Meet The Melbourne Brand Making Fun + Non-Conventional Furniture
Studio Visit
Inside ESCULTURA’s Melbourne showroom.
The business is a collaboration between Nitsou x Mo and Bishop Master Finishes.
ESCULTURA creative director Imogene Pond, director Maryke Bishop, and design director Kat Nitsou.
The brand’s pieces are all made-to-order in Melbourne.
The Island Dining Table in Polenta.
The collection is available in more than 30 colourways.
Peg Plinths in Icy Blue. Peg Dining Table in Grape.
Block Desk in Polenta.
The Cremorne showroom is open by appointment.
Block Console in Cornflower.
ESCULTURA pieces styled in a Rye project by Nitsou x Mo.
ESCULTURA is a modern furniture brand founded by three designers who are on a mission to do things a little bit differently.
Kat Nitsou and Imogene Pond (of design studio Nitsou x Mo) and Maryke Bishop (whose family business Bishop Master Finishes specialises in bespoke Venetian plaster) come from different countries and careers, but were all brought together through their work in Melbourne’s design industry.
‘The concept of ESCULTURA really started from designing a custom dining table for our co-director Maryke Bishop who brought forward the use of micro-cement and lime,’ Kat says.
What they came up with was a strong sculptural form, made from an innovative combination of sustainable materials that has since inspired the trio to create a full collection of playful furniture. It only felt right they call their brand ESCULTURA, the Spanish word for sculpture.
Everything is handmade right here in Melbourne. First, furniture maker Moonpool uses low-VOC, carbon-negative compressed hemp to form a base, before each piece undergoes a meticulous hand-coating process using richly pigmented lime and micro-cement finishes from Bishop Master Finishes.
‘The result is furniture that is not only durable and luxurious, but also uniquely individual — no two pieces are ever the same,’ Maryke says.
‘They’re designed not only for the aesthetics of sculptural form and beauty in the hand-applied micro cement and lime, but with real integrity, built to withstand life’s messiness and the demands of wear and tear.’
Designed to be used both inside and outdoors, ESCULTURA’s range features bold dining tables, coffee tables, consoles, desks, plinths, and stools.
The shapes are functional, yet full of personality, with a range of 30 bespoke colours to chose from. And since each piece is made to order, it’s also fully customisable, which means clients can flex their own creativity to have some fun reimagining the colour, size, and form to perfectly fit their space.
‘By manufacturing in Melbourne for the Australian market, we’re able to minimise the environmental impact associated with long-distance shipping and reduce emissions from imported goods. It also means we can work closely with our team to ensure a high level of quality,’ Imogene adds.
What started as passion project, has now become a clever local business with its own showroom in Cremorne — open by appointment only.