Eighteen months in development, Nihal sees French fittings specialist THG Paris and porcelain maker Haviland move Limoges porcelain from the dining table to the bathroom, where it works alongside metal as part of the design…
With Nihal, porcelain leaves the dining table and enters the bathroom. Created by THG Paris in partnership with Haviland, the Limoges porcelain manufacturer, the collection introduces porcelain into decorative bathroom fittings, where it sits alongside metal as a fully integrated part of the design.
THG Paris was founded in 1956 and designs and manufactures bathroom fittings and accessories in France. The brand works with architects, interior designers and project teams on high-end residential, hospitality and yachting projects around the world. Its experience in bespoke development allows it to adapt its fittings to the character and requirements of each project.
Image credit: THG Paris
Porcelain beyond the table
Nihal was designed by the French architect Xavier Cartron. Its name comes from a star in the constellation Lepus, which is associated with spring water. The collection sets up a dialogue between cultures, expressed through their characteristic tones and materials. The contrast between porcelain and metal gives the design its distinctive identity: porcelain contributes a different surface and material quality to the fitting, while metal frames the overall composition.
Haviland has been internationally renowned for its tableware since 1842. The Limoges manufacturer has kept its traditional porcelain-making expertise alive while continuing to create new designs, ranging from reissues of classic decors to contemporary pieces. With Nihal, that expertise is applied in a new setting, bringing porcelain into the functional and visual language of the bathroom.
The collaboration also reflects a shared desire to combine established craftsmanship with new applications. Developing the collection took eighteen months of research and development, during which THG Paris and Haviland explored how porcelain and metal could be brought together in a single fitting, with each material playing a part in the design.
-
- Image credit: THG Paris
From material research to finished fitting
Nihal reflects THG Paris’s belief that a fitting is an active element of an interior. In a hospitality project, the use of porcelain can link the bathroom to the wider palette of materials while giving the fitting a clear visual role. The collection also fits into THG Paris’s broader approach to project work: decorative finishes, including PVD treatments and precious materials, can be combined with made-to-measure development to serve a designer’s vision.
With Nihal, Haviland’s porcelain-making expertise moves into a new field, joined with THG Paris’s experience in decorative bathroom fittings. The result is a collection that gives porcelain a defined role in the bathroom and makes the material itself part of the design.
THG Paris is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: THG Paris
