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Cedric Etienne

  • Brussels, Belgium
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A Thoughtful Approach to Cork and its Versatility

The Bio

Studio Cédric Etienne is a multidisciplinary design practice based in Antwerp, working internationally across meditation spaces, interiors, hospitality, furniture, product design, and creative direction. Founded by interior architect Cédric Etienne (b. 1980, Antwerp), the studio is dedicated to creating contemplative atmospheres that bring stillness and serenity into modern life.

Etienne studied interior architecture at the Faydherbe Academy in Mechelen and completed his master’s degree at Politecnico di Milano. He began his career in scenography and event design for luxury brands such as Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, and Chanel, before shifting toward more sustainable, mindful design practices. A transformative vipassana retreat in Japan introduced him to the concept of Ma—the pause in time and emptiness of space—which deeply influenced his philosophy.

In 2017, he launched Corkinho, exploring cork as a natural material for interiors and objects, chosen for its warmth, texture, and acoustic properties. Today, Studio Cédric Etienne integrates sacred architecture and ritual into immersive design narratives that encourage stillness, connection, and inner calm. Alongside its design work, the studio hosts meditative gatherings and wellbeing programs, reflecting its ethos of grounding, simplicity, and presence.

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The Products
  • Daybed CD001 Daybed CD001
    • Daybed CD001
    • Price on request
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
  • Side table 02 Side table 02
    • Side table 02
    • 1.200 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
  • Coffee Table Coffee Table
    • Coffee Table
    • 1.900 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
  • Cubic Stools Cubic Stools
    • Cubic Stools
    • 1.450 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
  • 02 Beams - Low Table 02 Beams - Low Table
    • 02 Beams - Low Table
    • 1.500 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
  • Pendant light cap Pendant light cap
    • Pendant light cap
    • 350 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
  • Table CT001 Table CT001
    • Table CT001
    • 15.000 EUR
    • Studio Cédric Etienne
    • ex. VAT
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The Conversation

Can you tell us about an early moment in your life when you became aware of space as something more than walls and function — when it felt sacred, alive, or transformative?

First signs of spatial awareness were born in the Swiss mountains. Hiking as a contemplative journey within a landscape of stillness. Bit later when I moved to study in Rome, I was totally fascinated by the scale of the Roman imperium, imagining how spacious they lived back in their times. But it is in Japan that I connected with the transformative energy of space, when being on an architectural pilgrimage visiting Naoshima, Tesjima, Kyoto, … this is where I embodied the “architecture of silence” in my creative work.

Your work often carries a meditative quality. How do you personally find silence or stillness in your own life, and how does that flow back into your practice?

Daily meditations help to anchor stillness from within. Holding space for daily resets, in order to sharpen the creative work. In combination with cold showers and body movement to keep the alignment between body and mind. My work is an expression to translate a sense of grounding into contemporary spaces. How to compose a “place of grounding”. It is essential I dedicate myself into the practice in order to stay true to this creative process

You collaborate closely with artisans, natural materials, and traditions. Is there a story of one collaboration that shifted your perspective on what it means to create?

Listening to the Portuguese cork farmers is very nourishing. Understanding how climate impacts the cork harvest. It is important to stay close in dialogue with the source. Artisans work with nature. I discovered many artisans from Japan, Angola, Mexico who have inspired me to transform cork in a contemporary artistic material. I was very close to an “alchemist” who created pigments and oils. He guided me to explore the right formula to patinated our burnt cork.

Your path has taken you across countries, disciplines, and traditions. How has this journey influenced the way you understand the human need for spaces of retreat and reflection?

Having visited over 100 sacred spaces all around the world, from monasteries to tea houses, I experienced the impact of stillness on wellbeing. How architectural conditions can transform the energy of “presence”. Space has the power to invite us to listen to the energetic field of total presence. In a world of overwhelming distraction, I feel convinced that “being present now here” will become a very important part of our energetic wellbeing. This is why meditation journeys are more than just being still in space. It’s about reconnecting with our true nature, not to be constantly distracted. Drawing our attention to what is essential in a particular time in life. Giving space to listen and be present.

What compels you to keep creating spaces of contemplation? Is it a search for peace, a sense of responsibility, or a deeper personal quest?

I feel blessed to witness the impact of how stillness can bring people closer to each other … how space invites to be present as a collective gathering … without being esoteric or spiritual … just through the sense of how materials inspire to ground, and embrace a moment to its fullest potential. Creating contemplative spaces can be applied to a home, a meditation space, a hospitality retreat destination, an office or even a concept store … it goes beyond the visual manifesto. It is about redefining the space where human beings are invited to experience stillness, as an act of total presence. To enjoy life moments to its fullest potential, to be “now here” and leave all the rest for what it is.