LAUFEN joins forces with NM3 for kaleidoscopic all-stainless steel bathroom series

LAUFEN presents LAUFENXNM3 during milan design week 2023

A kaleidoscopic effect enters the bathroom, and not only, as LAUFEN collaborates with design studio NM3 for an all-stainless steel collection. The series stands out and seems suspended in the room as the metallic pieces reflect the different textures and decorations of the space. ‘LAUFENxNM3’ is presented during Milan Design Week 2023 in the Swiss brand’s showroom in Via Alessandro Manzoni, 23.

LAUFEN presents LAUFENXNM3 – the capsule collection created in collaboration with NM3 design studio

all images courtesy of LAUFEN

nm3 partners with the swiss brand for the stainless steel series

NM3, the Italian design studio founded by Delfino Sisto Legnani, Francesco Zorzi and Nicolò Ornaghi, and LAUFEN have joined forces to create a line of furnishing that goes beyond the bathroom environment thanks to the rigorous geometric shapes and quality of the materials. With its diverse language, ‘LAUFENxNM3’ fits into any interior design style as it also expresses the eclectic living solutions of the Swiss brand. Made through simple metal carpentry processes, the products are cut, bent, shaped and screwed together through the use of a single material, stainless steel.

‘As a design brand we work a lot with stainless steel; in general we prefer raw materials, both aesthetically and structurally. Moreover, we like to expose their true nature, which is why, in this case, we choose not to hide the steel screws. We never adapt our designs to the aesthetic of a specific brand, we always try to keep our industrial and modern character, so it’s important for us to talk with the industry first to understand what can be produced, and how, instead of design with limitations in mind,’ says Francesco Zorzi, designer and co-founder, of NM3.

the collection consists of vanity units and furnishing accessories, such as trolleys, stools/small tables, mirrors and accessories

LAUFENXNM3 offers unlimited composition options

It is the first time that LAUFEN experiments with the use of steel in the bathroom. Furnishing elements are reduced to a minimum, which welcome the ceramic and take on a sculptural, almost abstract presence. LAUFENxNM3 consists of vanity units and furnishing accessories, such as trolleys, stools/small tables, mirrors and accessories characterized by a fine, reflective attention to detail. Along with the variety of products, the collection offers a high degree of customization thanks to the possibility to choose between the different countertop washbasins of the brand’s collections.

‘LAUFENxNM3 does not specifically look like a bathroom collection and we are really proud of that, as is LAUFEN. For instance, the stools and trolleys can be used in commercial environments like ateliers and offices, but also in residential settings like living rooms. Although repetitive in form, the series is so abstract that it can be configured in so many different ways. I believe this might even lead to new paths for the way bathroom collections are perceived,’ remarks NM3.

stainless steel has a kaleidoscopic effect, reflecting textures, decorations and every kind of style

Unlimited compositions are made possible as the type of material helps in embracing and reflecting the style of the room. To showcase this versatility, LAUFEN has decided to portray the collection inside four very elegant Milanese entryways of the 20th century, where the architects of the time experimented with extremely precious materials mixing furniture, architecture and art. The steel pieces by the NM3 studio stand out in these luxurious rooms and seem suspended between polychrome marbles and ceramics that create unusual textures, handrails with complex and refined lines, doors and windows made with precious materials as if they were theatrical backdrops.

‘We were very impressed by how much attention to detail LAUFEN pays when it comes to production and quality control. Even though the company has never worked with stainless steel before, thanks to their refined research, our end products look exactly as our initial sketches and prototypes – the form and character never changed,’ adds NM3.

made through simple metal carpentry processes, the products are cut, bent, shaped and screwed together through the use of a single material, stainless steel