Revealing beauty through upcycling
and the kintsugi of objects

Once seen as merely a pragmatic response to limitations, upcycling has emerged as a genuine aesthetic movement in contemporary design. Rather than pursuing standardization, it celebrates traces, fractures, and the visible marks of time. The Japanese art of kintsugi—repairing broken ceramics with gold—illuminates this shift: damage becomes beauty, the flaw becomes the focal point. Fragmented marble, dormant textiles, salvaged wood, and weathered industrial objects now carry a different narrative—one where repair and creation are inseparable.

Raffaella Loï: bringing out the design from stone

jes2ufoto ; freepik

Raffaella Loï’s work begins with a direct dialogue with material. This Paris-based designer and interior architect transforms marble scraps from her family’s workshop in the Paris region into furniture and decorative objects. Where others see waste, she finds potential: natural breaks in the stone become deliberate graphic lines, integrated into each piece’s design. Her console tables, tables, and decorative objects emerge as refined geometric compositions, playing with contrasts in color and texture.

As founder of Raffaella Loï Design, she focuses on unique pieces and limited editions, produced in close collaboration with the family workshop. Showcased at events like Paris Design Week, her work embodies her Franco-Italian heritage and a craft tradition passed down through generations.

A.P.C. Quilts: textiles as assembled memories

She can’t sew – A.P.C

With the A.P.C. Quilts line, upcycling takes on an intimate, almost archival dimension. Initiated around 2010 by Jean Touitou and designer Jessica Ogden, this approach breathes new life into the brand’s dormant stock, transforming it into unique quilts. Cotton, denim, and silk from past collections are assembled through precise patchwork techniques, organized into thematic series. Each quilt is numbered and produced in very limited quantities.

The geometric patterns, understated color palettes, and attention to texture remain faithful to A.P.C.’s aesthetic DNA. Yet these pieces transcend their domestic function—they become collector’s items. By reusing fabrics that have already dressed thousands of bodies, these quilts carry a collective memory, embodying the spirit of the house in tangible form.

Lisa Lejeune: restoring value to raw wood

Josephine Barham ; Unsplash

Designer and cabinetmaker Lisa Lejeune has built a rigorous practice around sustainable design. A graduate of École Boulle and ENS Cachan, she works with end-grain marquetry and sawmill scraps, transforming overlooked remnants into precise geometric patterns for tables, mirrors, and everyday objects. Her approach prioritizes wood from sustainably managed French forests and meticulous material optimization—nothing goes to waste.

The objects she creates are built for daily use and longevity, without sacrificing aesthetic appeal. Whether designing furniture with soft, flowing lines or functional objects, her work showcases both craftsmanship and the inherent beauty of the material. Like kintsugi, her practice of repair and assembly doesn’t conceal—it reveals the visual richness of wood itself.

Béatrice Sosna: repurposing technical objects

Paris-based interior designer Béatrice Sosna brings upcycling to life through her brand Ondine. She transforms maritime signal buoys and fishing floats into sculptural light fixtures. These objects, weathered by salt, erosion, and the elements, retain their patina and visual identity even as their function shifts entirely.

This approach mirrors her interior design philosophy—one characterized by attention to textures, color nuances, and the dialogue between contemporary furniture and historic spaces. Featured in leading design publications, her creations champion lively, personalized interiors where character takes precedence over uniformity. Through collaboration with craftsmen, she produces unique pieces where the repurposed object becomes not just decor, but a central focal point.