Fade to Stay

Studio RENS, a design duo consisting of Stefanie van Keijsteren and Renee Mennen and operating out of Eindhoven, researches and designs new modes of seeing colour. Along with its own collections and interior and homeware products, Studio RENS collaborates with labels and companies to conduct material research and product innovation.

Colourfastness is considered a quality, but discolouration can never be prevented entirely. For Fade to Stay, RENS experimented with a combination of various types of ink and paper in order to control discolouration with the help of UV radiation. The project showed that discolouration is itself a quality that, when embraced, can enhance the experience of a design object over its lifetime. The objective was to produce a wallpaper that changes colour andor composition over time through the influence of sunlight. The project was supported and sponsored by Canon NL and Philips Innovation Services.