ARYMA

Aryma is a British atelier dedicated to creating contemporary, decorative marquetry for private residences, super yachts, aviation and luxury vehicles.

Founded in 2005, dedicated from the beginning to keeping the ancient skill of marquetry alive and relevant. Under the direction of Howard and Lisa Sansome, it has become a studio as well regarded internationally for its eye for design as its technical mastery of the craft.

Today the company includes a design studio of six, all of whom are both fine artists and trained marqueteurs. Unlike its competitors, Aryma makes no separation between designer and artisan: one person oversees a project in full from originating hand drawn artwork to placing the final piece of veneer. Every piece expresses the hand and eye of the maker and his or her passion for the art of marquetry.

It is this unique blend of design and craftsmanship that has enabled Aryma to establish a world-class reputation for excellence whether applied to super-prime residences, high end retail, superyachts, private jets, luxury cars or bespoke furniture.  Marquetry may be a technique associated with the palazzos of 16th-century florence or the palaces of 18th-century Paris and St Petersburg, but Aryma’s vision has always been to show it is equally relevant to the discerning elite of the 21st-century.

Here is a paradox: marquetry has changed not at all – and has transformed beyond recognition. A time-travelling marqueteur stepping into the aryma workshops would immediately understand what was going on. Still familiar would be the fine sheets of timber from which the artist selects each tiny piece of veneer; here too would be the process of sand-scorching to darken a piece in order to suggest shadow; and here would be the marquetry artists assembling highly complex designs by hand – and in reverse.

Where our visiting marqueteur would be amazed is the applications for marquetry in the contemporary world. No longer restricted to fine furniture, it is often the luxury material of choice for yacht designers, aviation studios, car manufacturers, interior designers and architects. It is a material regarded not only for its decorative and artistic impact, but for its robustness, durability, versatility and sense of timelessness.

Marquetry is not just a technique: it is an entire palette. Working collaboratively with aryma, clients can commission bespoke designs that not only reflect their choice of motifs, colour or material, but which are also intensely personal and relevant to them. Once you begin to see the possibilities, your imagination can fly.