WohnGeist

Switzerland, Basel, St. Alban-Vorstadt 15. 

In a more than 500 year old house overlooking the Rhine, WohnGeist has been carpentering beautiful, individual wooden objects in a timeless design for 30 years ...

... from noble accessories and utensils for everyday use, special tool cases, furniture and individual, tailor-made kitchens to inviting weekend homes.

One significant common denominator unites all these objects:
It is the dedication with which they are created.

WohnGeist - Möbelwerkstätte was founded in 1991 by Stefan Senn as a sole proprietorship and has grown continuously since then.
In 2010, the range was expanded to include luxury items under the Wood&Luxury label and given an international orientation.

To this day, the WohnGeist team remains true to its claim of combining ecology with outstanding design and producing furniture by hand according to all the rules of the art.
Selected Swiss solid wood, natural surface treatment and design according to human measure are the core values of WohnGeist.

All products are individually crafted by experienced wood craftsmen and wood craftswomen locally in Basel and distributed regionally as well as internationally.

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An interview with Stefan Senn

Learn more about the founder and CEO of WohnGeist!
A thank you for the exciting questions goes to Angela Sirch from moments.ch
 
  • You started your own business, WohnGeist, in 1991. Has working with wood always been part of your life?

    I am a fourth-generation carpenter. That means my great-grandfather was already a carpenter. None of our ancestors continued the business of their father, but each of them started something different with wood. This is special, but also a chance to be innovative. That is why I have been tinkering in the carpenter's workshop since I was a boy. For example, I designed and carpentered our Noah's Ark when I was 16.
     
  • Where did you do your apprenticeship?

    I did my apprenticeship with my father in his company. He specialized in antiques. Hence our simple straight line as a contrast. Later I studied design and interior architecture in the USA.
 
  • You not only manufacture custom furniture, but also have many of your own designs in your online store. What inspires you? Where and when do you get the best ideas?

    All designs come from my own needs. If I couldn't find anything beautiful, then I designed and carpentered it for myself.
 
  • What types of wood do you work with at WohnGeist? Do you have a personal favorite?

    In the past it was larch. Today I don't have a favorite, but I'm always fascinated by the different trees with their structure, which is so varied.
  • How many employees do you have?

    We are 10 employees.
 
  • If I as a customer now come to you with a wish / an idea, what is the process from the first meeting to the finished piece of craftsmanship?

    After I ask them many questions and listen, a sketch for their piece of furniture matures in me and to this I calculate a quote. 
    It can also be that a model follows if it needs a shape check.

 
  • What machines and tools do you use? Do you rely more on the old or the new?

    We have both and use the best of everything that technology has to offer. What can't be done by machine is the plastering. In other words, sanding the surfaces and edges and then oiling them is mainly manual work.
 
  • Who are your buyers? Do you see a certain tendency or is the clientele a mixed bag?

    We have a mixed clientele. Considering that our furniture lasts hundreds of years in terms of quality and design, the price is not a priority for many.
 
  • Are there any specific plans or projects in the near future that you would like to tell us about?

    We are bringing in the tool wall for our 30th anniversary this fall. We are revamping our homepage and have made a film about our workshop. Then there's the big Pic-Nic case with plates, etc.... Also the model for a Tinyhouse on wheels is already there, and.... many projects! At the moment, however, we can hardly keep up with our customers' wishes, so that our own projects have to take a back seat.

 
  • Do you also present your work at trade fairs? Can the furniture be bought in stores other than your own online store?

    We don't have the time for trade fairs in the meantime. Therefore, we present our work in our own store in Basel and in our Online Shop. Internationally, we are represented at Mr. Porter and the Conran store with the tool cases.

 
  • What else I wanted to say...

    All the products we make, whether a small salt shaker or a weekend house, have something in common: they are made with dedication by people with a vocation.