediately captivated the designer. It was a natural fit. Success was instant: at the Maison&Objet trade fair, her unique pieces dazzled. Cyril Lignac contacted her, and the Royal Monceau and Yves Rocher placed orders.

After ten years of success, Catherine Pirim felt the need in 2021 to reconnect with her convictions. She now dedicates her expertise to gardens, both indoors and outdoors, convinced that it is on living things that our attention should be focused.

FOR A DESIRABLE FUTURE

Economy of means, elegance of lines, and durability. With slate, Catherine Pirim has found the material that perfectly addresses her concerns and expresses her values. No machines or fuel are needed. She cuts, experiments, armed only with two tools and her creative energy. Every day, Catherine Pirim continues to innovate, exploring the infinite aesthetic possibilities of this extraordinary stone, which has the lowest carbon footprint in the world.

To this bespoke expertise, she now adds her initial passion for painting and the practice of reuse, giving a second life to bistro-style tabletops, typical of Parisian terraces and unearthed from hidden gems. These discarded tabletops are restored with slate, joined by high-tech joints and lines of color: design becomes repair. Unique pieces destined for exceptional tables and terraces.