When the project for a Ferm Living showroom in Hanover in Germany began, one thing quickly became clear: the showroom and office in the state capital of Lower Saxony should look and feel like a Ferm Living home, so that both employees and showroom visitors could get a better sense of the brand.
Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild, Head of Style Lab at Ferm Living, has always understood the importance of home. But with the global pandemic and so many trade fairs cancelled, she and creative director and founder Trine Andersen discussed how the way a company interacts with its customers had changed in some respects. They agreed that a homely showroom – where guests could be invited to relaxed meetings and interact with Ferm Living's designs – would be the new way to experience and understand the brand.
Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild drew up detailed plans for each room, and the Ferm Living furniture, lighting and objects were delivered in early 2021. After months of delays, pandemic restrictions were lifted and work could begin on redesigning and styling the kitchen, living room, office and bedroom.
When you arrive at the showroom in Hanover, you're welcomed into the living room. Here, you'll find Ferm Living's familiar, iconic soft tones. The ceiling is painted a delicate lemongrass yellow, which creates a striking contrast and gives the whole room a distinctive character. Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild believes that bold choices like this make the Hanover showroom feel like a modern home.
"Ferm Living celebrates life's contrasts, because every home is filled with contradictions in one way or another. To give an example, Ferm Living is made up of different universes. There's Calm and Beauty, with its earthy shades, and as its counterpart we have Artsy and Whimsical, which is bolder in expression and colour. The two contrast with each other, but somehow they're both Ferm Living – they're both the essence of home, because a universe rarely stands alone."
So while the main colours stay within the calm and beautiful universe, the lemongrass yellow ceiling celebrates the artistic and whimsical. In many ways, it's a lovely detail. It instantly shows that contrasts are a natural and exciting part of every home, and as a guest, it makes you want to explore. Because nothing is predictable, you're curious to see what will happen in the next room.
Like the colours on the walls and ceilings, the Ferm Living products in each room were carefully chosen. Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild wanted to decorate with specific Ferm Living objects and furniture that both the Hanover team and the many visitors would enjoy using every day. The Catena Sofa is the centrepiece of the living room and exudes comfort. Once you're sitting here, sinking into the deep, soft sofa, it's impossible to keep a conversation formal. You instantly feel grounded and relaxed. From here, your eye wanders and you suddenly notice that the living room is also filled with carefully chosen curiosities that give the space a unique touch and make you feel at home.
From the warm living room, you can glimpse the office. More than ever, an inspiring office is an essential part of the home. Knowing that people draw their creative energy from different sources, Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild wanted to create an office that reflects this duality. Using the same soft colour scheme, she furnished the office with a Mingle Table as a desk, a Turn Sofa (for comfortable, informal meetings), and a Sill Cupboard and Haze Bookcase for storing important items.
As you walk from the office into the kitchen, the energy changes. Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild describes the kitchen as one of the most important rooms in any home. The same applies to the Hanover showroom. The kitchen was meant to be not only the centre of the Hanover team's daily life, but also a place for relaxed lunches with showroom visitors.
"When you sit in a kitchen, you feel as if you're in someone's home. It's like a look behind the scenes. Everyone knows the kitchen is where the party happens. It's where people talk, laugh, eat and drink together. There's room for everyone in the kitchen. You grab a chair, sit on the edge of the table or hop up onto the worktop. It's simply a fun space."
With this in mind, the kitchen in the Hanover showroom was meant to embody the lively heartbeat of the whole home. It was fitted with new cabinets in the signature cashmere colour. The shelves were filled with Ferm Living tableware and glassware, and plenty of Herman dining chairs were placed around the table. Reminded that Ferm Living's products are not just for display, the Hanover team was encouraged to use the space as an everyday kitchen. In this way, they would show their guests that Ferm Living stands for an authentic home.
Finally, the Hanover showroom also has a bedroom. As a room for retreating to after long days and preparing for new ones, the bedroom was meant to be calm, with plenty of space to breathe and relax. Inspired by luxurious hotel suites, the deep wall colour was chosen to make the room soothing to the senses. With a large, comfortable bed, a dressing table and a chaise longue for relaxing, the bedroom in Hanover is a place to unwind and spend precious time.
The bedroom also includes a small children's area. As Ferm Living's children's collection complements its universe for adults, it was only natural for the bedroom to reflect what it's like to live with children when space is limited. Even if you live in a small flat without much room for the youngest members of the family, you can create a playful, inspiring space in your bedroom or living room. It underlines that the Ferm Living children's collection isn't meant to be tidied away. Instead, it's a collection that reflects life, creativity and fun.
Every good home takes time. As for future plans for the showroom, Lisbeth Raulund Breinhild and her team still have important rooms to finish, such as the bathroom and two balconies.
When you step into the showroom, the Ferm Living brand welcomes you with open arms. As you make yourself comfortable on the furniture, drink coffee from the cups and touch the cushions, you understand the art of living and what it really means to have a space that feels good – so the styling team has definitely achieved its goal.
