Teak “Paola” Sideboard by Oswald Vermaercke

Sideboard by Oswald Vermaercke for V-Form publisher, teak buffet with 3 sliding doors, “Paola” model, Belgium circa 1955.

• The left-hand door opens, while the middle two slide.
• W 243 CM X D 50 CM X H 82 CM.
• P useful 42 CM.
• Drawers D 41 CM X H 9 CM.
• Beautiful condition, renovated by our restorer.
• Period restoration mark remains above the left handle (see photo).
• Functional lock, key included.

Large “Paola” Teak Sideboard by Oswald Vermaercke

Designed from 1959 by Belgian designer Oswald Vermaercke for the publisher V-Form, the “Paola” sideboard is among the most iconic models of post-war Belgian modernist furniture. The name “Paola” directly refers to the future Queen Paola of Belgium, whose marriage to Prince Albert took place the same year.

This model illustrates the growing influence of Scandinavian design on Belgian furniture in the late 1950s. Several sources highlight the proximity of some of Vermaercke’s creations to contemporary Danish research on lighter, more functional, and more organic furniture.

This large sideboard is distinguished by its very horizontal proportions, its sliding doors, and the particularly meticulous quality of its joinery. The handles sculpted from the solid wood and the slender base reinforce the impression of architectural lightness characteristic of V-Form productions from this period.

The drawers feature slightly curved interiors, a design detail intended to prevent small objects from getting stuck in right angles. This attention to daily use demonstrates the particularly high level of finish developed by Oswald Vermaercke for the “Paola” series.

Oswald Vermaercke also managed V-Form as artistic and commercial director, actively participating in the emergence of a Belgian modernism strongly influenced by Scandinavian and international models of the 1950s and 1960s.