The Stylemate, Issue 01|2022: The new spirituality | English Edition

Stylemate

The new spirituality

Yes, we are allowed.

In the pandemic era, concepts like “security” and “control” have become a thing of the past. They’re feelings that the lucky among us are still able to remember, but which we’re only able to experi ence to a limited extent. The first lockdown saw them evolve into a massive cloud of longing that hung somewhere overhead. Did they disappear into the world of transcendence? Is it because of this that our need for spirituality in our lives has grown? Spirituality is a world of permission. We’re allowed to say yes to wishes, dreams and desires, to the search for a special connection with ourselves. With our soul and with our heart. And perhaps it’s more the looking than the finding that does us good. Because looking involves discovering. And there is still so much to be discovered. Spirituality means that life has a direction. That we’re turning towards something where we can let ourselves flourish. That’s why the new spirituality looks for places that are genuine. Genuine in how they interact with people, with other creatures and with nature. You can find the new spirituality within your own four walls, on a yoga mat or a shakti acupressure mat. You’ll find it anywhere in the world where people put the effort into creating something from their heart and soul. A hotel, a restaurant, a craft or an item of clothing. The new spirituality is anywhere that has meaning. It’s the feeling of security in the present moment that can dispel our fear of the unknown, that allows us to let go of the need to control our lives and the world around us. Because there’s one thing we’re not allowed to forget: there’s no such thing as real control.

TIME TO MAKE A STATEMENT

“Behind every successful design there is an objective, streamlined development process,” says designer Bernd Steinhuber about his pragmatic approach. And the success of the WIRO collection proves his point. The wire lights are now also available as wall, ceiling, floor and table lamps, and feature a new suspension system that lifts all limits otherwise set by predefined lighting outlets. But its minimalistic design and the large variety of combinations in terms of colour, shape and size are not WIRO’s only wow factors: with the help of a dimmer, you can also adjust the lighting mood to any setting you can think of. It’s an unbeatable all-rounder.

everducre.com/en/products/ collections/wiro-collection

Essentials

PURPLE MANTRA

“PURPLE MANTRA is an olfactory experience that was developed to bring a pleasant feeling of inner peace to everyday life. It helps you listen to and strengthen your own intuition and calm everything else,” says Room1015 founder Dr Mike. In Purple Mantra, perfumer Serge De Oliveira combines top notes of lavender, freesia and red berries with heart notes of iris and sage on base notes of incense, myrrh, ambroxide and musk. It purifies the mind and supports you in attaining spiritual depth.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

balduin-store.com, Eau de Parfum 100 ml, € 130

IN THIS

PROTECTIVE COCOON

Patricia Urquiola has designed a new collection for Moroso! The collection bears the name Pacific and with its rounded, oversized shapes, it evokes the relaxed atmosphere of the American west coast from which it takes its name. Sitting in these chairs feels like being wrapped in a protective and relaxing cocoon where all hard edges are banned. The soft shapes are enhanced with the use of couture details – for example, a soft, woolly upholstery was chosen for the Pacific Lounge Chair to give an extraordinarily tactile experience. Pacific is the contin uation of a design process that started with the Redondo collection. “It’s about progressing with a collection that’s been successful because of the use of innovative and luxurious surfaces,” explains Patricia Urquiola. thestylemate.com/e-boutique, € 2,772

COSY ELEGANCE

Walk across the rug in bare feet or stretch out and get comfy: that’s what you’ll want to do on the rugs by Geba, which are made from the wool of high mountain sheep in Tibet. Knotting the rugs then takes place in two partnering workshops in Nepal. The knotting families, who have now become friends and have worked with Geba for many years, use a Tibetan knotting technique that has been around for thousands of years. This technique makes it possible to accurately create embellishments and patterns with the durability required for everyday use.

From the shearing of the sheep to the finished article, Geba rugs pass through many hands. What these hands do should be motivated by joy and satisfaction. That’s why rug production follows the rules of the Label STEP, which obliges the company to comply with social engagement and fair working conditions, as well as the relevant monitoring.

geba.cc, Antique Blue rug, price on request

3D printing meets Wiener Moderne. Up-and-coming jewellery brand My Magpie is reinterpreting the style of Viennese art nouveau. The super-light artistic creations are made out of flexible 3D-printed polyamide with sterling silver findings. The simple elegance of the Hoffmann bangle is inspired by the famous “Sitzmaschine” chair, model 670 by Josef Hoffmann. Through his creations, the Viennese architect, who this year would be celebrating his 150th birthday, encouraged the unity of form and function.

It’s a real eye-catcher for any wrist.

mymagpie.at, Hoffmann bangle, € 69

ART INSPIRATION

Precision couture meets flowing cuts. The Inner Light is the name of the new collection from fashion label Nehera. It’s inspired by Czech artist duo Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtova, who explored the opposing properties of glass through their famous sculptures: fragile and solid, coloured and clear, transparent and opaque. The collection experiments with varying textures, like three different types of linen. The highlight is a trench coat made out of cotton and paper pulp. Let your inner light shine!

PRINTED ART NOUVEAU

DO I FEEL COMPLETE?

Isn’t life just one long search? It sometimes feels that way. We’re being controlled, like a character in a hit and run game. We run along, pick something up, run a bit further until we finish one level and we’re allowed to progress to the next. School, training, dating, relationships, marriage, children, work, retirement, game over.

It’s possible that this analogy might lead us to wonder: is that it? And it might prompt us to embark on the search. But what for? What are we searching for with such desperation? We’re searching for more meaning, more support, more peace, more serenity in a fast, loud, sometimes very empty and complicated world. It certainly hasn’t got any easier over the last couple of years what with the pandemic and climate disasters. We also want to do something right or well when we’ve already done so many things wrong. Our consumption of resources, air pollution, polluting the oceans, animal suffering. In a sick world, we want to heal ourselves, and to do that we might reach for bogus medicine. Or try using shortcuts. Using quick ways to slow down. Maybe belief in the whole is only a belief. Maybe we should stop searching to make ourselves feel complete.

Maybe it would be better to start finding. And discovering. The happiness found in good food. The warmth of a hug. The magic of a particularly beautiful place. The joy of a good conversation. These things all add up. To a large whole.

GOOD – BETTER – SELF

Quick, quick, let’s set off towards a better self! A little pep talk and already feel, I am better. What would be even better would be a couple of inspirational words from a life coach, then everything will be pretty much perfect.

Really? Of course not. A lot of the self-help programmes out there suggest that it really is that easy. Hey, it’s all within us. We just need to let it out. And then we’ll be unbelievably awesome and we’ll be able to achieve everything. You just need to really want it. Are you sure you’ve really wanted it up to now? Or did you just want to wallow in self-pity a bit more? Because it’s comfortable, because it attracts attention, because it’s easy. It’s a bit of quackery that goes astray and causes people to doubt themselves even more. When you convince yourself that everything you need is within you, at some point you feel like a loser who just can’t get greatness out of themselves. Self-doubt might end up being greater than it was before.

It’s simply not that simple. And it’s hard to believe there are actually life situations that don’t enable you to activate your own superpowers and float through life. We have to stop overexerting ourselves and start avoiding challenges in life and accept doubt and conflict. They exist and you can’t just make them invisible with a good connection to your inner self. But it’s the good connection to our inner self that helps us to avoid these difficulties, to not crack and to manage it, and to develop a feeling of happiness or more zest for life in spite of it. Not everything we encounter in life is good. It is what it is. And the dream of an optimised self is just a dream. And that’s totally fine. We can relax.

