tesseraux+partner
“It’s inviting. People want to walk up and touch it.”
Dominik Tesseraux, born in 1966 in Bensheim, Germany, lived and worked in Potsdam. After apprenticing to become a furniture maker and studying design in Darmstadt, he was employed at various renowned German design studios. In 2001 he established tesseraux+partner. That same year he decided to be self-employed, initially as a ‘one-man show in his own four digs’. Today, he works with four others in a brick-built shed in Potsdam.
Behind the Scenes: Taking Textile to the Bath
LUX OVAL COUTURE fixtures are upholstered in a fast-drying, mould-resistant fabric originally developed by German textile maker Jab Anstoetz for use on outdoor furniture.
The hand finished process requires skilled attention at every step, shown in the gallery below.
Cutting out the exclusive functional fabric calls for a steady hand. Lux Oval Couture is upholstered and covered in elegant fabrics from JAB Anstietz at Bielefelder Werkstätten. First the patterns are prepared.
Absolute precision is required to ensure that the fabrics fit perfectly on the bath or washbasin later on. Bielefelder Werkstätten is a traditional manufacturing company where the cloth for Lux Oval Couture is carefully sewn.
The bath is covered in foam before the fabric is applied. The foam padding is firmly attached to the frame with a spray gun. The padding is also carefully glued along the edge of the bath frame. Excess foam is trimmed away.
The pre-stiched fabric is fitted seamlessly over the padding, thanks to the careful preparation. As with the highest quality sofa, in the next step the fabric and frame are firmly joined together. Shaping the padding carefully, smoothing the fit, pinning with gentle pressure.
Real craftsmanship is required in the manual application of the coloured enamelling, in match to the textile, to the titanium steel fixture which is then fired at 850°. The enamelling calls for a good eye and great care to ensure that the end result is flawless.
Finally the bath is suspended in the upholstered, fabric-covered frame. Velcro strips under the folded edge securely attach the bath to the upholstery.
