R
W
» This house is a
meeting place for
our family
and friends. «
Owner
Christoph Schlegel and Andrea Krausmann founded their
studio in Wiesbaden in 2001 after studying interior design.
They put their heart and soul as HONEYandSPICE into find-
ing solutions for upmarket interior design for private builders
and business clients.
The owners Rosemarie and
Wolf in conversation with
the interior designers Andrea
Krausmann and Christoph
Schlegel from HONEYandSPICE
How did the building project in the Lüneburg Heath begin and how
did you come together for it?
Rosemarie: We lived in Wiesbaden for a long time and had already
worked on a project there with HONEYandSPICE, Andrea and Chris-
toph’s interior design firm. So when personal circumstances brought
us north again to look for our home, we finally found this beautiful
property and we were clear that we wanted to work with Andrea and
Christoph again.
Wolf: Our collaboration was both coincidental and fateful. My parents
met Christoph’s parents in the 1950s and became friends. When we
started the Wiesbaden project, my mother suggested Christoph and
Andrea to me. Andrea, Christoph and my wife were a great creative
team again for the Lüneburg Heath house.
Andrea: The house here in the countryside practically fell into your laps.
Rosemarie: We had looked at a number of properties here in the
north. We couldn’t find anything, though, and the very nice estate
agent couple invited us for a coffee and pulled some photos of this
country house out of the drawer. We saw it and instantly knew we
could make something out of this old house, which was in much need
of renovation.
Did you choose the contrast of old and new as soon as you saw it?
Rosemarie: I already had the idea in my head of a glass cube as
an extension.
Wolf: You can see from the inscriptions on the house who its builder
is and when it was built, on 2 June 1911. So we imagined a kind
of farmstead in the impression. When you drive onto the estate, it
instantly reminds you of an archetypal Lower Saxony farm. This fits
architecturally into the small village, which has only 48 inhabitants
and many farmyards.
Christoph: It was important to us that the new buildings, which are
very modern and austere in their design language, should neverthe-
less fit in well with the local structure.
How do old and new combine inside?
Andrea: Rosi originally wanted to preserve a historical style in the
old building and give the new building a modern look. In the course
of the design process, however, it became clear that we would have
the playful window and door details in keeping with their time, but
otherwise lean more towards the straight and clear formal language
of the extension. The luminaires are an important connecting element
between old and new. The lighting mood generated by the Sento
series, for example, fits wonderfully in the hallway with its beautiful
historical cement tiles.
Wolf: The most important doors in the house are made of glass. This
means we have a light-drenched view throughout the length of the
house. From old to new, and equally from new to old.
Andrea: These visual axes with the Sentos in both structures are
important and support the natural materials and light tones, also
building a design bridge.
At what point in the building process did you start thinking
about lighting?
Andrea: Right from the start. It is an important aspect of our work to
think about the atmospheres that skilful lighting can create and also
to consciously create different light zones.
Wolf: This was particularly important because there used to be a
house wall with few windows where the modern extension begins.
The glass extension has changed the whole feel of the place and the
park has automatically blended into the living experience.
Rosemarie: It was important to me to highlight our photographs and
artworks, which are now transformed into their own little showcase
by the Occhio lights.
Christoph: In turn, we designed the lighting in the bathhouse com-
pletely differently. Normally, indirect lighting and a lot of surface area
comes to mind when we think of light. However, the swimming pool
is completely glazed on one side. We worked with Sento verticale
wall luminaires here.
Wolf: On the opposite side, the arcs from the luminaires interlock both
downwards towards the floor and upwards. For us, the light makes
the white wall in the swimming pool an extraordinary image in itself.
You have created a personal retreat with this country estate. What
makes it stand out?
Wolf: This place is like a private island to me that radiates cosiness
and security because we have placed the greatest value on nature.
Rosemarie: Peace and quiet. This house is a meeting place for family
and friends for us. Anyone arriving here immediately relaxes.
Interview
Interview
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