MEDITATION TO GO

Let’s be frank: how many yoga, meditation and fitness apps do you have on your phone? Probably a few. That’s not a bad thing! But we can’t expect that simply installing an app on our phone will turn us into a more spiritual, more balanced person with increased inner peace. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as instant spirit uality that will change our thinking and behaviour. After all, it’s still a process that demands that we change our routines. And as we well know, that’s a big challenge. Because our brain is used to taking the easiest route, nurturing our habits. You know, the classics: scrolling through Instagram in bed at night or binging Netflix. Somehow, we feel rewarded, but then also a bit bad. Was it really worth spending hours watching what other, mostly unknown, people are doing?

How they turn out and present themselves, beautifully dressed, especially on holiday, or how they have done or got something amazing. Do we really feel better when we watch other people behaving in a way that’s detached from reality?

Australian comedian, actress and author

The new spirituality

But what are we searching for and what will we find?

Yoga, meditation, positive affirmations, ancient rituals and shamans – the new spirituality is the religion of our time.

I

Celeste Barber has the funniest way of mocking people, mostly half-naked women dancing or posing strangely. She exposes the odd behaviour in photos and short vid eos by mimicking them in similar outfits, with ungainly movements and amusing grimaces. This laugh compensates for the guilty conscience you have for continually scrolling. But back to the routines we need to change. It’s becoming easier to extract yourself from everyday life and not be exposed to the same habits. Like going on holiday, for example. A new place is a rewarding moment to put old things aside and to embrace new things. Instead of staring at your phone, you can actually go to the yoga and meditation sessions on offer. If you manage to outsmart your brain once, you’ll be really grateful. Because meditation feels like a real reward. Doing something once isn’t enough to be healed over the long term, of course. But it’s the right way to initiate sustainable change.

When you get back from holiday, you just can’t lapse back into your old patterns. This is where the apps are actually quite good, as they don’t let you go it alone. You can allow yourself to be guided, over and over, in new and varied ways. There are so many options that you won’t be able to get through them in just one night like you might with a Netflix series, and then crave more like a junkie. And when you close your eyes and a voice says to you: “You did it. Keep going a bit longer. You’re almost there. Great!”, it doesn’t matter whether the praising voice comes from your phone or not.

We did it really well.

ABOUT GOOD AND BAD AFFIRMATIONS

I can’t do it. I can’t manage it. I’m not beautiful enough. I’m not enough. I don’t believe I can do it. Other people are always better than me. I’m too fat. I’m too thin. I don’t belong. Does this happen to you? If not, I would say “lucky you!”. Because apparently, you’ve already achieved it. You love yourself, think you’re good, are totally at peace with yourself and what you do. You know what you’re capable of, what you’re worth, that beauty comes from within and is in the eye of the beholder. Wow.

If those first lines seem familiar to you, you’re probably among the majority of people in the western world who are more inclined to rob themselves of self-confidence with these negative affirmations than to do the opposite and give themselves a boost with pos itive affirmations. Perhaps it’s our original sin we’re dragging around with us. This ever-present feeling of doubt in yourself.

And that’s so bizarre!

Because we function considerably better when we believe in ourselves, and we’re also much happier. Nevertheless, this self-criticism is built into our brains. Yes, there may well be people who are more able, more beautiful, wealthier. At this point, you can quote what is probably common knowledge –that earning a certain salary doesn’t make you more content.

That you won’t be happier or more content overnight if you’re seeking triedand-tested self-opti misation or external optimisation, if you’re seeking a plastic surgeon. We can only create self-satisfaction ourselves. By liking ourselves. With all of our strengths and our flaws. Yes, sometimes we drink too much alcohol, sometimes we don’t eat that healthily, sometimes we’re lazy, sometimes we’re not very nice. And? Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. What’s important is that we transition from the negative affirmations to the positive. Why not formulate five positive affirmations at the start of every day? They can even be written down on pieces of paper and spread around the house.

That way we can read them again and again. Because it’s the same with the affirmations as it is with bad habits: at some point, a routine emerges and our brain formulates them by itself. Then we’re in a position to build ourselves up, to like ourselves and to think well of ourselves.

Then our self-confidence grows and, as is well known, when you’ve got positive energy and a healthy level of self-love, you attract more good things and other good people. And that’s really what it all comes down to. Liking yourself, being embedded in a lovely environment and having wonderful experiences as often as possible.

In this moment, we’ve reached a higher level of consciousness, reached our new spirituality.

I

I

Positive affirmations for the

I

I

I HAVE THE

I DESERVE

MY

In my suitcase, I pack...

What should never be missing from your suitcase?

That question should be changed to what’s always missing from my suitcase. And it’s the same for everyone: space.

Naturally, over the years I’ve learnt to pack efficiently and how to travel with a small case, but that means you always have to leave something behind.

Rescheduled flights, travel warning levels, stricter entry requirements: travelling at the moment also means carrying the weight of worry related to COVID-19. How will these side effects become minor issues?

At some point, people get used to circum stances and adapt. Otherwise, the world would come to a standstill.

Booking flights and hotels used to be the time-consuming task, but now that’s shifted to filling in passenger locator forms and COVID-19 tests. But it’s good that the willingness to travel is again considerably greater than the fear of it.

Many companies have had to reinvent themselves because of the pandemic in order to survive. What has been the impact on the hotel industry?

Reinventing yourself or stopping for a moment to gather your thoughts isn’t actually a bad thing. In this case it was imposed on people, and hotels were virtually powerless despite their creativity. But what was very plain to see was that hotels with an unmistakeable brand and strong loyalty from guests suffered less and recovered much more quickly than the run-of-the-mill hotels. That says a lot.

The new and bigger challenge that hotels and restaurants will have to contend with for the future is the fact that staff have disappeared to other jobs with better conditions during the pandemic. That also says a lot! This is where we need to push for better concepts for employees and for digitalisation.

You are considered a visionary in the tourism industry. How do you manage to keep mixing things up in the sector?

Well, mixing things up isn’t a long-term job. I try to encourage my clients to see and create things differently. Business always gets exciting when you’re outside your comfort zone. While the world is moving rapidly and we have the first true digital generations coming through, others are fighting to keep their regular guests that have been staying with them for years, but who now don’t really travel that much.

REMO MASALA IS ONE OF THE LEADING FIGURES

WHEN IT COMES TO BRANDS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

HE TRAVELS THE WORLD AND FILTERS IT THROUGH HIS CREATIVE LENS. THE STYLEMATE INVITED HIM TO AN INTERVIEW THAT WAS JUST AS LAID-BACK AS A RELAXING HOLIDAY – INCLUDING TRAVEL ANECDOTES FROM HIPPY TIMES, THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF TIME ON GREEK ISLANDS AND IMAGES OF ULURU.

And how do we do that? We disconnect to reconnect, as it’s so nicely phrased. We travel new paths to connect our body with our mind and our soul. That opens up new opportunities to grow as a person. Ultimately, it’s about deep and meaningful change in life. And that is a good place to start that you can get going with when you’re still at home.

To what extent are you still able to go on a personal holiday?

People always tend to think about what they’re lacking rather than what they have.

I’ve got a job that allows me to see a lot of the world. And sometimes a coffee in the sunshine in a beautiful place between two meetings is like a little holiday that I’m allowed to enjoy.

Which place are you raving about?

My place to retreat to is on a Greek island, where there’s a tiny house surrounded by nature and right on the beach. Watches are set to slow mode and the oft forgotten dimension of time, which doesn’t actually pass chronologically, defines the day. And if at some point you need to quickly run to the bakery, you can go at a slower version of quickly.

