‘As long as a tree takes to grow, should be at least as long as you use a product,’ says Torben Hansen, the Danish carpenter who, in 1984, founded a regenerable wooden flooring and surfaces brand in Bavaria. ‘Our products should last forever – they are companions for a lifetime and the next generation.’
His company, Schotten & Hansen, leads the way in innovation when it comes to timber. Starting out restoring historic furniture and wooden surfaces, Hansen went on to translate his love of this natural material into new designs – sustainable floorboards, parquet, wall and ceiling veneers and acoustic wooden finishes.
If you’ve stayed in a Firmdale hotel, you’ll have walked on their floors. In fact, Kit Kemp (the hotel group’s founder and creative director, behind iconic venues like the Ham Yard Hotel) was an early champion of the brand. Last year, as part of celebrations for its 40th anniversary, Schotten & Hansen created the ‘PIT-A-PAT’ table series, showcasing the pioneering magnetic technique (where pieces of wood veneer can be attached to a magnetic strip on a surface and lifted off, allowing the design to be changed) that was also the star of its launch during this year’s Milan design week: ‘Ridgeline’.
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‘Ridgeline’ is a magnet-compatible wallcovering that has a uniquely irregular texture inspired by the ridgeline of the alps between Bavaria and Italy, and also the enchanting texture of bog oak. It was Hansen who developed an affinity for this material that is, he says, ‘10,00 years old or older and has a shine like iron’. ‘Its beauty is not perfect,’ continues Hansen, who has created a surface that emphasises the wood’s raw beauty and weathered irregularities. ‘A big crack or a knot is not a mistake, it’s character,’ he adds. The magnetic system allows for those characteristics to be playfully manipulated – place planks so that the indented lines form a linear pattern, or adjust the orientation of pieces to create patterns of light and shade.
It was possible to try these different configurations out at two venues across Milan design week. Firstly, there was London-based designer Bodo Sperlein’s ‘Menu’ installation at a church in the heart of Brera, where ‘Ridgeline’ and other wall veneers by Schotten & Hansen were used to surround the exhibition in a timber embrace.
‘Working with Schotten & Hansen has been a hugely rewarding experience,’ says Sperlein. ‘I have learned so much about the world of wood and the scope of possibilities to craft sustainable natural products from Torben and his team of experts. Our shared commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and materiality has allowed us to create an installation that we believe will inspire and connect visitors on multiple levels.’ Also showcased were pieces by Dibbern, Lobmeyr, LZF, Azado, Edelgrund and GAN Rugs.
Off-‘Menu’, Schotten & Hansen could also be found at the Salone del Mobile stand of German furniture company Janua, with whom it has collaborated on the new ‘T-Rox’ series of dining, coffee and console tables, that again showcase Hansen and his team’s commitment to the natural texture of timber – here naturally pigmented to complement the elements of stone in the designs.
These colours will be seen with the vibrancy dialled up when Schotten & Hansen showcases another new collaboration with British kitchen brand Pluck during Clerkenwell Design Week (20-22 May). Here, subtle greens and taupes are replaced by beautiful powder blue and rich burgundy cabinetry. What is unchanged, though, is that the wood is the star. The natural grain still shines through. This is thanks to the processes that Schotten & Hansen hold dear: every piece is finished with natural resins, waxes and oils. Never sanded back, but lovingly preserved.
‘I’ve had the chance of collaborating closely with remarkable architects, designers, and esteemed partners who have become friends of the house, appreciating our products as lifelong companions,’ says Hansen. ‘As I look forward, I’m excited to work with the next generation to continue to innovate and inspire, creating wooden products and finishes with the utmost care and respect for the trees and woodlands.’ schotten-hansen.com
