BULL & STEIN presented the Pomme Chair and monumental fruit sculptures at Feria Hábitat València 2026
'We wanted to ask what would happen if the apple could become a functional object'
Founded in São Paulo in 2002 by Cynthia Stein and Marcus Bull, German-Brazilian design brand Bull & Stein has spent more than two decades exploring the relationship between art, nature and everyday life.
The brand is particularly recognised for its oversized fruit sculptures, transforming familiar forms from nature into unexpected objects through exaggerated scale, colour and finishes. For Marcus Bull, the intention goes beyond decoration. 'We deliberately exaggerate scale, form and finish to create objects that surprise, provoke an emotional response and reconnect people with the beauty of nature,' Marcus explains. 'For us, the result should be more than decoration. It should have a presence, create an atmosphere and become a memorable part of a space.'
The apple becomes furniture
The apple has become an important visual language for Bull & Stein, representing everything from life and knowledge to desire and temptation. Enlarging the universally recognisable form allows the brand to make something familiar feel surreal. This idea has now moved from sculpture into furniture with the new Pomme Chair, developed in collaboration with Brazilian designer Paulo Terra. 'The Pomme Chair grew naturally from BULL & STEIN's long-standing fascination with the apple,' Marcus says. 'We wanted to ask what would happen if its characteristic form could become part of a functional object.' Produced in fibre-resin with a varnished finish and cast-bronze stem, the artist edition combines sculptural impact with the proportions and comfort required of a functional chair.
Sculpture meets functionality
The collaboration also creates a dialogue between Paulo Terra's approach and the work of artist Lisa Pappon, whose oversized fruit sculptures have been central to Bull & Stein since 2002. While Lisa established the expressive vocabulary of the apple through monumental sculpture, Paulo translates that language into furniture. The result demonstrates how a recognisable form can evolve without losing its emotional character. Designed for both indoor and outdoor environments, the Pomme Chair reflects the increasingly fluid relationship between interior and exterior spaces, from residential settings to hospitality and commercial environments.
A monumental presentation
At Feria Hábitat València 2026, Bull & Stein has presented the Pomme Chair alongside oversized fruit sculptures measuring up to two metres in diameter. 'Visitors experienced an immersive encounter with the Bull & Stein universe, where scale was deliberately used to create surprise and emotion,' Marcus says. The monumental apples, pears and cherries will create a striking backdrop for the chair, demonstrating how the same language of nature can move between pure sculpture and functional design.
Colour, craft and character
Colour and finish remain fundamental to the brand's work. High-gloss surfaces, deep colours, metallic effects and lapis-lazuli-inspired finishes give each familiar natural form a distinct personality. Craftsmanship is equally important, with Bull & Stein working with specialised production partners and traditional techniques in Portugal. 'Material and surface are not secondary details. They are part of the artistic language of the object,' Marcus says.
Outlook
Looking ahead, the brand plans to continue exploring the space between sculpture, art and design through new collaborations, materials, finishes and scales, with one goal in mind: to keep surprising people.