We’re all in this field of tension between having to integrate the new people and not putting off the old ones. This balancing act has to be resolved, especially before you get into financial difficulty.

The Casa Cook hotels you’ve developed are places for kindred spirits. Who are these people? And who are the new generation of travellers that spend their holidays at Cook’s Club hotels?

Casa Cook has succeeded in finding its own gap in the market. Many hotels have copied the style and it’s become a huge trend – a trend that moves far away from standards, coldness and plastic towards something more homely, warm, spontaneous and comfortable. It’s pleasing to see that despite the many copies, the original is continuing to grow and fans are remaining loyal.

Cook’s Club is a more recent, rapidly growing hotel brand that’s committed to the wants of younger generations. It’s about the right music at the right time, a street food philosophy rather than allinclusive, affordable design without showing off and cocktails that taste good. It doesn’t sound like much, but unfor tunately it hasn’t reached many holiday destinations yet.

What can we look forward to in the next few years in terms of innovative travel concepts?

It’s rare for someone to develop a concept. Courage is like change, only earlier. And all too often it’s missing in this indus try. The hotel sector is a copycat industry. Change is usually there before it reveals itself to us. It’s about taking the right steps early on, then you’ll be well prepared.

Which destinations are popular right now with design-savvy travellers?

want to mix with others, or a state of mind someone wants to visit, so a place of longing. In the best case, it’s a mix of the two. But in no case is it about geographical coordinates on a map.

Many hotels are rather uniform. How do they acquire a soul?

Soul is the new “experience”: everyone is establishing a soul in their hotel at the moment (he laughs). At the end of the day, it’s about seeing a hotel as a source of inspiration and not simply as tourist accommodation that changes your sheets.

The additional emotional benefit is the deciding competitive factor. And it’s best for that not to be fake, then it’s all good.

Thanks to the likes of Instagram, we’re able to travel anywhere in the world digitally – and often through a filter. How do you deal with the expectations of travellers in that regard? think it’s great that people can discover the beauty of the world at any time via social media, especially at the moment. It encourages people to travel. The filter is a personal preference and should in fact make the captured moment even more unique. We get inspiration aplenty these days, and also accept disappointments.

It’s a part of travel. For example, if you take a photo of Uluru in Australia as the sun’s going down, for most people that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Almost no one thinks to turn around and take a photo of the hundreds of other people taking a photo at the same time.

We keep it silently to ourselves because it’s Uluru that’s making us happy in this moment and not the fact that we’re one of many other tourists.

What have been your greatest journeys?

I think if you experienced the turbulent early 80s like I did, you’ll forever be longing for that hippy feeling of the time. We stayed in basic bamboo huts on holiday, caught fish and made music by the campfire until the moon illuminated the way back to our sleeping bag. It was a time when your energy was recharged by the simple things and you wandered with an open mind from one adventure to the next. This excitement lasted for as long as it took until you could finally get your photos developed at home and were able to share them, still had stories to tell and were still being boosted by dreams. It was perhaps a little bit like what young people are looking for these days at festivals: simply dancing the night away alongside likeminded folk with freedom and not a care in the world.

What do you take home with you after a lovely holiday?

Memories and photos. I can’t fit any more than that in my tiny suitcase.

VISIONARY REMO MASALA HAS BEEN ACTIVE ON THE BOARDS OF LARGE TRAVEL COMPANIES FOR TWENTY YEARS, AND THREE YEARS AGO FOUNDED HIS OWN CONCEPT AGENCY. AT VISION ALPHABET, HE PRIMARILY CREATES BRANDS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, BUT HE ALSO WORKS WITH COMPANIES LIKE AUDI, RICOLA AND CONDOR. HE IS THE (CO-) FOUNDER OF NUMEROUS HOTEL BRANDS, SUCH AS 25HOURS, SUPERBUDE, BOLD HOTEL, PLAYITAS SPORTHOTEL, THE COMODO, CASA COOK AND COOK’S CLUB, AND HAS RECEIVED MANY AWARDS FOR MARKETING AND HIS HOTEL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING FOR OKU IBIZA.

Wherever bold hotel owners are coming up with new ideas, that’s the place that’s en vogue. It could be an exciting architec tural project, but it could also be also an adventure that appeals to us because it’s unfamiliar. Up-and-coming destinations are either curated locations where people

Spirituality while travelling: can you only achieve it with yoga in Bali or meditation in India?

When the world becomes more difficult to understand and feels more threatening, we tend to turn towards things that aren’t that easy to explain in layman’s terms.

We search for answers.

Interview: Christina Wetter-Nohl

SPIRITUAL

PLACES

UBUD NOSARA

SNAEFELLSJÖKULL

COSTA

Situated among hills and rice fields, Ubud is Bali’s cultural and spiritual centre. The place has everything your heart could desire as a modern spiritual seeker: excellent vegetarian restaurants, some of the world’s best yoga studios and all kinds of meditation and healing. This is where western spirituality and Balinese tradition exist side by side: traditional dances and elaborate temple ceremonies bring colour to the streets, while travelling yogis watch on in fascination. In Ubud, the yoga mat is much more than a fitness aid, it’s a place for your self-love routine and an absolute must-have accessory. Design and functionality combine in the lovely mats from Om Ya. Made from natural rubber and recycled PET bottles, they have excellent grip and are soft to the touch. All of the mats are available as light travel versions!

Over the last ten years, Nosara has evolved into one of the most popular holistic hot spots in the world. Lush tropical vegetation, undisturbed beaches, perfect waves and a selection of unique retreats attract surfers, nature-lovers, yogis and spiritual seekers in equal measure. There’s no better place to connect with nature and yourself than in Nosara. The reversible top from sustainable swimwear brand Mymarini will accompany you from your yoga class to the waves of the Pacific and on to drinks while you watch the spectacular sunset. The wide under-bust band offers good support and the shimmering gold edging lends a touch of glamour that’s an essential part of all spirituality. Fully in line with the Costa Rican way of life, “pura vida”!

mymarini.com, Shine yoga top,

The 1,466-metre-high volcano and glacier in western Iceland could be considered the most significant source of energy in our solar system and a spiritual centre. For Nobel Prize for Literature winner Halldór Laxness, the volcano was otherworldly. French writer Jules Verne classed it as the ideal place from which to journey to the centre of the earth. Healers and spiritual people have been meeting near the Snaefellsjökull glacier for decades. The face mist "the intuitive" from the Viennese organic beauty manufacturer Max & Me prepares your skin for your spiritual journey to the north. Every single drop has a skin-soothing effect, protects sensitive skin and provides face, body and hair with an extra portion of moisture.

maxandme.at, „the intuitive“ face mist

“THIS MOUNTAIN ISN’T YOUR USUAL MOUNTAIN,” READS HALLDÓR LAXNESS’ FAMOUS NOVEL UNDER THE GLACIER “THE GLACIER IS ILLUMINATED AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY BY A SPECIAL RADIANCE AND STANDS IN A GOLDEN GLOW WITH A POWERFUL AUREOLE OF RAYS, AND EVERYTHING BECOMES INSIGNIFICANT EXCEPT IT. THEN IT’S AS IF THE MOUNTAIN IS NO LONGER TAKING PART IN THE HISTORY OF GEOLOGY BUT HAS BECOME ICONIC...”

FRANZOBEL is an Austrian writer. He has published numerous plays, works of prose and poems. His plays have been produced in countries including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Russia and the USA.

