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The new Kashikey boutique located within the Takashimaya department store in Kyoto marks a new chapter in the history of Kashikey, the japanese diamond and high jewellery brand. The design challenge proposed to Paris-based studio Nicolas Profit was to build a new interpretation of the character of diamonds in a unique and timeless boutique concept. Its original interior should help establish Kashikey as a major actor of the world of diamonds and luxury jewellery in Japan. The answer brought by the studio takes its roots in the ancient Kyoto house, the Machiya. As in a Machiya, the further you progress from the façade, the more private the space becomes: from bright and busy when we enter, it turns to calm and private as we reach the narrow sales lounge, precious privilege set at the back.
Kyoto, ancient capital city is the depository of the strongest traditional heritage in Japan. More than anywhere else in Japan, rituals in Kyoto such as tea ceremony, need dedicated spaces with a dedicated character to greet the guests in the most refined way.
When Kashikey's request came to us, we made a connection between this traditionnal architectural and cultural Kyoto heritage and the new space to create. Especially the new salon where Kashikey would greet their most prominent guests in a similar way to Kyoto traditions : surrounded by dedicated furniture and allowing to focus on the highest jewellery product presentation.
The boutique, narrow and deep like a Machiya, the traditional Kyoto house, is open to the public on one side only. As in a Machiya, the space gradually changes: from the bright façade it becomes calm and private as we reach the narrow sales lounge, precious privilege set at the back. A discreet tone envelops the space, and the contrast between light and shadow in the finishing materials changes subtly so that the diamond's sense of eternity is condensed in this restricted interior. The black of carbon, the particles diamond is made of, is present in the dark wood of the furniture, contrasting with the precise brilliance of the bronze-coloured metal. The jewellery displays, the large display table and the furniture were specially created to add variations to these materials and tones. The dark-stained ash wood of the sofa and armchairs, manufactured in Italy by Starset, contrasts with the satin sheen of the contemporary velvet by Rubelli. The wooden table in the small lounge, an original creation by the designer, is the work of two Kyoto master craftsmen: the top was manufactured by Hata Kunimitsu from a single piece of solid Keiyaki from Gifu, and its finish in traditional black Fuki-urushi lacquer is by Terunori Sugimoto.
From the passageway, thanks to the attention given to lighting, one can see the jewellery shine, glittering from the changes in light and from movement to stillness. The sparkle of the diamonds when taken out of the showcase is particularly emphasized by the calm space brought about by the original furniture in the private salon, by the softness of the blown lacquer on the Keyaki table, and by the play of light and shadow. One can also feel the difference from other jewellery salons around.
Nicolas Profit Design studio (www.nicolasprofit.com) develops since 2012 projects that combine interior and furniture, searching for simplicity and consistency.
Projects range from product, lighting and furniture design (tailor-made pieces of furniture and models for contract use), to interior design for private apartments, restaurants and retail spaces.
Before creating his studio, Nicolas Profit designed award-winning products for electronics brands: from 1996 in Philippe Stark's team for Thomson Multimedia, Tim Thom, then for other major European, American and Chinese brands.
An Industrial Designer, Nicolas Profit is a graduate from Ensci Les Ateliers in Paris.
