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| frequently asked questions |
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what does beauty mean to you?
timelessness.
what would you change immediately if you were free to choose?
the furniture of many misunderstood homes.
what room do you spend the most time in when you’re at home?
my eat-in kitchen, the heart and soul of our six person household.
your favourite piece of furniture?
the “kubus“ armchair by josef hoffmann – about a 100 years old, timeless, independent and valid for the next 100 years. |
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| recommended book: “pure austrian design“ |
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| furniture, life |
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| handcrafted – an almost magical word in our times of virtual insanity and ever-growing mechanization. the carpenters, the metalworkers, the upholsterers, the seamstresses – for the international furniture manufacturer wittmann these people are at least as important as the number of renowned designers they’re working with. |
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quality is timeless. comfort, too. as well as handicraft that can never be fully replaced anyway. if you ever had the chance to sit on a wittmann sofa or armchair you will literally have felt this fundamental difference. and it’s actually pretty simple: one of the basic needs of man is to feel good and comfortable – for a lifetime. heinz hofer-wittmann is not only well aware of this fact but also visualizes and lives this basic idea through his furniture. pool talked to the head of the company about the fascination of furniture, about taste and the search for values.
dear mr. hofer-wittmann, what is it that fascinates you about furniture?
are there any special reasons why you started designing furniture?
pieces of furniture are life-long companions and have a great influence on our well-being. for me, it is simply a nice challenge to be able to contribute
to this feeling …
with your furniture you create life worlds and probably have great influence on the aesthetic perceptions of many people. is it your goal to give people a sense of good taste and quality?
well, taste definitely is a matter of personal preference … for me, it’s important to set examples. i believe that less is more and that high quality
requires reduction.
to what extent do you think that our surroundings determine the way we design our homes? do you think that rural homes will always be furnished in a way different to the homes of city dwellers?
basically, i believe that style is greatly influenced by the culture we live in. the lines have become blurred, just like in other areas of life.
due to the increasing acceleration and speeding-up of our lives, our homes have become a relaxing place of refuge where we can feel safe and comfortable. what do you think has changed most about people’s attitudes towards furniture and home design in the last couple of years?
in the last couple of years, our homes have become the safest place in our lives. at home, you can relax and recharge your batteries, you educate yourself, communicate and meet friends. i think that our homes are brightened up by furniture that meets all these demands.
progressivity vs. authenticity - what do you think about the current obsession with the latest high-tech gadgets on the one hand and people’s increased longing for classic, authentic retro and vintage products on the other hand?
this supposed contrast lies in the nature of man. people need this kind of polarity and at the same time long for balance. retro means to be “hip” as well as to return to and look for values.
talking about “modern timelessness“ – do you think there are such things as timeless products and design?
i would definitely say there is such a thing as timelessly beautiful products – just take a look at our collection! |
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| helmut wolf |
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