Patina
Patina is a sideproject of Lies Mertens, based in Antwerp that brings together hospitality with design and creativity. The ground floor is the atelier of our handbag label, where we make all prototypes and unique pieces ourselves.
Patina includes a guesthouse and an event space that turns into a gallery space from time to time. By giving objects and artworks a final destination all over the guesthouse, we want the house to become an ever-changing but harmonious collection of people we support. The works you can see in the house are all by people we have collaborated with in the past.
The interior of Patina has been created by utilising existing materials and reusing them. This is why the guesthouse and gallery are called Patina.
Patina refers to the marks and imprints created on objects by use and time. In the interior of the guesthouse, most of the work was done using existing materials and reusing or reworking them.
The doors and bed were made by hand out of leftover leathers from previous collections from the handbag brand.
Out of defect bags, patchwork frameworks were made and placed in the common area's of the house.
