Casimir Reynders

Cabinetmaker

©Ringo Gomez

©Jean Van Cleemput

Expressing himself through furniture

Casimir likes to rethink the tradition and history of furniture
He started designing furniture while studying as an industrial designer
He thinks a well-made object will show the soul of the maker

Casimir Reynders was born in Koersel, Belgium, in 1966. He is widely known just by his trademark: Casimir. He studied industrial design at SHIVKV Genk, but soon realised that designing industrial products was not for him, because an industrial product is an accumulation of compromises and rarely the expression of a personal emotion or vision. He preferred to make things with his hands, combining theory and technique as well as creativity. In order to meet his high standards in the production of solid wood furniture, 25 years ago he founded CasimirAteliers. Today, the company no longer works exclusively on Casimir designs but also shares its expertise with other designers.

Interview

©Jean Van Cleemput

In what way is your work linked to where you live?: I think my ‘designer/artist-language’ is very Flemish. Last year we were invited by the Bokrijk museum to rethink how to make the old Flemish/Belgian crafts relevant again in the 21st century. We developed several pieces of wooden furniture and art for the project.
What are your sources of inspiration?: Many different things: beauty, poetry, semiotics, the borders between the known and the unknown, the traditional and the contemporary. And also other crafts in the wood industries, such as boat building and bridge building, from which I borrow techniques.
What do you love most about your profession?: The freedom to just be, which means having the time to think and to make. And I love having the chance to make furniture and art in a totally personal way, regardless of trends. What I do is absolutely an expression of my inner self.
On what values do your base your production?: CasimirAteliers stands for outstanding quality. Not only when it comes to the selection of the finest trees and the right wood for any purpose, but also when talking about craftsmanship. No matter how long it takes to get it just right, the work is only done when the master says: "perfect".

Casimir Reynders is a master artisan: he began his career in 1991 and he started teaching in 1995