Founded by Maurice Gouget (Philippe Hurel’s grandfather) in 1911 as La Fabrique de Meubles de Coulombs, Philippe Hurel celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2011. After Philippe Hurel joined the company in 1968, it began creating contemporary furniture. In 1989, Philippe Hurel opened its first Parisian showroom and in 2005, the company opened a newly improved factory. Philippe Hurel now maintains 14 showrooms worldwide, including New York, Dublin, London, Paris, Athens, Moscow, Tokyo, and Melbourne.
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Malcolm:
The Malcolm Banquette is a sinuous sofa with a linear cutout in the back, a narrow rectangular window of negative space. The upholstered seat, in the shape of an oblong oval, is topped with a slightly curved backrest. Three soft square pillows can be arranged and rearranged to accommodate the banquette’s inhabitants. The pillows also serve to create artistic compositions: use them to completely block Malcolm’s window or set them to call attention to this feature. In beech wood, the Malcolm Banquette can be upholstered in fabric or leather, though it’s particularly fetching in velvet.
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Ralph Dining Table:
A round teak top with a sunburst pattern dominates the Ralph Dining Table, part of Philippe Hurel’s Outdoor Collection. Set on a powdercoat aluminum frame with four chunky legs, the overall effect of Ralph is one of perfect balance. Slits within the wood tabletop allow water to move through the piece. Beautiful enough for interior applications, Ralph Dining Table is its own little sun, bright and cheerful inside and out.
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Tyrol:
Winner of the V.I.A. label award (Valorisation de l'Innovation dans l'Ameublement) in 2006, Tyrol is a wooden stool with four slightly curved legs and a subtly ornamented seat that recalls the volutes of a column capital. 17” H x 19” W x 14” D, Tyrol fits just about anywhere, serving as anything from a footrest to a bedside table. The top can be solid wood or finished with satin lacquer. In a bold color like orange, Tyrol adds a dash of whimsy. In solid wood, the focus remains on the stool’s supple lines.
Many Philippe Hurel pieces have won awards, including the Tyrol stool in 2006, the Ray desk in 2007, and the Saskia Verre desk in 2009. Just before celebrating its 100th anniversary—“a century of passion, emotions and designs”—the company expanded its distribution network in Germany, Belgium, and South Korea.