His great historical adventure novel “Das Floß der Medusa” (published by Zsolnay) was awarded the Bayerischer Buchpreis (Bavarian Book Award) 2017 and was on the shortlist for the German Book Prize 2017.

FRANZOBEL

but not in a God of the church. Many just want to live a comfortable life, and some even see the meaning of their existence in getting likes on social media. If heaven and hell did exist, the first thing people would do there would be to take a selfie to post on Instagram.

Selection

If I’m asked about spirituality, I think of Freistadt – a small town that’s known for its beer. When you travel there by train, you arrive at a station that has the right name, but you then have to trek for almost five kilometres through a sad industrial wasteland to reach the town centre. A cathartic pilgrimage?

No, it’s not based on any geographical or esoteric circumstances that would have made it impossible to choose another route for the track. Instead, it’s down to the business acumen of a horse and cart businessman who was worried about his profits 160 years ago, and who kicked up a fuss for such a long time that the station was built in the middle of nowhere.

The justification for this nonsensical act?

The fear that the sparks from the tracks represented an elevated fire risk. It seems some people only have a head so they don’t get rain down their throat. Not everything people do serves the general population. Lots of things happen for reasons of profiteering, and there are people who are inherently the opposite of decent, fair, moral and respectful. To avoid everyone butting heads out of greed and lust, a set of rules has been established over the last two million years governing how to live a decent life: religion. Although in the time since Nietzsche proclaimed the death of God, that’s lost its influence. Scientific discoveries about the Big Bang, evolution, abuse scandals and fanatics have led to religion becoming uncool in the western world. Who still believes in God in this country and puts the afterlife before this life? Most people say they still have faith,

Living a life for virtual followers? At some point everyone notices that there’s something missing. The hole where meaning should be is filled with gambling on the stock exchange, cryptocurrency, working out, celebrity culture or a wellness-oriented lifestyle.

But is that enough? What is life without a higher meaning? There is a saying among atheists: people will become believers or not at all. It’s no wonder that in recent times, more and more people have been searching for a higher purpose. Or is it the pursuit of improvement?

Is it not about salvation at all but rather about efficiency? A believer is ultimately happier than an atheist, even if they believe in nonsense.

Faith gives strength and optimism, and takes away responsibility.

Since the age of enlightenment, people have been discussing truths, right and wrong, but ultimately, it’s simply about what we need, what benefits us and does us good. The new esotericism promises greater happiness.

Spirituality is extremely personal – a new, freer form of belief.

A lot of con artists are pushing this modern faith, bogus gurus are in business, there are charlatans and fraudulent promises of salva tion, and it might even be that spirituality also has things that could be considered similar to the station in Freistadt that are kilometres away from their destination. But when esoteri cism serves to bring people closer to things, to increase respect for creation, to see the wonder of nature, I’m happy to accept this detour. Because, as a famous atheist once said: we need to have faith, even if it’s faith in non sense. Failing that, I’ll come back to Freistadt, to the spirit provided by a freshly poured beer.

Magical

“Spirituality is extremely personal – a new, freer form of belief”.

FRANÇOIS DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.” And it's this art of enjoyment that you'll find at the Nesslerhof – in the sauna, the rooms, the spa and the restaurant. The team at the Nesslerhof has made it their aim to turn a necessity into a pleasure, be it the necessity for relaxation, nature or nourishment for the body and soul. Relax and enjoy.

HOTEL NESSLERHOF Austria / Salzburg / Großarl

Hotel Nesslerhof, Großarl

ElisabethHotel,

Alpenhotel Kitzbühel am

dasMAX,

Gradonna Mountain Resort, Kals am

Alpenstern

Hotel Eder/Hotel SEPP, Maria Alm

Regional

NESSLERHOF ROAST VENISON USING LOCAL GAME

SERVE

FOR THE ROAST:

1 kg boneless venison haunch

Salt, pepper, thyme

2 onions, roughly chopped

½ celeriac and 3 carrots, diced

tsp tomato purée

1 splash red wine

250 ml beef or game stock

2 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

15 juniper berries

2 tsp cranberry jam

Lifestylehotels™

PORTUGAL

BAD

DAMÜLS

FISS

FÜGEN

GASCHURN

GRAZ

GROSSARL

KALS

KITZBÜHEL

LEOGANG

MARIA

Cuisine is a main priority at the Nesslerhof in Großarl. But Hermann Neudegger, the hotel manager, isn’t just a passionate gourmet, he’s also a trained chef himself. He knows what’s important in the kitchen: respectful handling of food and regionality. On the latter point, the hotel family laid

a solid foundation by establishing their own butcher’s and has since got the main ingredients for their delicious meat dishes pretty much off their own shelves, including venison from the local forests for their legendary roast venison:

Clarified butter

FOR THE SPÄTZLE: 500 g coarse-grained flour 9 eggs Salt, pepper, nutmeg

FOR THE RED CABBAGE:

5 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped 2 apples, diced 1 tbsp sugar

2 kg red cabbage, shredded 1 splash vinegar

250 ml orange juice 2 bay leaves, pepper, salt 1 splash red wine

Season the meat well and sear in a hot roaster with the clarified butter. Pre-heat the oven to 130°C, remove the meat from the pan and put to one side. Brown the vegetables and onions. Add the tomato purée, deglaze with the red wine and leave to reduce. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil then add the remaining herbs. Put the meat back into the pan, cover and stew in the oven for 2 hours. Finally, remove the meat and strain the juices. Stir the jam into the sauce. Add a thickening agent if required.

Mix all of the ingredients for the Spätzle into a dough using a dough hook. Press the dough through a Spätzle sieve into a large pan of boiling, salted water. Stir continuously, bring to the boil then drain the Spätzle. Rinse in iced water. For the red cabbage, sweat the onion in oil, add the apple and sugar and sauté briefly. Add the red cabbage to the pan, deglaze with vinegar and steam for around 10 min utes with the lid on. Pour the orange juice over the cabbage and season, then gently steam for around 35 minutes and refine with red wine.

Carve the venison into slices and reheat the sauce. Heat the Spätzle with some butter and garnish with chives. Plate with the red cabbage.

NEUDEGGER

Hermann Neudegger is a trained chef and is actively involved in the kitchen even after having taken over management of the Nesslerhof. These days, he leaves all things food to his kitchen team, who create sustainable, seasonal and regional dishes based on his principles.

Passion

What’s it like having a hotel for a home? To grow up among guests and employees? “For us, it was totally normal,” say siblings Sebastian and Sophia Moigg. The pair spent their childhood in Mayrhofen, where today they give their guests at the Elisabeth Hotel a very warm welcome.

If thinking of Kitzbühel only brings to mind ski slopes and cockscomb, you should visit the famous winter sports resort during the summer, not least so you can swim in the idyllic Lake Schwarzsee, where the Alpenhotel Kitzbühel offers a new wellness escape right on the water’s edge.

Summer by the lake

It was obvious from a young age that the brother and sister would end up working in tourism themselves. “Sophia and both trained in tourism in Klessheim. then studied in Innsbruck and worked as a chef, among other things, in France before moving to Canada, where I worked in events management at a hotel. The international experiences were a lot of fun,” explains Sebastian. His younger sister gained hotel experience right after completing her secondary education at Lake Achensee in Tyrol and the legendary Arlberg. And both ended up moving back to the Zillertal valley.

