Inge Lagae
Inge Lagae’s designs are inspired by her travelling the world and the people she has met and worked with. Above all, however, she is amazed and energized by beautiful materials and the handicraft from different cultures, like the French and Italian traditional ebonists and the architects and artists who have crossed her path.
She started to design furniture for different interior design projects in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Her favorite materials are a tribute to nature. Natural oak, Swamp oak, marble and travertino are natural materials with timeless and elegant characteristics. Organic materials work for any kind of interior. The quality and sustainability of those natural materials are translated into increased longevity, even after one generation, they even look more beautiful. Inge Lagae creates design for generations to come, beauty to pass on.
In 2016, one of her designs, the iconic bookshelf Labyrinth, was awarded the Interieur award ’object’ at the international Biennial Interieur, Kortrijk Belgium.
Since, her work was exhibited in various international exhibitions and fairs, such as Collectible (Belgium), Design September (Brussels), The Salonny (New York), and many others.
Collaboration with Isabelle Yamamoto
Isabelle Yamamoto, world citizen, created the successful pillow collection in vintage hemp cloths a few years ago in her studio at Place Brugmann in Brussels. Empreinte & Matière grew into a must-have collection, available at leading international interior designers and high-end concept stores.
She designed the zabutons for the Japanese-inspired Hiku tables in the Kana collection and the reclining cushion for the Yoishu series (daybed, bench, and stool).
Belgian design, Belgian & Italian craftsmanship
The KANA collection is manufactured by Belgian and Italian workshops, known for their tradition of handcrafted high-end furniture.
Quality, timelessness, and durability are important to KANA. Exclusive species of European oak, such as French oak, swamp oak and silver oak, are often combined with steel or brass look steel. Some parts are made from solid wood, some parts are realized in thick veneer, applied on block panels.
The Kuroso table series are made by Italian craftsmen near the Lake Como. After all, Italy has always been the reference for unique natural stones and craftsmanship.
The rough and organic aspect achieved when processing the materials softens the clean lines of the furniture pieces. Imperfections acquired from the hand-crafted patinas and the accentuation of the unique roughness contrast beautifully with the flawlessness of the designs. All oaks are therefore sandblasted or brushed before they are finished with water-carrying matt varnishes.
The KANA collection incorporates beautiful lines that bind together exclusive veneers, natural stone, and craft.
Only experienced crafts people are realizing the different stages to provide perfect end results. High tech machinery for highly precision, combined with a skilled craftsperson for the beauty of handwork to assemble and finish the furniture objects.
All KANA artisan workshops are mindful of sustainability and ecologically responsible production methods, from bonding through to packaging.