Upcycling & Kitchen Utensils
The secrets of Nicolas Chiarelli’s creative recipes
In L’Espace des Créateurs, you’ll find some lovely UFOs. These are Uniquely (re)Furbished Objects Especially those of Nicolas Chiarelli. If these objects could talk, they’d probably say: ‘I used to be a fork, a bowl or a plate... I used to be a potato masher, a kettle or a mincer and now I’ve been rescued and turned into a lamp. Let me show you the world of one of the 20 creators in this workshop-boutique on the Rue du Quesnoy. For two years now, this boutique has been a source of delight for both young and old.
Upcycling at the Espace des Créateurs, rue du Quesnoy
You might already have met him in L’Espace des Créateurs, a space he shares with 6 other artists and craftspeople several times a week. On display at the Salon Maison et Déco (Valenciennes Convention and Exhibition Centre) in autumn, or at the Belles Bretelles Festival last summer! Without knowing it, you may have received one of his unique, quirky and poetic objects as a present.
This creator, a Valenciennes resident, goes bargain-hunting for utensils that no one uses any more to make them into trendy lamps to which he adds HIS little touch of greenery. But not only that!
He rescues bulky items or bits of bric-a-brac that could have ended up in the bin for want of a new owner and gives them a new lease of life. The young creator is at the heart of the upcycling trend. In other words, making new objects of superior quality out of those that people no longer have any use for.
Nicolas has been making things for his own pleasure and for that of his clients for 1 year now. He’s also been in charge of MYUPCLING and CO, ‘his small business’ (which is doing well) and restyling furniture, creating home decoration objects or offering home staging services for 1 year.
And most importantly, it’s been a year since he left his job as a management assistant to make his passion into a full-time job. Did you know? The man who repurposes kitchen utensils used to be a management assistant in the restaurant industry! For 14 years (far away from his region of birth) he was a dining room manager. He was born in Valenciennes and yearned to return to the north and get back to his roots. Now he’s managed it.
Nicolas is delighted to contribute to the collective and artistic adventure of L’Espace des Créateurs. Originally, a few artists who were tired of bumping into each other at markets or exhibiting their works in the back room of a shop decided to join forces to open a place of their own. Coming together to create and to share experiences and customers forms bonds. ‘We’re a real family,’ he concludes.
Today, it’s a shared space for around twenty artists and craftspeople who share a little of their respective worlds there.
There’s definitely something for everyone in L’Espace des Créateurs: clothes for adults, children and babies, fashion accessories, jewellery, raku ware, glass fusing, sculpture, paintings, decorative objects. Over to you now - explore the beautiful, unique, original and ‘home-made’ things on offer. Happy discovering!
De Ryck
When Art takes a seat at the table
The gourmets know it, but they’re not the only ones: visual pleasure is also important. Plates dress your dinner tables at parties or your everyday cooking. They single-handedly set the tone for your meal. The Rue de Quesnoy is home to the high-end, unmissable address for all things tableware. The perfect way to add a touch of art to your mealtimes. Dinner is served !
I discovered tableware somewhat late in life when I hosted dinner parties and wanted an artistic way to present what I had cooked. Ever since (and whenever I get the chance) I’ve continued to expand my collection.
There’s nothing more appetising than a dish that’s prettily presented on fine china. Whether you’re an experienced, Michelin-starred chef working in a restaurant or an amateur cook (like me) crafting your dishes in your kitchen at home, you'll agree that fine white china is the best choice for an elegant presentation.
With charming ornaments and decorations, mealtimes quickly become delicious experiences for all the senses. I prefer to have a set of tableware that’s all the same colour so that I don’t get tired of it. It’s more timeless. However, I do have fun choosing different patterns.
Furthermore, I like to adapt the shape and capacity of my tableware to the dish being served: a fish served on a long dish or pasta in served in a bowl looks very nice.
For anyone who’s passionate about beautiful objects. For all those who attach importance to culinary delights, De Ryck offers a wide choice of items, a selection of big tableware brands (and lots of gift ideas) that’ll surprise you; textiles, glass, tableware created by luxury china or earthenware brands, refined tablecloths or table runners. Believe me, your tables will be prettier from now on!
Are you visiting for the first time? You’re looking for a present and crockery isn’t really your cup of tea? No need to panic, you’ll be well looked after. Agnès can offer you advice about the world of tableware. And what if your gifts had that little extra bit of heart that products entirely handmade in artisanal workshops have? For example, you might fall for the collections of Faïence de Gien (made in France since 1821). They’re recognised for their quality and originality and are distinguished by their fine brushstrokes and the colours of their flat tints. You’ll also find plenty of other made-to-measure products perfect for serving and tasting and all the equipment you need for preparation; real professional utensils to help you bring your recipes to life like a chef!
You now know where to find a world of linen and tableware in the most attractive shades.
No more excuses now when it comes to transforming your meals into a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds!
There’s room for art in the kitchen or on the table too... and you’ll find it in De Ryck
DAVID BOUKLA
DE RYCK
83 Rue du Quesnoy
59300 Valenciennes
