In Conversation With: Murat Tamgüç

What’s the added value marble brings to a space? What feeling does it elevate instantly?

Marble lifts the tone and energy of a space the moment you step in. Nature has already designed it: the veins, tonal shifts, and textures are the surface expression of a story written over millions of years. To me, marble is a signature of permanence and quiet nobility, beyond temporary trends. That’s why the first feeling it creates is often a reassuring elegance; the space becomes calmer, stronger, and more defined, leaving you with a subtle sense of admiration, almost like respect.

What makes marble timeless from antiquity to today? Durability, aesthetics, or cultural memory?

I don’t think marble’s timelessness comes from a single reason; it’s an exact blend of physical strength, aesthetics, and history. Durability gives it a true lifespan; its visual language allows it to be reinterpreted in every era; and its place in cultural memory gives it depth. From the columns of ancient temples to today’s modern galleries, marble is one of the rare materials that can speak both to the ancient past and the modern future at once.

When displaying Minval pieces, what are your top three essentials (light, background, height, negative space, composition)?

When displaying pieces with a strong identity, like Minval, I follow a “less, but essential” philosophy. For me, three things matter most: light, space, and background. Marble needs directional yet soft lighting to reveal its veins and depth; it needs room to breathe, crowded styling muffles its voice; and a clean, neutral backdrop lets its natural pattern read like art. In short, marble already speaks. Our job is not to silence it.

How do you balance marble’s strong character with silver, glass, leather, and flowers?

I think of it like a musical composition: if marble is the main melody, the other materials become rhythm and tone. I soften marble’s strong, “cool” presence with the transparency of glass, add movement with silver’s shimmer, bring warmth through leather’s texture, and return it to nature with the vitality of flowers. These materials aren’t there to compete with marble, but to complement it. Supporting elements that deepen the story when used with intention.

Where does true craftsmanship show itself in a Minval piece? What micro-details elevate quality?

True quality can impress from a distance, but it’s understood up close; when you look carefully and when you touch. In marble, craftsmanship lives in the elegance of the edge finishes, the precision of the surface work, and the millimetric refinement of every junction. A well-made piece doesn’t only please the eye; it lets you feel the silk-like smoothness and the labor behind it.

What styling setups do you value most when presenting Minval pieces?

In styling, my main guide is always the story. I don’t place an object as a product. I place it as a living part of an atmosphere. Harmony between natural materials, the play of light and shadow, and a strong composition are fundamental. Still, above all, I value setups that don’t hide a piece’s spirit, setups that celebrate it.

For Minval’s Maison&Objet stand, what were your key priorities: flow, hierarchy, lighting, storytelling, and photo-worthiness?

At Maison&Objet, our stand was less a display area and more a stage, a small gallery built to tell the brand’s story. We focused on three priorities: hierarchy and flow, lighting, and digital aesthetics. We designed a clear layout so visitors could grasp the key pieces at first glance and move through the space with ease; we used warm, balanced lighting to dramatize marble’s surface character; and we created “iconic scenes” people would naturally want to photograph, because today a stand also needs to live on social media.