Journal

Rinck: Tradition meets Innovation

For nearly two centuries, since its founding in 1841, Rinck has been the embodiment of artisanal excellence, flawlessly dovetailing time-honored tradition and cutting-edge invention. The company’s history is deeply rooted in exceptional craftsmanship, while ever keeping pace with changes in tastes, technologies, and the demands of the day. Rinck has always succeeded in reinventing its approach while preserving its matchless heritage, from its first foray into the world of art furniture in the 19th century to modern-day collaborations with respected designers like Louis Sognot and Lucie Renaudot.

Standing confidently at the crossroads of history and revolution, Rinck continues to create rare pieces in which the craftsmanship of yesteryear is combined today with the technologies of tomorrow, producing works of art that blend long-lasting beauty, sturdy reliability, and modern grace.

Louis XVI chest of drawers, known as "Trianon," a replica of a piece designed by J-F Leleu in the 18th century for Marie-Antoinette’s bedroom at the Petit Trianon, Versailles © RINCK

Creation of the Trianon chest of drawers in the RINCK workshops, Faubourg St. Antoine, 1940s © RINCK

Vestibule of a Parisian apartment, designed by RINCK © RINCK

Excellence at Rinck: an inheritance and a legacy

Rinck’s origins lie in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, the beating heart of Paris cabinetmaking. From the day its doors opened, the company demonstrated a distinctive mastery of rare crafts such as marquetry, wood carving, and gilding. These classic techniques gave Rinck the wherewithal to create iconic furnishings graced with sophisticated marquetry and meticulously carved boiseries illustrative of the timeless elegance of French style.

Rinck’s craftspeople in that era were masters of the art of recreating historical pieces; these were so true to the classic originals that they could pay homage to the great eras of furniture, from Louis XVI to Napoleon III. By virtue of its unimpeachable command of styles and techniques, Rinck stood apart in the industry, proposing furniture that was not only beautiful, but also technically flawless.

One of the company’s emblematic forms of savoir-faire was the art of French polish, a venerable technique passed down through many generations that produces finishes of incomparable depth and shine. This delicate process could be achieved only by an experienced craftsperson and required the application of successive layers of hand-varnishing, bringing out dazzling textures and depth.

Rinck has proudly preserved this heritage and practices French polish to this day on certain unique pieces, yet has incorporated new technologies into the process: Spray varnish is used for modern applications, creating a perfect finish while keeping pace with today’s productivity standards.

French polish on marquetry © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Spray varnish on a gouged wood base © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

This capacity to combine tradition and innovation is the very foundation of Rinck, part of the DNA that captures the savoir-faire of eras past while embracing contemporary techniques.

Adapting to new challenges

Rinck has evolved with the times, incorporating high-tech innovations while maintaining its artisanal soul. Its workshops now boast the latest technologies, from 3D modeling to digital printing, allowing complex parts to be designed with unprecedented precision. These leading-edge tools make it possible to create flawless, realistic visuals of projects before their manufacturing begins, while optimizing the production process. By using these technologies, be it for furnishings or interior architecture and millwork, Rinck is able to create ornamental decorations of incomparable finesse.

Artificial intelligence is also finding its way into the work of our interior architecture studio: It helps clients experience better visual depictions of their projects before moving to the implementation phase, and allows architects to go even further in creating tailor-made spaces. Nevertheless, AI is not a substitute for their expertise; it is a complementary tool that enhances their work.

This union of technology and human know-how means Rinck can offer creative solutions while ensuring that a project’s execution is utterly faithful to the client’s vision.

3D modeling of a wood panel element © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Rinck is tremendously agile in responding to contemporary challenges, all while honoring its heritage. The company must keep pace with changing client expectations and needs, ecological concerns, and new design trends, calling for visionary solutions that combine artisanal excellence with environmental sensitivity.

An excellent illustration of Rinck’s success in meeting this challenge is the reissue of the TR73 chair from 1973. This iconic model is now made with eco-friendly materials, such as recycled plexiglass, while retaining its timeless aesthetic, in keeping with an environmentally responsible philosophy.

This astute balance of history and modernity exemplifies Rinck’s ability to reinvent its classics to respond to the issues of our time.

Dining room set designed by RINCK, presented at the Grand Palais in 1973 © RINCK

The TR73 chair reimagined with a recycled plexiglass seat © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Decorative marble-effect painting on the console from the Passage Collection – 2023 © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Another striking example is the Passage collection, demonstrating Rinck’s innovative approach to ecological challenges. By replacing traditional marble with decorative paint on the shelves and console, Rinck has successfully aligned the preservation of the beauty of its creations with renewed respect for the planet. This choice showcases an uncommon mastery of decorative painting, spotlighting Rinck’s artisanal DNA while responding to the ethical demands of today.

These are ways in which Rinck adroitly maintains an equilibrium between tradition and modernity, meeting today’s challenges without ever denying the superior heritage that brought Rinck to life. Cherishing the many forms of savoir-faire that have been passed down and enriched from one generation to the next, the company continues to explore materials, techniques, and forms, eternally guided by discipline and creativity. With daring spirit and skill honed by centuries of experience, Rinck shapes the luxury of tomorrow, a luxury that weaves together beauty, innovation, and responsibility.

Opus Memoria Collection – 2025 © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Amarante Collection – 2022 © Gaspard Hermach/RINCK

Journal

Heritage

A history of the smoking room

It was a requisite room in the mansions and elegant dwellings of yesteryear, now reminiscent of a bygone era of club chairs, smoking jackets, and sparkling social lives : the smoking room.

Elysée chair, collaboration Rinck & Fromental © Marco Bertolini for Eric Egan

Journal

Heritage

The Chair: The Embodiment of an Era, A Diary of Design

Of all the furniture invented by humankind, the chair is undoubtedly the piece that best reflects the era it inhabits. In the 18th century, it was a symbol of power in the form of aristocratic armchairs that could be taken on one’s travels or moved from room to room. In the 19th century, it was bourgeois, mushrooming in family dining rooms, only to become an ever-changing designer object a century later. The chair has long kept pace with and reflected changing lifestyles, representing, in its appearance, the twists and turns of its time.

Lobby of the Hôtel Régina © Hôtels Baverez

Journal

Heritage

The Grand Hotels of Paris: Prestigious Commissions for Rinck

The finest hotels of Paris, the embodiment of French luxury since the 19th century, symbolize both contemporary sophistication and rare refinement. They have played host to the world’s most celebrated travelers. Rinck’s archives hold precious records of projects done for some of the greatest names in French hospitality.

Journal

Heritage

Reflecting on the 1925 Decorative Arts Exhibition

Leafing through the guide to the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes – the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts – is a very pleasant journey indeed, one that takes you through space and time.

Rinck: Tradition meets Innovation

This capacity to combine tradition and innovation is the very foundation of Rinck, part of the DNA that captures the savoir-faire of eras past while embracing contemporary techniques.

This astute balance of history and modernity exemplifies Rinck’s ability to reinvent its classics to respond to the issues of our time.

Read more articles

A history of the smoking room

The Chair: The Embodiment of an Era, A Diary of Design

The Grand Hotels of Paris: Prestigious Commissions for Rinck

Reflecting on the 1925 Decorative Arts Exhibition