Inside Look: 4 Vitra Lovers Take Us On A Tour Of Their Modern Homes
Call us wistful, but we’re always curious to find out what happens to our designs, to hear about the stories they go on to inspire in faraway places. This winter, we were thrilled to be invited for a snoop around 4 extraordinary European homes — each brimming with emotion and style. From a kooky Munich townhouse to an impeccably curated Prouvé apartment in Berlin, they are the stories of 4 contemporary collectors, united by a love of Vitra design. Join us as we take a closer look.
Bohemian Rhapsody | Liane Forestieri
Tucked away in one of the leafier suburbs in Munich is the home of German actress, Liane Forestieri, her husband and their two children.
The five floors are framed by undulating, Art Nouveau windows — through which the last of the autumn light spills onto an assorted landscape of boho rugs, iconic chairs and colour-popping wall prints.
“I like a wild, eclectic look myself. There are no rules — anything goes as long as we like it,” explains Liane.
Sitting centre stage in her eldest daughter’s room is an Eames Lounge Chair — an unusual sight for a children’s bedroom. “She adopted it immediately,” laughs Liane. “It comforts me to think that such objects will be passed on, that [our children] will keep on sitting on the chairs we sat in.”
This sense of history and heritage is shared by Liane’s husband, who was gifted his first Eames Lounge Chair by a beloved aunt. Both agree that there aren’t many objects that you can pass down to your children. Trends and fashion tend to move too fast for that. And yet, the Eames Lounge Chair is a little bit different.
“It has a special elegance, an easy timelessness. It also looks good in any setting… Someday, it will also look cool in a student apartment.”
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The Collector | Emmanuel De Bayser
Another enthusiast who got bitten by the design bug young was Emmanuel de Bayser.
“I was 20 when I started collecting design. At first I concentrated on Americans like Charles and Ray Eames, as well as contemporary or historical post-war pieces by Jean Prouvé. I liked the optimism, the colours, the newness of post-war design. There was a sense of upward momentum, and people had a positive outlook towards the future.”
That sense of serendipity is laced throughout his Berlin apartment. There are the classic Prouvé pieces — a Compas Direction desk and dozens of Standard Chairs. Together, they act as visual anchors for some of the more outlandish styles: a glossy red table lamp or the statement swivelling wall lights. “When I come in the evening, I want peace and quiet. For me, these beautiful objects have something meditative about them.”
The Urban Junglist | Deborah Choi
Cultivating a sense of wellbeing through design is also top of the agenda for Berlin-based horticulturist, Deborah Choi.
“As the founder of Horticure, my mission is to “green up” indoor spaces. People bring greenery indoors to improve their mood, their concentration, their air. Most of the 70 plants here are from my company.”
The spiky spider plants provide a lush backdrop for the eclectic mix of wooden Vitra chairs that huddle around the central table. And yet, the sense of freshness in the apartment goes beyond the inclusion of mere houseplants. The apartment is very much alive with organic textures, the many tones of wood layered together to amplify the sense of being inside an indoor forest.
Is it a way of getting back to nature?
Yes and no. According to Deborah, it’s also about striving for sustainable consumption.
“I believe that sustainability is buying something of high quality that won’t need to be replaced. This applies to furniture, but also to clothing. I’m not into fast fashion or fast consumption. Sustainability is the idea of continuing and supporting the cycle of craftsmanship.”
Studio Living | Karin Sander
For Karin Sandar, a multi-media artist, wellbeing in the lived environment isn’t just about comfort but also transformation.
“When I designed this loft together with the architects Sauerbruch and Hutton, there were several questions that interested me: how do I want to live and work? How can these be combined?
“I realised that the furniture should be able to able to disappear and return again — rooms should be able to be used in different ways.”
The loft they arrived at is as amorphous as the art she creates — capable of being experienced in entirely different ways depending on the hour you visit.
During the day, it’s a hive of activity — mainly centred around the generous central table adorned with vases by Ronan & Erwan Bourollec.
At night, the lightweight Moca, APC and HAL chairs are stacked neatly in a corner — a signal that work is over for the day. Karin is then free to retire on one of two Grand Repos Chairs — supremely comfortable loungers created by Antonio Citterio.
“To me, chairs have their own little personalities. I like it when they are different from each other, the way this brings a certain tension and liveliness to a room.”
Love the interiors above? You can now shop the looks with exclusive offers such as 6 for 5 on Vitra Dining Chairs and exciting new eco-leather upgrades. For full information on all the promotions, follow the link here. In the meantime, let us know which of these Home Stories was your favourite on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. We can’t wait to hear from you!