Marcel Wanders: Designer and Artist

Marcel Wanders' designs will change everything you think you know about the world of interior design.
Marcel Wanders: Designer and Artist

Last update: 07 August, 2019

Over the years, Marcel Wanders has established himself as a world-famous artist and designer. Not only a prominent figure in the field of interior decorating, but he’s also made waves in the world of architecture and industrial design.

His bold, dramatic designs are a clear reflection of his personality. There aren’t many designers who incorporate so much character and individuality into their work. Marcel Wanders, on the other hand, is completely transparent when it comes to his designs.

There is no denying that Wanders has found his own unique style in the world of modern decor. He has managed to turn his work into an art, tackling new aesthetic ideas from different creative perspectives and incorporating innovative and avant-garde concepts.

Who is Marcel Wanders?

Living room interior.

Trained at the Arnhem art institute, Wanders always achieved the highest grades and, from a young age, his projects found huge success. After opening his own studio in Amsterdam, he managed to work his way up to become one of the most famous designers of the ’90s.

He also likes to support young and up-and-coming designers. As soon as he sees someone with the creative talent and the drive to succeed, he backs their ideas and helps them make the most of their talents.

For Wanders, there is one thing that is more important than anything else when it comes to design: personality. According to him, every design should bring their own personal touch to the world of interior decor. He also believes in infusing every design with imagination and artistic flair.

Art is a principle that you can apply to any home.

Marcel Wanders: the knotted chair

The famous Marcel Wanders Knotted Chair.

If you take a look at Marcel Wanders’ famous Knotted Chair, you’ll notice the beautiful arrangement of aramid fibers. This wonderfully light and innovative design is unlike anything else you’ll see on the market.

  • One of the most noticeable features of this design is its distinctly handmade feel. When it comes to creativity and energy, it is truly groundbreaking.
  • The strong aramid fibers are soaked in epoxy resin so as to keep everything firmly in place. It needs to be left to dry and harden before it can be used.
  • The Knotted Chair has a certain organic feel about it. It almost looks as if roots have grown up out of the floor, before knotting themselves together. This design is understated and highly personal.
  • Like any artist, Wanders strives to distinguish himself from other designers. Steering clear of the mundane and the stereotypical, he instead looks at design from an artistic point of view.

From sophistication to art

Futuristic restaurant interior.

Every Marcel Wanders creation is a work of art. His creative process culminates in the organization and harmonization of every element in the room. In this way, he manages to create imaginative designs full of personality and character.

Many of his works feature plastic-like elements, which are used to give spaces a light, diaphanous feel. This is particularly evident in many of the public building he has worked on. There, he has given free rein to his creativity and imagination, producing some of his most innovative and ground-breaking designs.

Some interior design critics consider his works to be futuristic, and it’s not hard to understand why. His designs are truly original and avant-garde, without losing that all-important sense of harmony. He knows just how to decorate wide open spaces, combining them with strong colors and large windows to let in plenty of light.

Wanders tries to avoid the mundane, everyday items that are normally used in interior design.

Marcel Wanders: a fascination with contrast

Contrasting colors.

One of the most noticeable and striking aspects of Wanders’ work is the way in which he uses white to add a sense of purity to his designs. This is a method he frequently utilizes, using it to create an aesthetic which conveys feelings of cleanliness, purity, and fragility. It’s a color that perfectly suits his designs and one that he uses to great effect.

He also enjoys using white to create contrast, pairing it with warm, radiant colors such as red and yellow. This stark, dramatic contrast helps to create a unique and daring look.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • AA. VV.: Marcel Wanders: behind de ceiling, Gestalten, 2009.