When Pouenat Ferronnier was awarded the Enterprise of Living Heritage designation by the French government in 2009, it was the culminating honor for the iron smithery that was established in 1880. The firm’s exceptional furnishings—conjured up by such important international modern designers as Tristan Auer, India Mahdavi, and Thomas Boog, among others—are now available in the United States through Interieurs in New York. Henri Pouenat, a student of the Deco master metalsmith Gilbert Poillerat, was the first to move the company into interior decoration. Pouenat still produces many of his vintage neoclassical designs, which were surprisingly modern for their time. But the bulk of the company’s furniture is completely of the moment. Two of the recent collections illustrate just how far they have come. French designer Damien Langlois-Meurinne offers sleek, free-form lighting, tables, and shelving. His gold-plated To Turn You On coffee table (about $11, 450) welds together seven disks that are at home in the most modern of environments. The Hello Sunshine chandelier, which comes in enamel and luster finishes, also plays with disk shapes, combining them into a dandelion-like ball ($25,800). And his Bluesky mirror ($13,860) welds together many smaller oval mirrors into an organic amoebic form. Paris-based Thomas Boog is known for his intricate, modern Baroque mirrors and furnishings that incorporate shells. But his Sailor line of furniture, mirrors, and lighting for Pouenat shifts marine inspiration, incorporating thick rope and steel, transcending popular nautical motifs and staples into high design. Prices range from about $2,000 to $17,500. (212.343.0800, www.interieurs.com)
