In its natural habitat — construction sites — steel tends to turn up in cool shades of grey or, sometimes, a rusty brown. But coated with a pop of colour and shaped into a friendly form, the material can also thrive in residential settings.

In “Steel Works,” an exhibition held at The Breeder gallery in Athens, British–Canadian designer Philippe Malouin devised a series of playful steel sculptures splashed in vibrant hues. Assembled from scraps that he sourced from junkyards, a mailbox-like side table and light reminiscent of a lamppost walk the line between urban infrastructure and domestic decor.

But the collection’s real standout is a plump lounge chair that frames baby blue leather cushions in matching sheets of corrugated steel. By subverting the alloy’s rugged identity, the seat achieves a strong duality. Evidently, one person’s industrial trash is another’s soft throne.