Hospitality Design - August 2017 - 79

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barn in the city
By Jennifer Young
Photography courtesy of Barn in the City

AGAINST THE GRAIN
Reclaimed wood never looked so good

"We were meant to be," says Martijn van
Rijn of his partnership with Nancy Torreele.
Both with fashion backgrounds, Torreele
studied in Italy and cut her teeth under
the vision of Dries van Noten and Mario
Valentino, among others, while van Rijn
traveled as a model meeting gallery owners,
fashion designers, and photographers along
the way. When Torreele left the fashion
world to pursue her passion of interior
design (she founded Pure Taste in Interior
Design in 2007, where she still works on a
few projects every year), she also noticed
there was a market for a versatile product
that fit into any design context.
That's when Torreele had the first of
two serendipitous encounters. She met van
Rijn, who was working at a luxury flooring
company, and was introduced to barnwood,
leading the duo to launch the Amsterdambased furniture company Barn in the City
in 2009. For van Rijn, it was a dream come

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true. He always loved drawing, but it wasn't
until he began modeling and was "taught
how to look and feel art and design," he notes,
that he started sketching regularly again and
collecting products. "Our partnership is the
cornerstone of our success," says Torreele.
"We both know very well what qualities we
can bring to the table."
Inspired by traveling, diverse cultures,
and "the perfection of imperfection," says
Torreele, their style is contemporary with
an urban feel and a handcrafted approach,
shown through original, handmade pieces
including furniture and decorative paneling.
The Maurice coffee table in charcoal black
barnwood marked their debut and became
the foundation for the brand's aesthetic and
the many pieces that followed, all sealed
in their ultra-clear regenerative resin and
offered in inventive finishes. Aged for
over a century, the wood-reclaimed from
historical barns-boasts knots, grains, and
patina only made with time and is paired
with nickel, steel, marble, and bronze details
and angled frames for a refined, rugged look.
"By using this wood, which is never the
same, one is presented with some challenges
on detailing and finish," she points out.
Along with creating custom pieces for
clients, including vanity units and a bar,
the duo is expanding their product
offerings-with the modern Amber
table, the brass-clad James side
table, and the marble version of the
Guillaume coffee table launching next
month-and their reach by continuing
to hone and master the intricacies of
barnwood. After all, Torreele reminds,
"All good things take time." hd
b arni nt heci t y.com

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3

1. The Hervé side
table-with a textured
wood top situated on
a marble base with
metal accents-offers a
vintage-meets-modern
design.

2+3. A gray headboard
and an antique white
shower panel in the
duo's signature iced
finish highlight the
barnwood's knots and
grains for a handcrafted
look.

hospitalitydesign.com August 2017

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Hospitality Design - August 2017

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