HOME AGAIN

Today, Mayrhofen isn’t just their home once more – Sebastian and Sophia have also found their calling here at the ElisabethHotel. The adults-only accommodation owned by the Moigg family promises tranquillity and relaxation in an architecturally appealing environment for anyone looking to unwind. “Home is still the Neuhaus hotel, meaning our family hotel that’s run by my parents. It’s where we grew up,” explains Sophia, who decided several years ago to support her brother Sebastian as host of the ElisabethHotel. “But these days, we put our passion for hospitality into action primarily at our hotel for adults.” And guests can feel and appreciate this passion.

TO EACH HIS OWN

Both of the siblings see working together with family as enriching. “Every one of us is able to bring our own strengths to the business,” asserts Sebastian. For Sophia, it’s quite clearly having contact with guests.

With her calm and diligent nature, she makes a huge contribution to the pleasant peacefulness that accompanies us throughout the ElisabethHotel, from reception to the rooms and into the

1,600-square-metre Elisense spa. It is this tranquillity that entices many guests into the sophisticated atmosphere of the hotel in the centre of Mayrhofen, where natural materials like wood ground the body, mind and soul. Sebastian ensures that everything behind the scenes runs smoothly, while also helping out at the Neuhaus Zillertal Resort –along with many other family members. The Neuhaus and ElisabethHotel are and always will be traditional family-run businesses.

NATURE IN THE CENTRE OF MAYRHOFEN

The Moigg family wishes to preserve their home and the stunning nature that sur rounds them for the following generation. It is a matter of the heart for all of them. For this reason, the original agricultural farm from which the family’s first hotel was created has been retained, including the mountain restaurant and fishmonger –as has the ancient population of fruit trees in the 15,000-square-metre outdoor area, which is also open to guests at the ElisabethHotel. Here, you can take a stroll through the romantic garden beneath the shady fruit trees that have been tended for many decades, and enjoy the 1,000-square-metre natural bathing lake.

ELISABETHHOTEL PREMIUM PRIVATE RETREAT Austria / Tyrol / Mayrhofen

Tranquil retreat for those aged over 16 to unwind, featuring modern design for extraordinary views and sophisticated demands.

Summer well-being

THE ALPENHOTEL KITZBÜHEL

Right on the banks of Lake Schwarzsee, the Alpenhotel Kitzbühel is home to a large wellness area that’s intended to soothe the body, mind and soul. Here, those seeking to unwind will find an escape from everyday life and enjoy the infinity pool, numerous saunas, steam room, infrared cabin and the sun terrace, where the warm summer rays of the mountain sun will make your skin tingle. Wherever you find your place, be it the cosy relaxation room, state-of-the-art gym or the tucked-away sauna right by the lake – you’ll always be able to enjoy a view of nature, making switching off that bit easier.

THAT’S WHAT WE ASKED HOTEL MANAGER PETER PÖLL, AND HE REPLIED:

PP: Of course! It’s always the right season to take time out for yourself, and it’s just as beneficial in summer as it is in winter. Also, the legendary winter sports resort of Kitzbühel is located in such a picturesque part of the world that it has something special to offer all year round.

LH: So what is there to do in the region around the Alpenhotel in summer?

PP: The mountains make Kitzbühel an absolute hiking paradise. There are also five golf courses in Tyrol, and of course there’s Lake Schwarzsee, which can reach temperatures of 27°C, making it the warmest lake in Tyrol. A holiday by the lake doesn’t get more relaxing than this. And if you like your indoor comforts, we recommend one of our Lakeside Lodges – lake access and private sauna included.

LH: And for the active holidaymakers?

PP: There’s not just the lake to walk around here, there are also countless peaks just waiting to be climbed. Or why not jump into the cool Lake Schwarzsee or set off on a lap of stand-up paddle boarding? Alternatively, you could take a bike out to discover the local area on a range of valley and mountain routes. And after that, there’s yoga by the lake or a relaxing massage in the spa.

Lake Schwarzsee

NATURAL BATHING LAKE

The appeal of the natural bathing lake at the hotel lies not only in the exceptional quality of the water and the fact the water temperature reaches 27°C in summer. It’s also impressive for its unbeatable view of the peaks of the Wilder Kaiser mountain range – which can also be enjoyed from the private beach at the Alpenhotel Kitzbühel. Surrounded by a well-maintained nature reserve, you’re guaranteed a great view when bathing here. Also recommended is a casual stroll around the lake – perhaps after a gourmet meal at the Alpenhotel’s à la carte restaurant, Das Steghaus.

Wellness and summer: do they go together?

ALPENHOTEL

“Traditional and modern aren’t a con tradiction at the ElisabethHotel, and instead they complement one another perfectly,” comments Sophia Moigg, before getting back to what really matters: guests and their experiences.

Top

Local goodies

No, you’re not in the wrong country – it’s the name of a climbing area near Seefeld, and with 176 routes of varying difficulty, it’s sure to have something to excite all climbing enthusiasts.

In Seefeld itself, there are alpacas that love to join visitors on hikes then invite them to a picnic in their pasture, before the visitors pedal their way back to the hotel on the electric bikes they hired from the dasMAX.

02

If you needed proof that Italian delicacies are the perfect accompaniment for the imposing Tyrolean mountain scenery, La Trattoria in Seefeld is it. Grab yourself a slice “of la dolce vita” in the Alps at the end of an active day.

The Friedensglocke is the largest freestanding bell in the Alps and rings every day at 5 pm for the neigh bourhood and the Alpine region. There is also a hiking trail that even inexperienced walkers will be able to manage.

There are many popular places to go skiing and hiking on holiday. But at the Gradonna ****s Mountain Resort at the foot of the Großglockner, guests experience the mountain in its purest form: from 0 to 3,798.

A new take on

We’re not just taken in by the captivating view as we arrive via the mountain pass and the switchback roads snaking through the land scape – there are three particular highlights here that you won’t find in many other places:

0 CARS

Reaching the Gradonna at the end of the Kals valley without a car might sound diffi cult, but spending your holiday here “ohne Auto” couldn’t be easier. The resort is a car-free zone, meaning it fades further into the natural surroundings of the imposing mountains. Guests therefore aren’t faced with concrete between the main building and the encircling chalets, but instead their eyes are greeted by flowering meadows in summer and prepared pistes in winter – the Großglockner resort of Kals-Matrei offers total winter joy thanks to the ski-in, ski-out location. Be it summer or winter, guests at the Gradonna are always at the heart of the action.

1,350 METRES

While at 1,350 metres above sea level on other mountains the first mountain restau rants might be tempting you to make a stop, in Kals am Großglockner you’ll

find a modern mountain resort in a class of its own waiting to greet its guests. What may initially seem like a contrast quickly turns out to be a successful interplay at the Gradonna four-star superior hotel. In the heart of a mountain forest at the gateway to the Hohe Tauern National Park, shingled external walls provide the perfect camouflage, with the dark façade of the tower suites rising up in the centre. Standing out yet blending in – the Gradonna Mountain Resort proves that this doesn’t have to be a contradiction in terms.

30 3,000-METRE PEAKS

The Großglockner itself – 3,798 metres high, the tallest in the Alpine Republic – can be seen with the naked eye from the viewing platform at the Kals mountain railway station, and you’ll quickly see that this giant is in good company. In the Kals am Großglockner skiing and hiking region, thirty peaks over 3,000 metres high tower into the sky, cre ating a mountain panorama that you won’t forget in a hurry. Just like the holiday you’ll spend in four-star luxury at the Gradonna Mountain Resort.

the mountain holiday

The Leutasch gorge, known as the Geisterklamm, is a mystical place, and the perfect spot for hot summer days thanks to its 23-metre waterfall.

