Inspired by the Bauhaus, realized by Metallbude

Bärbel Franz is a room developer and designer. Her real passion, however, is furniture design. With the SION hanging console, one of her designs is now entering the Metallbude range. This year's design contest made it possible, from which the 53-year-old from Bavaria emerged as the winner.

Bärbel, you started studying interior design at the age of 47, successfully completed it at the age of 51 and most recently at the age of 53 – also successfully – took part in our design contest. Where does the passion for this subject come from?

"I've always had a soft spot for design. Even as a child I was very creative, painted a lot and also spent a lot of time in my grandfather's carpentry workshop. Professionally, however, I took a different path and studied to be a teacher after graduating from high school. At some point I started to paint and painted very intensively for ten years and also exhibited – especially larger formats, acrylic on canvas. The topic of interior design and furnishing was always present and had interested me for a long time. The idea of ​​doing it professionally came up when we remodeled and redesigned our house a bit. My type is that I don't like doing things by halves and prefer to do things right. That's why I decided six years ago to give my dream a tangible basis with a degree in order to get to know the basics of architecture and design."

With your submitted design, the hanging bracket SION, you won the competition as the first place. The shelf joins the existing range of Metallbude. To what extent do you think this piece of furniture embodies modern design art and living in the year 2022?

“There are a lot of styles at the moment. From an individual mix of styles, with a touch of boho or retro, to minimalism. I am of the opinion that a clear, reduced design fits into every room and every style and can be perfectly combined with everything. Beauty often lies in simplicity, and a clear form works on its own and doesn't need much to be effective. I think that SION is a timeless piece of furniture due to its simplicity. The metal allows the console to be worked very filigree, giving it a floating lightness that is unobtrusive and fits in anywhere.”

We imagine the year 2050 and dare to make a forecast: How important will designer furniture be in the industry? Which in housing and people? What demands will furniture have to meet?

“Sustainability is of course a big topic at the moment. Especially when something is produced and bought. Resources must be conserved so that the earth can continue to function. The trend of getting more and cheaper just doesn't fit in with the times anymore. A piece of furniture must be durable. It is important that it has a certain quality and functionality, and at best it is even ergonomic. Then you can and want to use it longer. You can see that, for example, in the classics from the 1950s or even in those from the Bauhaus era. This furniture is still current and manufactured. Even the designers back then worked according to the principle that good design must be combined with quality and functionality. And they even become heirlooms at some point.”

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