When it comes to interior design, creativity is key. As the leader in decorative glass in Europe, we strive to unleash the creativity of our customers by providing the most beautiful products and the most compelling services – while reducing our environmental impact and without ever compromising on quality.
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Nicolas Chorine is Product Manager Decorative Glass at AGC Glass Europe. He joined AGC in 2010 as a researcher at the AGC Technovation Centre. After five years leading projects for the Processed Glass division, he moved to the Strategic Marketing department at AGC Automotive, where he helped establish the Mobility Business Incubator and started up a new business called jack. Nicolas holds a master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, and Business Management, and is passionate about interior design.
"The decoration and furniture industries have been through a lot in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing travel and office restrictions pushed up household spending on interior decoration in 2021, but in 2022, inflation and the general economy in Europe significantly disrupted the market, driving demand in the opposite direction.
While the decoration industry coped with these ups and downs, some trends have gone unchanged in recent years and continue to shape the decoration industry today.
The most relevant trend is probably the need for personalisation. Architects are increasingly asking for special colours and a growing number of companies want their offices or lobbies refurbished in the colour of their corporate identity or brand. Our MyColour by Lacobel/Matelac service gives customers creative freedom in choosing and designing their own colour.
Also, as with all design-related matters, some products are becoming fashionable again. Recently, we’ve noticed an increase in the use of patterned glass, especially linear patterns, for facades and partitions. One example is an iconic project in the Czech Republic. The Tomas Bata memorial in Zlin (named after the shoemaker) was originally designed by architect František Lydie Gahura. AGC was contacted by the municipal authorities to help restore the building’s facade to its original splendour. Thanks to our expertise in glass, we were able to produce a patterned glass with the exact same pattern as the original glass."
"In terms of colours, the trend is still towards contrasting colours, such as black and white. But we are also seeing a rise in the use of coloured painted glass combined with natural materials, such as wood and stone, to create contrasting textures and effects. For example, in a kitchen, you might use painted glass for countertops and wood for cupboards and shelves.
One thing that our customers particularly appreciate about our Lacobel and Matelac range is our ability to deliver colours that remain stable in the long term, whether used in buildings or furniture collections. This ensures them the colour stability they need to have in order to create homogeneous designs and to provide replacement parts that perfectly match the originals."
“When it comes to interior design, creativity is key. As the leader in decorative glass in Europe, we strive to unleash the creativity of architects and customers by providing the most beautiful products and the most compelling services – while reducing our environmental impact and without ever compromising on quality.
Our strategy strongly relies on our one-stop-shop approach. When a customer opts for one of our products, it comes with a broad range of complementary solutions and services. For example, we developed the FIX-IN range of adhesives in collaboration with a specialist in the field to ensure the perfect installation and longevity of our painted glass products and mirrors. Using our FIX-IN bonding solution, the customer gets a five or ten-year warranty depending on the glass product used.
We also have a large distribution network across Europe to facilitate access to our range of decorative glass products, from the smallest to the largest quantities. Furthermore, in 2021 we started developing a network of decorative glass experts – our AGC Deco Partners – that we intend to gradually expand in order to grow our decorative glass business. Members of this network are masters of our products and are accredited by us.
We can also count on our certified glass processors, who have been thoroughly trained by our technical team to deliver the best Lacobel T and Matelac T products.
This complete decorative solution has been carefully thought through to simplify life for our customers so they can work on their projects with a clear mind free of concerns and distractions."
"We are proud to say that our entire decorative range has been Cradle to Cradle Certified® since 2020. The Cradle to Cradle Certified products programme evaluates a product’s overall sustainability across its entire life cycle. To obtain certification, the product must meet stringent standards in five categories, including health and environmental protection.
Mirox MNGE and Mirold Morena are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze while our painted glass, acid-etched glass and patterned glass are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver. Since environmental protection is one of our core values, we started developing Mirox 4Green+ with this in mind, involving our suppliers right from the start."