Cirrus is one of Stuart Melrose's earliest and most significant furniture designs—a piece that marked the beginning of a manufacturing process and visual language that continues to influence his work today.
The design evolved from an abstract artwork of the same name, inspired by time spent exploring the brilliant white sand beaches and expansive landscapes of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Rather than reproducing the artwork as a surface graphic, Stuart set out to translate its flowing forms into a sculptural object where pattern, material and structure become one.
The result is a table that feels both fluid and precise: an abstract landscape transformed into a three-dimensional piece of furniture.
Exploring Inlay Through Design
The significance of Cirrus lies in the technical innovation behind its construction.
Decorative inlays have traditionally been confined to flat surfaces. Cirrus became Stuart's first successful exploration into carrying intricate inlaid graphics seamlessly across the sculpted compound curves of a three-dimensional form.
The process required extensive experimentation with material, construction and geometry. Each element of the graphic had to be individually cut, positioned and inlaid so that the design could flow continuously across the changing surface of the table.
More than simply creating a new coffee table, the project became an exercise in developing a new way of working with Corian®—one that would go on to inform many future collections and ideas.
From Artwork to Limited Edition
Designed and handcrafted in England from DuPont™ Corian®, each Cirrus Table is individually made to order and finished by hand to a soft semi-gloss sheen.
The intricate graphic is not printed or applied afterwards. It is created through the careful hand inlay of individually cut pieces of coloured Corian®, forming a permanent part of the sculpted surface.
Produced as a limited edition of 300, every table carries the Stuart Melrose studio mark and its own individual edition number.
From Early Experiment to International Recognition
Although Cirrus began as one of Stuart's early furniture experiments, it remains one of the works he is most proud of.
The table has been exhibited at leading design events, including Liverpool's European Capital of Culture Design Show, Grand Designs Live within the House of the Future, 100% Design Futures, and Scotland's Home & Interiors Show. It has also featured in numerous national and international design publications.
Cirrus represents an important moment in the studio's development: where artistic expression, material innovation and engineering came together to create a technique with lasting creative potential.
Specifications
Materials: DuPont™ Corian®
Dimensions: Length: 116 cm Width: 65 cm Height: 30 cm Weight Approximately 40 kg
Edition Limited edition of 300. Individually numbered. Handcrafted to order in England
