Reclaimed Wood Stories: Holzgeschichten

Living in Munich, Bavaria, means you are surrounded by mountains, lakes, forests. Even though this sounds more fairytale like than it is in real life, it can still get very dreamy once you leave the city and head towards the Alps. Mountains mean lots of snow in winter and avalanches from time to time. Avalanches knock over trees and the wood is doomed to rot away. You bet! Munich has some creative young minds and some wild wood lovers in the surrounding forests and they have one thing in common: they love wood and they love design.

'Holzgeschichten' literally means 'Wood Stories' and it's a young Munich-based design label that is specialized in designing and producing wooden furniture and accessories made of reclaimed wood from avalanches. The wood is sourced directly in the mountains by Axel, a wild and free soul, who is a carpenter and restorer. Johannes and Bernhard are two young architects from Munich with a strong passion for design and together with Axel they tell stories carved in wood: 'Holzgeschichten'.

Now you might think wooden furniture is not so special. However, this furniture is unique and each is a one-of-a-kind piece. Each trunk found in the rivers and on the slopes of the Alps is unique in its texture, structure and colour. Axel sources different trees and the designs are strongly influenced by the potential of the reclaimed wood. Sometimes they turn out to be a table, a desk, a kitchen countertop (a personal favorite), a stool or just a cutting board. But each has its own story.

I had the opportunity to meet Bernhard and Johannes during the recent Munich Creative Business Week and they told me all about their design label and it didn't take a long time to convince me - young design, a creative approach, natural materials and a great story to tell. How could I not share this with you?

Photography by Thomas Straub