GEISTERKLAMM

ALPACA HIKE

LA TRATTORIA THE FRIEDENSGLOCKE

DASMAX Austria / Tyrol / Seefeld

( +

Bartenders are thought to be good listeners, but is that really the case? We spoke to Oliver Polster from Bar Novum at the Alpenstern Panoramahotel in Damüls.

Exclusivity and home comforts for design-lovers in informal surroundings. hotel-alpenstern.at

The magic of mixology

10 ml Roe & Co Irish Whiskey

20 ml chartreuse green liqueur

20 ml Psenner apple liqueur

3 splashes Sexy Bitters

40 ml cider

Mix everything together and stir for a while with ice. Pour over ice cubes in a glass and top up with the 40 ml of cider. For the traditional fragrance of tanned leather, spray the glass with the smoky whiskey infused with Tasmanian pepper and serve in a large cognac glass with ice cubes.

The bar manager gave us a glimpse behind the scenes – or to put it a better way, behind the bar, where it’s not just people’s cocktail dreams he makes come true.

Lifestylehotels: Oliver, are bartenders really such good listeners?

Oliver Polster: The secret for anyone work ing in hospitality is to observe people and to listen to them. As a bartender, want to know what my guests want before they even know it themselves. In order to achieve this, you need a genuine interest in people, and our guests can sense that. For me, there’s nothing better than being able to guarantee first-class service in a relaxed environment so that people feel comfortable.

LH: Bar Novum is known for its many inhouse creations and modern interpretations of the classics. What’s in your gin and tonic that we can’t replicate at home?

OP: love drinks and have been working with them for a long time. Even simple cock tails like a gin and tonic can be refreshed without any major changes. One example of this is our frozen cucumber, which we grate into the gin and tonic to create grainy ice that has a more intense flavour. I like the traditional recipes, but mixing exceptional drinks is also about listening to your stomach and trying new things.

LH: You prepare some of the spirits and syrups yourself. Why is that?

OP: Why not? With syrups we’ve prepared ourselves, like our cardamom syrup, I’ve got even more control over the quality of our drinks. get the exact consistency and flavour that I’m looking for. The same applies to our spirits. For example, in our high-quality lemon vodka, we don’t just add lemon peel – we also mix in a splash of orange liqueur then use it to make a Fresh Cosmopolitan to give it a more intense flavour than ever.

LH: 13 May 2022 is World Cocktail Day. Which cocktail would you recommend to celebrate the occasion, and why?

OP: I would recommend taking an imaginary trip to old London, sitting in a heavy leather armchair in a gentlemen’s club surrounded by antique furniture and dark wood panelling. The perfect accompaniment is a Smooth Jazz at the Garrick, one of our signature cocktails and a favourite among our guests.

SEPP,

the hotelier

Oliver comes from Germany, is a trained hotel and hospitality professional and loves working behind the bar.

As well as being an excellent host, he is also a

The Salzburg resident from Maria Alm has a laid-back and likeable demeanour, and he’s younger than you might expect. You wouldn’t think at first glance that Josef Schwaiger, also known as Sepp, runs three hotels and a concept store, but he does, and he does it with immense passion, even more creativity and huge success.

Despite this, the qualified architect remains as downto-earth as the rest of the extended Eder/Schwaiger family, many of whom work for the business. Sepp grew up at the main hotel, the Hotel Eder, which was built by his grand father in the 1960s out of a stable in the heart of Maria Alm. So in the 1980s, the kitchen and guest areas were young Sepp’s playground, meaning hospitality isn’t just a way of life, it’s also in his DNA.

Sepp: wild at heart

“But I wasn’t interested at first,” he explains. “I wanted to build houses, went to a technical college and then studied architecture at uni.” His response to the question as to what encouraged him to return home is a smile: “The odd cocktail party,” which he had with friends during his wild mid-twenties in a bar he opened in what was an empty back room of the hotel at the time. It wasn’t just a success, it also provided him with so much joy that Sepp decided to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors. Luckily for us, otherwise Maria Alm would today be a couple of attractions worse off.

Sepp: a man of many ideas

“The first thing we did was to transform the Hotel Eder into a four-star lifestyle hotel for holidaymakers who like the social side of life. That worked really well,” says the cosmo politan Salzburger. The Hotel Sepp followed, aimed at young adventurers – complete with a rooftop sauna in a converted camper van. His brother Tom meanwhile gave free rein to his own creative streak at the Tom Almhütte at 1,166 metres above sea level, and immediately made Choupette the pug its universally adored mascot. The Schwaigers replaced the village grocers with the cool Consepp Store, and also made Maria Alm worth a visit for smaller guests when they opened Tante Frida in December 2021 – a children’s hotel where a well-travelled aunt tells crazy stories and makes many a childhood dream come true.

It’s entirely conceivable that a good number of the game ideas at the newly opened family haven came from Sepp’s four-year-old son – or at least were extensively tested by him. Because if one thing is important to Sepp, it’s his family. And even his guests can feel that, no matter which hotel in the Eder Collection they spend their holiday in.

and collects all types of whiskey.

ALPENSTERN PANORAMAHOTEL Austria / Vorarlberg / Damüls

A location imbued with art

Lifestylehotels: Why did you start collecting art and sculp tures, and what was your first piece?

Riccardo Barsottelli: When bought my first apartment in London, I needed to furnish it so I started visiting the gal leries in Fulham, Soho and Mayfair. My first buy was three black and white female nudes by Robert Mapplethorpe – I was very impressed by the beauty of his work.

One of the main features of the guesthouse is giving local artists exposure.”

LH: Why did you decide to share your collection with the guests at the hotel?

RB: I always wanted to have a home that was open to paying guests – a step up from a B&B but more relaxed than staying at a big hotel. So because this is a home, it had to be furnished and decorated with my own personal items.

LH: What role does the history of the region play in the growth of your collection?

RB: Having grown up in this area of Tuscany, I had been mainly exposed to classical art, and from cities around the world I filled in the modern and contemporary. I only realised the importance of this area when I saw it from abroad, and that’s what made me decide to come back and open a guesthouse here rather than somewhere else. This area is one of the major international sculpting centres, with

Carrara’s marble quarries providing the raw material and Pietrasanta being home to skilled artisans.

LH: How important is it for you to support local artists by exhibiting their works?

RB: One of the main features of the guesthouse is giving local artists exposure. The sculptures here are on loan from artists working in the area, offering them the opportunity to show their work in situ and outside an art gallery. It’s also a chance for people to get an idea of how something could look in their home, and that’s what inspires them to make a purchase. Furthermore, it creates a pleasant and everchanging energy throughout the property. It’s a very different experience to visiting a gallery.

paths to deep relaxation

Escape the daily routine for a few days, soothe the soul and really relax – this is the goal of many people when they go on holiday. The four-star Alpin Juwel hotel in SaalbachHinterglemm has a spa especially for those looking to unwind, with an area of more than 1,000 square metres playing host to several saunas, pools and traditional massages, plus a range of Ayurvedic treatments. Spa manager Carolina reveals five tips on how to relax sustainably on holiday: AYURVEDIC MASSAGE

Ayurveda is an Indian form of medicine with a holistic approach, meaning the body and the mind receive equal attention. An important element of Ayurveda is massages, such as the Abhyanga. Using an individually tailored herbal oil, it stimulates self-healing energy and detoxifies – for a feeling of balance, tranquillity and harmony.

