Constance Guisset
Castorina 1895

Constance Guisset, born in 1976, is a French designer who graduated from ensci-Les Ateliers (École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle) in 2007 and founded the Constance Guisset Studio in Paris. She has won a number of awards, including the Grand Prix du Design de la Ville de Paris, the Prix du Public at the Design Parade de la Villa Noailles and the Audi Talent Award. In 2010, she was voted one of the ten designers of the year at Maison&Objet. She creates ergonomic, light, lively and eye-catching objects known for their colour, elegance, movement and surprise. Her studio, specialising in design, interior architecture and set design, was founded in 2009. Constance Guisset works with numerous French and international furniture manufacturers. The Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris held a retrospective exhibition of her works between November 2017 and March 2018.

Castorina 1895 is one of Italy’s leading workshops specialising in woodcarving, gilding, carpentry and cabinet-making. Marco Castorina, the current owner, was born in Florence in 1976 into a family with a long tradition in wood craftsmanship. His grandfather Eugenio, a carver, opened his workshop in 1895 in Via Santo Spirito in Florence, where it still stands today. Marco began his apprenticeship at a very young age and, thanks to his talent and passion, he took over the running of the family’s atelier from his father Mario in 2007. Castorina uses ancient techniques and precious finishings in all of its works. Its collection of samples includes more than 5,000 natural wood items, serving as a reference point for designers, restorers and enthusiasts from all over the world. Among the creations on display in the atelier are beautiful carved and gilded mirrors, frames and console tables, Medici-style vases made of polished wood with the traditional shiny finish, elegant faux marble, ebony and wooden mosaic spheres.