Artistic Ironwork, History, and Heritage

Founded in 1880 in Moulins, France, Maison Pouenat has been rooted in the centuries-old craft of decorative ironwork from its inception, creating bespoke staircases, railings, balustrades, gates, and canopies. The company evolved towards custom interior furniture and metal joinery (wall cladding, doors, display cases), working notably for Jansen and the SS France ocean liner, before establishing itself as a publisher by developing its first collection of furniture and lighting in the 1970s, based on designs by Henri Pouenat. In 1995, the company was taken over by Jacques Rayet, a connoisseur of beauty and excellent craftsmanship, who brought innovation and international expansion to this iconic house of French decorative arts. From 2003 onwards, he invited a designer each year to collaborate on creating exceptional pieces, and in 2009, the company was recognized as a Living Heritage Company. Today, Maison Pouenat supports architects and decorators by perpetuating ancestral techniques to shape metal and bring to life striking classic or contemporary furnishings and installations, specializing in furniture and lighting publishing, interior decoration works, and high-quality custom designs.

From the Robustness of Metal to the Delicacy of Finishes

Maison Pouenat works with raw metal: steel, aluminium, brass, copper, or stainless steel. The artisans cut, shape, and assemble this solid, massive, and robust material using fire, their tools, and their expertise. They skillfully transform it into aesthetically pleasing forms with curves, obliques, and volutes, and combine it with other noble materials (wood, leather, fabric, marble, plaster, or glass) to create unique and unexpected ensembles. The textures and finishes are what make Maison Pouenat renowned and distinctive: visible, tangible, and sensitive surfaces that give each piece its unique character. The company offers over a hundred different finishes: hammering, brushing, scratching, polishing, patinas, lacquers, and varnishes open up an infinite range of possibilities in terms of creativity, customization, appearance, and tones. These finishes also impart a unique character to each creation.

The Workshops and the Gallery

The Design Office and Workshops in Moulins

The design office transforms the client’s vision and project into drawings and technical terms, offering samples of materials and textures to finalize the intention before production. The Metal Workshops shape the raw material using traditional, modernized, or exploratory techniques as the project demands. Next comes the finishing stage, and assembly (between materials or electrical wiring), before the final packaging and installation of the works in France or internationally. From forging to finishes, the artisans of Maison Pouenat are in constant dialogue to bring a piece to life. The integration of materials such as straw marquetry, glass, and fabric requires specific engineering and precision, making the Maison a true “Engineering-Assembler” of architectural decoration, a stance that allows it to support residential projects, hospitality, yachting, or luxury retail.

The Parisian Gallery

Established in 2011 in the Passage Dauphine, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, La Galerie Pouenat offers clients, by appointment only, the opportunity to discover unique pieces, a materials library of finishes, techniques, as well as completed works, prototypes, and models, in a confidential ambiance conducive to exchanges and creativity. The scenography is constantly renewed with the rhythm of collaborations, projects, explorations, and realizations of the Maison, always in motion.

Collaboration with Architects, Decorators, and Designers

Maison Pouenat offers several modes of collaboration, ranging from catalogue pieces to bespoke creations.

Collections

Since 2003, the Maison has initiated an annual collaboration with a renowned architect-designer to create and produce a collection of furniture and lighting. These pieces, balancing tradition and innovation, reveal the synergies between the designer’s creativity and the constraints and possibilities of material combinations.

Capsules

Since 2020, alongside the main collections, the Maison has introduced “Capsules,” which are satellite favourites enriching the catalogue with refined pieces. These are created with the same high standards of excellence, and their more accessible design adapts to various settings.

Collectibles

In 2023, to celebrate twenty years of publishing, the Maison invited fifteen architect-designers who have significantly influenced its collections (such as Humbert & Poyet, Stéphane Parmentier, Rodolphe Parente, Isabelle Stanislas, Tristan Auer, Jean-Louis Deniot…) to reinterpret one of their pieces. These collectible designs are presented at international exhibitions and produced in editions of twelve for collectors and art enthusiasts.

Bespoke

For architectural projects, decorative metal joinery, or custom interior furniture, Maison Pouenat’s clients can draw inspiration from the catalogue or collaborate with the design office on bespoke creations.

A preferred partner for international architects and designers, Maison Pouenat offers its technical and artistic expertise to realize prestigious projects in France and abroad. High-end hotels (Hôtel de Crillon with Tristan Auer, Hôtel Royal à Évian with François Champsaur, Hôtel Hermitage in Monaco with Pierre-Yves Rochon), luxury boutiques (Cartier Shanghai with Laura Gonzalez, Cartier 13 Paix with Moinard Bétaille and Studio Parisien, Balmain with Joseph Dirand, Hermès with RDAI), and private residences (Damien Langlois-Meurinne, Humbert & Poyet, Sybille de Margerie) all benefit from the Maison’s skill and adaptability, ensuring the realization of their visions through exceptional craftsmanship. 

A blacksmith, locksmith, and artistic metalworker turned master metalworker and publisher, Maison Pouenat supports its clients worldwide with passion, audacity, and a commitment to passing on its expertise. The Maison continually pushes the boundaries of creativity and the excellence of artisanal craftsmanship.