BALANCED DIET

We are what we eat. That’s why it’s recommended to eat a healthy diet based on regional, seasonal produce that’s been farmed sustainably, just like what’s served at the certified organic Alpin Juwel. Head chef Max refines his natural creations with a sprinkle of love, herbs from the hotel garden and absolutely no processed ingredients with flavour enhancers.

YOGA

Yoga is more than an activity, it’s a philosophy. Through specific exercises, it strengthens muscles, mobilises the spine, supports detoxification and relaxes the mind. At yoga classes at the Alpin Juwel, we learn how it all works.

FRESH AIR AND NATURE

Countless studies have shown that nature has a calming effect on us. It lowers blood pressure and heart rate and reduces cortisol levels in the blood. It shows its most beautiful side in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, where we can enjoy fresh mountain air at 1,100 metres above sea level. It has an especially holistic effect when hiking in summer or cross-country skiing in winter. “Here in the Salzburger Land, we have the best conditions for a really relaxing wellness holiday. We are in the heart of nature and we know how best to appreciate it. Nature is all around us, in the architecture of our building, the interior décor, the rooms and of course our wellness area. That somehow enables us to feel everything a little deeper, and the feeling of relaxation starts incredibly quickly,” enthuses Carolina, who is already looking forward to drawing on her wellness expertise to pamper the next guests at the Alpin Juwel from head to toe.

A

RESTFUL SLEEP

Around a quarter of people suffer from disturbed sleep, so good sleep forms the basis of our well-being. To ensure a really restful night’s sleep while on holiday, guests at the Alpin Juwel sleep on pine beds with SAMINA sleep systems and earthing sheets, the Wi-Fi is turned off between 11 pm and 7 am, and electronic smog is eliminated via network isolators. Furthermore, the Alpin Juwel was the first hotel in the industry to wash its linen entirely without chemicals over five years ago. The result is a wholly harmonious environment that allows us to sleep soundly night after night.

Perched atop a sunny hill just outside Camaiore in Tuscany, the Locanda al Colle guesthouse is a renovated farmhouse that now boasts 12 tastefully designed rooms and suites.

that’s not

it also has its very own art collection.

spoke to owner Riccardo Barsottelli

guests.

LOCANDA AL COLLE Italy / Tuscany / Camaiore

South Tyrol is characterised by the fusion of Alpine tradition and Mediterranean flair, which may seem like contrasts at first, but actually result in a harmonious blend of architecture, cuisine and natural highlights. A true gem in this area of northern Italy is Merano, just the tonic you need to celebrate lighter, warmer days after the lethargic winter months.

CASA

Merano

As we come in to spring, a visit to Merano is infused with the wonders of nature.

The eye is drawn down from the striking mountain backdrop to the town’s pleasant parks and gardens, verdant oases of rejuvenation. The most stunning examples can be found at Trauttmansdorff Castle on the eastern edge of town, whose botanical gardens are among the most beautiful in the world. The town also plays host to the Merano Flower Festival in April, signalling that spring has well and truly arrived.

Being a small town, it’s easy to access most places on foot, and the 18 kilometres of easy walking trails make it almost impossible not to do so. The Passer Promenade wends its way past historic buildings in the centre of town, while Sissi’s Path, named after frequent visitor Empress Sissi of Austria, allows visitors to take in her favourite spots, including castles, gardens and squares.

You can even take a walk with an expert local guide, who will be happy to share their knowledge of the sights and the landscape.

Anyone with a bit more energy in the tank can take to the area’s bike paths to explore further afield, with routes leading to Bolzano or into the Passeiertal and Vinschgau valleys. You’re guaranteed superb views, with altitudes ranging from 300 to 3,000 metres.

If that sounds too much like hard work, e-bikes will give you the same reward for a fraction of the effort.

As this is just a small portion of what there is to see and do around Merano, it’s obvious that you’ll need more than just one day to experience the full joy of this town, so accommodation is a must. Look no further than the Steinach Townhouse Meran, an urban retreat in one of the oldest parts of Merano, and the ideal base from which to explore. Highlights include e-bike hire, the MeranCard for free travel on public trans port throughout South Tyrol, discounted golf packages, a central location and a mouthwatering breakfast menu. Need we say more?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TOTEM GUIDE IS?

IS IT PERHAPS A SALMON, A HAWK, A BEAVER OR A DEER? WE DIDN’T KNOW OURS UNTIL NOW, EITHER.

TOTEM

BUT SINCE SEEING THE CHIC APARTMENT BY STUDIOTAMAT , WE HAVEN’T JUST WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR SPIRIT ANIMAL, WE’VE MAINLY WANTED TO GO TO ROME.

Hidden away in the heart of Trastevere, one of the busiest parts of the city, you’ll find the 65-square-metre Casa Totem on the first floor of a heritage-listed building.

Casa Totem was designed by architecture firm STUDIOTAMAT to greet travellers longing to explore the contemporary side to Rome. The modern apartment can accommodate up to four people and comprises an entrance hall, two bedrooms, a kitchenette and a living room with versatile furniture so it can serve a variety of purposes. The original 70s wallpaper was removed to make way for the new and fresh appearance, with layers of original colours and glazes from the time coming to the surface and being exposed.

At this point, the architects decided on a complementary colour scheme that would work with the existing plaster and retain the imperfections. “The challenge was to carry out a contemporary design intervention that was a continuation of the past, allowing us to maintain the historic features of the apartment and to enhance them with elements of modern architecture to create an interplay of contrasts. The result was a heterogeneous setting with a strong character,” explains Matteo Soddu, co-founder of STUDIOTAMAT.

SCULPTURAL VOLUME

The entrance is dominated by a rough wall that bears scratches in the original colours and the original brick vaulted ceiling. A round burgundy metal mirror, the Glo-Ball Mini by Flos and horizontal linear light fittings are the only embel lishments in this area. What’s most impressive about this apartment is the “totem”, a multifunctional and sculptural volume that rises up from the floor to the ceiling and acts as a kind of scenographic backdrop and focal point for the new room layout in the centre of the apartment.

Thanks to the totem, it was possible to create a layout that conceals the bedroom and provides a passage through to the custom-made kitchenette, illuminated by a floor-to-ceiling window.

Articulated in a seemingly random way in the space, the totem screens off the bedroom from the living room and is home to all kinds of functional features, such as a wardrobe, lighting, a fridge, a wine fridge and bookshelves.

A large horizontal surface made out of black painted wood provides additional seating for the dining table or serves as a chaise longue where you can read a book. The informal approach to colour is the stylistic signature of the entire pied-àterre, where warm and cool tones alternate to complement the original colours, without overpowering them.

