( CNN ) -- In the white sand beaches of Yoff , the small fishing town just north of the Senegalese capital Dakar , a seemingly endless line of brightly colored boats dots the Atlantic seaside . It was here , about four years ago , that Spanish designer Ramon Llonch was first struck by the mysterious symbols and intricate patterns adorning the hand-painted wooden vessels . `` I was amazed by the beauty of the fishing boats , many of which were old , damaged by the salt and the sun or abandoned , '' remembers Llonch , who was at the time cycling solo around the West African country . `` I was captivated by that colorful mosaic of life with the women selling the fish and the men approaching the shore , '' he adds . Read this : African firm invests billions in U.S . Looking at the old , weathered canoes , Llonch started wondering whether he could find a new use for them while preserving the history of their owners . His idea was to work with skillful local craftsmen and breathe new life into the traditional `` pirogues '' by transforming them into hand-made furniture . And that 's how Artlantique was born , a company repurposing boats that are no longer sea worthy into upcycled fittings -- anything from whimsical chairs and coffee tables to one-of-a-kind cabinets and even foosball tables . `` It 's like a reincarnation of something that had life before -- a life in the Atlantic , a life in Africa , '' says Llonch . `` Every time you see this furniture , you have a piece of the soul and the history of these fishermen , '' adds the 52-year-old designer . Long journey . From the waters off the coast of Senegal , through the Dakar-based workshop , to several stores across the world , the journey of transforming the old fishing boats into furniture is far from easy . Artlantique employs 12 craftsmen , including a co-ordinator who is in regular contact with the local fishermen about the purchase of those boats whose life span on the ocean waters has ended -- usually after 40 to 50 years of use . Read this : Can Africa unlock its solar potential ? After transporting the boats into Artlantique 's workshop , the company 's master carpenters start the arduous task of dismantling the 12-meter long vessels . Once that 's completed , they decide how to reconstruct the old samba wood -- depending on its size , condition and color combinations -- without any wood treatment or additional painting . Artlantique 's eclectic creations are then shipped to Barcelona , Llonch 's base , and from there they are sent to clients across Europe , as well as stores in New York and Tokyo . Passion for Africa . Llonch says that what makes the furniture special is the history behind it and the creativity of the artisans working with raw materials that are hard to remodel . `` The main reason of this project is to preserve the wood as it was , with all the stories , all the nautical miles sailed in Atlantic , '' says Llonch . Read this : Bamboo bikes put business on right track . `` This wood ... has certain limitations , not only because it has a shape but also because it 's very damaged by the salt , the sea , the sun and the time . But these artisans are very talented , '' he adds . `` Their creativity is not academic , they are like this by nature because ( for them ) recycling and reusing is not a fashion , it 's not a trend . '' Looking ahead , Llonch says his goal is to expand the business and help other skilled craftsmen to develop their creative talents . `` Africa for me is a social inspiration , it 's my passion , '' he says . `` We started with the fishing boats ... because I was astonished when I saw the beaches with these stylish boats but maybe this is just the beginning , '' adds Llonch . `` There is a lot of creativity that we can use and we can take from African artists -- I want to continue to collaborate and discover the African talent , this is my aim . ''
Artlantique produces furniture made from old fishing boats in Senegal . Many of the colorful boats have sailed the Atlantic for 50 years . The company 's creations can be found in stores in Europe , New York and Tokyo .