Nouvelle Bohème – The Story Behind Unique Handmade Objects

My name is Andrei Canache, and Nouvelle Bohème did not start as a business. It started as a need.

A need to create something real with my own hands. To turn ideas into objects. To build, paint, and experiment. From wood and clay to pigments and textures, I have always been drawn to the process of making something tangible — something that exists beyond the screen.

I currently work as a “color alchemist” at TonCorner, a premium paint store that, in many ways, has deeply influenced my artistic direction. Color is not just a detail in what I create — it is the starting point. Often, an object doesn’t begin with form, but with a color I feel the need to express.

That is how Nouvelle Bohème was born.

A space where my ideas can exist freely, without compromise.

Every object you see here is entirely made by me — from concept to execution. There is no industrial production, no mechanical perfection. There is only process, material, and artistic decision. Small imperfections may appear, but I don’t see them as flaws. I see them as proof that each piece has passed through human hands.

I use carefully selected materials, often premium, especially when it comes to paint. Finishes are never accidental, and color is never chosen lightly. Every layer contributes to the final identity of the object.

A defining example of my work is the Blue Cat. It started as a painting, but the idea didn’t stop there. I wanted to bring it into physical space, to give it volume and presence. So I transformed it into a plaster object, finished in a blue inspired by Yves Klein — a deep, almost impossible-to-ignore blue.

If you’re curious how such a piece comes to life, I documented the process here: see the handmade process.

Even then, I intentionally chose a latex mold that does not produce identical copies. Because I don’t want my objects to be perfect replicas. I want them to be individual. Each piece carries small variations — subtle differences that allow it to exist as its own object, not as a reproduction.

Nouvelle Bohème is not about “safe” decor. It is about presence.

The objects I create are not meant just to fill a space, but to challenge it. They are expressive, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes playful, but never neutral. They carry a slightly surreal dimension and communicate a feeling — whether it’s curiosity, tension, or fascination.

The people who choose these pieces are not looking for something generic. They are looking for something that says something about them. Whether it’s a gift or a personal object, the choice is never random. It is a form of expression.

My background is in a completely different field — I graduated in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Bucharest. My artistic path is entirely self-taught, built through experimentation, mistakes, and a constant obsession with detail.

I work alone almost all the time. Every piece passes through me at every stage — from the first idea to the final layer of finish. Each object carries the time, attention, and energy invested in it.

Nouvelle Bohème is still at the beginning, but the direction is clear: I want to build a recognizable brand with a strong identity, one that exists not only online but physically. The vision is a space of its own — a store where objects can be seen, touched, experienced. In Romania, but especially abroad.

Until then, every object I create is part of that journey.

And, in a way, an invitation.