The craft of artistic lacquer
Atelier Midavaine
The art of Lacquer as a Living Legacy and the heart of the motivation and activity is creation.
Discover the world of Atelier Midavaine
Lacquer requires a respect, a design, a finish, and time. It is very different from drawing and painting
Established in 1919, Atelier Midavaine is steeped in heritage, expertise and creative flair that continues to excel beyond the imagination of the ever-changing tastes and needs of both designers and clients alike.
Atelier Midavaine’s lacquer work can be defined in four words – True works of art, from large-scale lacquer wall panels and folding screens to elegant furniture of all shapes and sizes, as well as delicate, decorative objects.
Whilst the ancient artistry techniques remain the same at Atelier Midavaine, the vibrant team at are always looking to push the boundaries of their creativity and embrace new and emerging technologies and methods.
Please contact us for further information or a get-together.
Master lacquer artists. Celebrating architectural expression through depth and reflection
The team at Atelier Midavaine master the dialogue between surface, light, and material, transforming lacquer into an architectural language of depth and emotion. Through layering, polishing, gilding, and crackling, each creation reveals a delicate balance of precision and soul. Colour becomes light, texture becomes movement, and every surface tells a story.
A Century of Lacquer Expertise
A technique that has been used for centuries but mastered by a few. Atelier Midavaine are proud of their heritage and the evolution of the ancient art that grows with them.
Today Anne Midavaine runs the business and has done so since 1994 when she gave up pursuing a career as a dental surgeon. This wasn’t because she felt she had to; it is because she wanted to. Anne describes it as going home, following in the footsteps of Louis, of Jacques her grandfather.
“She had to step into a pair of men’s shoes” as she described it and when it’s her turn to pass on the baton she says with good humour, “the person will need to fit her high heels”.
The beating heart of the business, the Parisian workshop, has been the home of Atelier Midavaine from the start and has stood the test of time just as its family has done passing the business on through three generations already. Although Anne insists there is a difference between an artist’s work and an artisan’s work, the craftsmanship and creations produced by Atelier Midavaine beg to differ being both creative and stunning.
Proud of the workshop’s long history, Anne reminds us that lacquer involves a delicate dialogue between Asia and Europe.
The Art of Lacquer
The art of lacquering, one of humanity’s oldest decorative crafts, originated over 7,000 years ago in Asia. Initially derived from the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, it was prized for both protection and beauty, enveloping wood, metal, and other surfaces with a deep, reflective sheen.
At Atelier Midavaine, the team works primarily with cellulose lacquer, a formulation developed in the early 20th century among French coachbuilders, known for its rapid drying and versatile finish. Each piece is built up through a succession of fine layers, applied, dried, sanded, and polished over the course of days or even weeks.
Pigments, gold or silver powders, mother-of-pearl, and crackled or inlaid effects may be incorporated throughout the process, resulting in finishes that range from high gloss to satin, crackled to patinated, each revealing a singular play of light and depth.
This mastery of technique allows the atelier to interpret any surface or setting, from heritage restoration to the most contemporary commissions.
Specialist Areas
Applications spanning residential, hospitality, retail, and bespoke commissions
Residential
Wall panels, headboards, doors, and decorative furniture designed in collaboration with architects and interior designers. Custom finishes in satin, gloss, or crackled lacquer bring light and texture into private spaces.
Superyacht & Aviation
High-performance lacquer finishes suited to complex forms and marine environments, used for interior panels, cabinetry, and decorative details. Each piece is engineered for both aesthetic excellence and durability.
Hospitality
Bespoke wall panels, bar fronts, and decorative screens defining luxury spaces in hotels, restaurants, and lounges. The atelier’s finishes provide tactile depth, colour harmony, and material continuity across architectural elements.
Retail and Brand Environments
Signature lacquerwork for the world’s leading maisons, including Cartier and Bvlgari, with applications spanning wall panels, display units, lift linings, and feature installations. Distinctive finishes evoke identity through reflection, colour, and craftsmanship.
Decorative Art & Furniture
Unique art panels, consoles, and sculptural pieces produced in collaboration with designers, artists, and collectors. Lacquer as an expressive medium that is timeless, layered, and alive.
"It is the workshop that is the master craftsman, the workshop that carries our heritage forward."
Anne Midavaine
Gallery
We cannot show all works due to the discrete nature of the projects we work on but please do get in touch and we can provide you with further information.
