A conversation with
Frédéric Pellenq
Feet rooted in the earth, head in the clouds, and hands shaping wood. This is the image that comes to mind when we think of Frédéric Pellenq, the new guest of the By Charlot collaborations. Sensitive and creative, Frédéric welcomed us warmly into his home for a conversation about nature, plants, and design. Then, he took us behind the scenes to discover the creation of the Frédéric Pellenq × By Charlot pots.
Frédéric Pellenq grew up surrounded by mountains and forests, developing a world where immersion in nature was central to daily activities. After graduating from high school, he moved to Paris for his studies and discovered a more urban environment and other synergies. It was this blend of influences that allowed him to develop his sensitivity to wood, whether raw or sculpted, graphic or undulating, and his architectural studies led him to consider interior spaces and the furniture that composes them. By Charlot loves the work of this artist with his sharp aesthetic, who knows how to tell stories through the objects he designs. From this, a creative collaboration was born, which he tells us about.
Hello Frédéric. If you had to describe yourself in one sentence?
I am a mountain dweller living in Paris who loves wood, passionate about the history of architecture and furniture, anxious by nature but happy.
You are originally from the Hautes-Alpes, tell us about the landscapes and smells of your childhood?
Mountainous landscapes, forests, trees... The smell of wood and wet earth, the scent of pine trees. I grew up in a house in Gap, a town surrounded by mountains. The nearest ski resort is a 7-minute drive away, so I lived in a very "natural" setting rather than an urban environment.
How did this influence your professional choices?
I spent a lot of time outside and did lots of outdoor activities like snowboarding in the winter or skateboarding the rest of the time. Having so much access to nature allowed me to stay grounded and build a strong connection with the elements, especially with wood, which was an omnipresent material throughout the city's architecture, homes, chalets... Even my bedroom was made of wood. My parents are architects and they designed a beautiful wooden bunk bed for me. I guess it made its way into me.
What was your background?
After my middle and high school years in Gap, I went to study at university in Lyon for a year and a half, then I joined an architecture school in Paris. My father had discouraged me a little because it was a profession he loved but found difficult, due to the restrictions and ever stricter standards. But I knew that I would not be an architect, that I would do another job, it was very clear to me from the start because I was already attracted to furniture and design. I was interested in studying architecture because I wanted to study in the public sector (design schools are mostly from the private sector, editor's note) and move away from industrial design, which at the time was very present in traditional courses. I also liked the multidisciplinary side of architectural studies. There were courses in philosophy, sociology, art history, drawing, photography, wood workshops. It was very interesting. Finally, all the people who inspired me at the time were architects working with furniture.
You then naturally turned towards furniture?
During my studies, I apprenticed with Valentin Loellmann, a German artist who works in Holland and who trained me in woodworking. It was the first contact I had with an artist who worked for galleries and had his own studio. It allowed me to better understand how to work for myself in this way. Once I graduated, I gave myself a year to set up my company and launch my first collection. This year went on beyond my expectations...
« All the people who inspired me at the time were architects working with furniture. »
Can you tell us about your collaboration with By Charlot?
It was one of the co-founders, Charles, who contacted me and shared his desire to collaborate. I was very happy for several reasons. The first is that these are projects that are, in scale and intention, very different from what I usually do. I create exceptional furniture for galleries, in very limited quantities and using very rare skills, so I am sometimes limited in my choices. The principle of creating more accessible objects that would be distributed in boutiques in Paris appealed to me a lot.
The second is that I found it very interesting to bring together two worlds, wood for me and ceramic for By Charlot – a material that I quickly associated with your brand. I liked the idea of creating a small collection, a family that could serve the products, by offering planters and plant stands. The series is based on the very graphic pattern of wavelets that creates the link between the pieces and that resembles me since it is a pattern that I use in my drawings.
« I found it very interesting to bring together two worlds: wood for me and ceramics for By Charlot. »
You work with wood the way By Charlot works with plants. What is your relationship with nature today?
It's quite ambivalent. I'm passionate about the mountains, I need contact with nature, and yet I live in Paris. I really need both. I leave Paris to recharge my batteries, but I love living here. It's a balance I need, which is also why I moved near the Buttes Chaumont.
Is it important for you to have plants indoors?
Before, I literally had jungles in my apartments. This is the second place I live where I'm lucky enough to have an outdoor space, so we tend to put the plants outside. My partner is passionate about plants; coming from a family of nurserymen, he loves gardening. The By Charlot plants are the first to take their place in our new apartment, and I'm delighted. A plant in an interior immediately brings life to it; it's very nice.
Are you a romantic like our eponymous plant?
Romantic and passionate. Sometimes too much because I have a lot of expectations in my personal and professional life, which can sometimes be difficult to manage. So as I grow up, I try to take a little more distance. But yes, I think romanticism is necessary!
From the By Charlot brand, you only offer shiny silver pots. What motivated your choice and attracted you to this style of pots?
I liked the idea of the whole thing being in a single material and a single finish. I was looking for unity. Besides, we live in a decor that is very woody and warm, with a grayish beige paint, so I wanted to have small touches of cooler elements and objects that would make my interior sharper, cleaner. I hesitated for a long time between brushed or shiny silver, and finally it was the shiny silver pots that won out, with their slightly precious style that I liked.
Can you tell us about your daily green actions?
I recycle, but it's not praiseworthy; it's normal. We use our coffee grounds to make fertilizer for our plants, and in our old building we were lucky enough to have dedicated compost bins. We hope to be able to reintroduce that here.
What are your plans for the future?
Continue to create beautiful works, enriching partnerships with houses or galleries that I admire, finish decorating this apartment, travel and be happy.
