It was May and my first chance to leave Los Angeles since my serendipitous meeting with a nice young Belgian man that had appeared in my showroom several months earlier. The plane landed in Brussels and before long I was checked into my hotel room, unpacked and on my way to our scheduled meeting at his “atelier.” I prayed that I would be able to follow the concierge’s directions!

Giving thanks for the beautiful spring weather and the cloudless blue sky, I quickly realized that the street names are posted on the sides of buildings and not on street signs. Suddenly I came face-to-face not with my destination, but with Brussels’ greatest city treasure – the world famous statue of the peeing boy – which in reality turned out to be a mere 2 feet high! I said a quick prayer that the table designs I had seen that day in Los Angeles wouldn’t be as disappointing. They weren’t.

The polished brass tabletops were dazzling and shone right through the plate glass windows of the showroom. This had to be the place. Upon entering I was literally overcome by the dazzling beauty that lay before my eyes. I’m sure I was grinning from ear to ear as the young man approached from a back office. The usual pleasantries were exchanged between us and then I got right down to business.

I told him in no uncertain terms that I thought his product too beautiful for words and that I had to have these tables for my shop. Up close and personal I was of course able to see that the substrate of the table tops were covered with sheets of polished brass that had somehow been etched with designs that he proudly referred to as the “explosion” and “sunburst” patterns. Of course there were others as well, but these two were certainly my favorites – sort of love at first sight. Maybe I could take them home with me on the plane, I remember thinking. I instinctively knew that I would make a big “splash” with these tables in Los Angeles – and I did.

By early fall the tables were prominently featured in my showroom. There were dining-conference tables with inset etched panels on lacquered bases and awesome coffee tables supported by stone bases of travertine and black marble. They were indeed unique and hand designed by a gifted young artist named Christian who later decided to move permanently to America. He was able to transform ordinary functional forms into works truly inspired with originality and beauty. What a combination – and what a talent! And what luck for me that I was able to present his work to the design community.

Christian explained to me that the art of etching on metal went all the way back to the Middle Ages in Europe, and perhaps even further to ancient times. Etching then was done by goldsmiths and other metal workers in order to decorate such items as guns, armor and even cups and plates. I never really did learn just how Christian produced his table tops, but I have a feeling he used some time-honored methods combined with techniques that he himself had developed because his metal had the most wonderful texture to it. The lines that formed the pattern were raised creating a surface that was incredibly practical as the metal would never appear scratched through normal use. The tables were further protected by a coat of clear metal lacquer.

I combined the custom etched brass or chrome table tops (chrome requiring some additional steps in the manufacturing process) with not only non-etched metals but with metal laminates as well. There seemed to be countless ways in which to produce these tables, and all with unbridled success. Proof again that design aficionados are always on the lookout for something new and wonderful. In fact, one older couple in the process of redoing their home, was so intrigued by what they saw that they placed an order for a large dining table with an “explosion” top in brass and a black granite base along with a buffet featuring the same granite on top, etched brass doors and lacquered cabinet, simply because they had never before seen this kind of work. (If only I could be that successful with all my designs!)

The line was later expanded to offer a limited series of elevator doors, murals, residence doors, fireplaces and sculptures. All in a variety of styles: traditional, art deco and contemporary. I collaborated with architects and interior designers always trying to adapt to a client’s budget and specifications, though being custom and hand wrought the finished product was never inexpensive.

But for those of us who love the look and feel of metal furniture (whether etched or not) and don’t have the budget for Christian’s artistry, today’s marketplace offers some wonderful alternatives in the form of metal laminates. These are ingenious materials offered by such companies as Chemetal and Wilsonart International in a host of finishes from polished to satin and any number of etched designs at price points that will “etch” a smile on the face of even the most discerning shopper.