LE MATURÉ

Behind the artisanal look of ‘La Collection des Artistes’ lies an advanced production process combined with handcrafted finishing. The planks are naturally produced using a modern machine park at our French facility near Bordeaux. What sets us apart from our competitors—and marks a true innovation for us—comes in the next steps: We had a custom drum built in which we age the wood in an old-fashioned way, a process we call ‘Maturé’. Using a selection of carefully chosen stones, we create a worn and lived-in look, as if the floor has been used for years. We deliberately call it ‘Maturé’ rather than ‘aged’, because our aging technique is more subtle and results in a naturally worn appearance—not the artificial look that others create with deep dents and rough damage. The planks are then brushed and treated at least twice with a reactive stain. This stain interacts with the natural tannins in the oak, creating a chemical color reaction without the use of artificial pigments. This treatment is done manually, and each layer requires a certain reaction time (including overnight drying on racks), as the effect develops over time. Afterwards, the planks are hand-finished with multiple coats of high-quality oxidative (air-drying) natural hardwax oils. This guarantees a premium finish and a soft-touch feel that cannot be achieved through machine-applied UV variants. It is this unique combination of modern industrial production and traditional, handcrafted finishing techniques that makes this collection truly special. We are also setting high standards for the marketing of this collection, which will have a very high-end look and feel, ready to be showcased at Archi@Work in May. The merging of different artistic visions often results in something extraordinary. This principle guided us in an exciting collaboration with French artist Patrice Murciano to reinterpret a masterpiece by the renowned French painter Gustave Caillebotte. The result of this creative partnership n