COVER PAGE IMAGE, PAGE 15:

Sofa: Divanidea, Moss / Console: Connubia, DEE-J table / Stool: Kartell, EUR stool / TOTEM lamps: Italy light and design, handcrafted on project 1/5 / Totem color: Paper and Paint Library, Enamel color, Ice IV Totem made of plasterboard and integrated with wooden parts such as color enamelled doors and black lacquered bench / Cylindrical tubular wall lamp: Italia light and design, handcrafted on project / Floor: CP parquet, natural oak planks Floor: Casalgrande Padana, resin effect stoneware

IMAGE LEFT:

Iron bed including headboard and bedside Tables in sheet metal: handcrafted on a project basis / Bed cushion: Bludiprussia, L'opificio / Pendants on brass bedside tables: Italia luce e design, handcrafted on project / Fifth colored: Paper and Paint Library, Enamel color, Cordoba / Walk-in closet with hanger in tubulariron: handcrafted on project / Floor: CP parquet, natural oak planks / Floor: Casalgrande Padana, resin effect stoneware

IMAGE RIGHT (TOP):

Totem color: Paper and Paint Library, Enamel color, Ice IV Totem made of plasterboard and integrated with wooden partssuch as color enamelled doors and black lacquered bench. / Cylindrical tubular wall lamp: Italia light and design, handcrafted on project Fifth colored: Paper and Paint Library, Enamel color, Cordoba / Floor: CP parquet, natural oak planks / Floor: Casalgrande Padana, resin effect stoneware

IMAGE RIGHT (BOTTOM):

Mirror / console: handcrafted according to the project Applique: Flos, mini globe / Linear wall lights: Italy Light and Design, handcrafted on project Floor: CP parquet, natural oak planks

Photos: Serena Eller

Vainicher

IMAGE LEFT (TOP):

Bedside table lamps: Italia luce e design, handcrafted on aproject basis / Tubular suspension lamp: Italia luce e design, hand crafted on an Italia luce e design project / Bed: handcrafted on project Multifunctional cabinet for hanging clothes and mini fridge: handcrafted on project / Perforated brick wall: Mutina, Celosia line

IMAGE LEFT (BOTTOM):

Tiles Bathroom floor and window trim: Appiani, Regolo line, brick color / Shower cladding: EnergieKer, Ceppo di Grè gres / Black taps: Paffoni Sink under the window: Art Ceram, Cognac / Black metal shelves and shower enclosure: handcrafted on aproject basis / Perforated brick wall: Mutina, Celosia line

BOLD DESIGN VOCABULARY

The second bedroom is rather more secluded and cut off, and at first glance it seems to contrast with the rest of the apartment with its bold design vocabulary. It presents itself as an interplay between walls painted with plain colours, finely patterned fabrics and geometric mate rials. And this was no accident – it’s an invitation from the architects to curious guests to explore all of the spaces in the apartment.The en suite bathroom is perfectly integrated, yet partitioned off from the room by a perforated brick wall made from Mutina terracotta, which is part of the Celosia range designed by Patricia Urquiola. It partially conceals the shower and the basin. The window over the basin looks out onto a cloister in the internal courtyard.The neighbourhood has always been home to small shops and craftspeople that have shaped the history of this area. With its custom-made and beautifully handcrafted furnishings and lighting, Casa Totem pays homage to this neighbourhood. This new hotspot in Rome is brimming with warm hospitality, a place where you can feel at home and at the same time explore the surrounding area. A place that depicts a creative and buzzing city far removed from any clichés, yet always with careful consideration of the past.

Your philosophy is to bring people down to the floor. Why should people prefer sitting on a rug to the sofa?

People spend so much time in cars or meetings. When you then get home, kick off your shoes and there’s a big rug there, you get an instant feeling of cosiness.

A rug provides support and grounds you. It invites you to relax and sprawl out, and can also have a meditative effect. As a family, we really like sitting on the rug to watch TV, eat a snack or sip a glass of red wine. This also results in more topics of conversation than if you’re sitting opposite someone.

Where is it best to roll out a rug?

When I first started out at an oriental rug distributor, it was customary to have rugs everywhere. These days, it’s recommended to have individual large pieces to define certain areas and create zones. In a home, that could be the sofa area or a dining area.

In meeting rooms, rugs provide a more interesting environment for discussion and improved acoustics. And in hotels, where there are rugs as soon as you enter reception, you don’t just feel welcome, you also have the sense of having arrived.

Can you tell us about the most exciting commissions you’ve had?

There was the collaboration with fashion designer Emanuel Ungaro, who sent us fabric and asked us to make a rug collection out of it. For Salzburg cathedral, we were contracted to design rugs using religious colours for the altar area. We’ve also had some interesting commissions from New York-based star architect Richard Meier and Austrian architect Gustav Peichl.

The motifs resemble works of art. What stories are you telling us as a designer? I try to give the rugs a timeless design: not fully on trend, yet still modern. For me, it’s about creating a link between a knotting tradition that’s thousands of years old and our culture. To do this, I reinterpret ancient oriental motifs that have been passed down. Coming from southern Styria, I’m also impressed by nature, and I pick out individual elements and massively strip them back. Of course, I’m not saying that my designs are the best, which is why we also really like to collaborate with designers and apply their ideas in combination with our expertise. We designed and made a rug with Patrick Rampelotto that was bought by MAK and added to the collection.

You mainly use sheep’s wool in production. What are the benefits of this? Tibetan wool has character and charm because it’s not pure white, meaning the colour takes on different tones.

Rugs for your

WITH HIS ABSTRACT MOTIFS, HARALD GEBA BRINGS NEW LIFE TO TRADITIONAL TIBETAN KNOTTING. HE LINKS ANCIENT CULTURES WITH MODERN DESIGN AND CAPTIVATES ARCHITECTS, HOTEL OWNERS AND INDIVI DUALS WITH TIMELESS RUGS THAT ARE MADE BY HAND UNDER FAIR CONDITIONS IN NEPAL. DURING OUR CONVER SATION, HARALD EXPLAINS WHY PEOPLE SHOULD PREFER RUGS OVER THE SOFA, WHERE HE GETS HIS INSPIRATION FROM AND WHAT FAIR PRODUCTION ACTUALLY MEANS.

comfort zone

The sheep live at an altitude of over 4,000 metres and are protected from the cold by their fat content, which makes the wool durable and resistant to dirt. The rugs are flame retardant and easy to clean, so you don’t have to take your shoes off!

You also sell vegan versions. What are they like?

If wool isn’t suitable for some people or they have chosen to avoid animal products, there are a number of alternatives that might be also interesting for non-vegans: stinging nettle and hemp are perfect for bathrooms and spa areas because they’re extremely hard-wearing and quick-drying. Soysilk has similar properties to its animal equivalent and linen has a cooling and pleasant effect.

From shearing to knotting, there are many people involved in production. What role does the feel play in the end product?

The wool is brushed and spun by hand, meaning it varies in thickness and therefore has more personality. We can achieve great effects with Tibetan knots if you don’t cut off certain rows as usual. Rugs also become sculptural through the combination of materials used or by using different pile heights. One result of this is visual appeal, while it can also make them coarser or softer. In some cases, rugs can have the same effect as reflexology.

Geba rugs are produced in line with fair policies. What does that mean in practice? We’re members of Label STEP, an organisation established specifically for this purpose. That means a ban on child labour, a fair wage, gender equality and fair working conditions – such as having enough light and enforcing rules about breaks. Part of the purchase price people pay also goes towards funding a school. I regularly travel to Nepal to see this in action for myself.

PROJECT NAME: Casa Totem (Totem House)

LOCATION: Trastevere, Rome (Italy)

ARCHITECTS: STUDIOTAMAT (Tommaso Amato, Matteo Soddu, Valentina Paiola)

COLOUR CONSULTANT: Sabina Guidotti

Completed: September 2021 GFA: 65 m (renovated)

They’re too nice to walk on, really. What do you think about displaying rugs on the wall?

If you hang rugs on the wall, they become pictures. Unlike a painting, they also have a texture. You can feel the wool, and the acoustics in the room are improved as well. This can help with meditation.

STORIES FROM TIBET, NEPAL AND STYRIA

Interview: Christina Wetter-Nohl

bar

ORANGE, LEMON AND LIME:

House

NOT ONLY ARE THESE THREE CLASSIC CITRUS FRUITS FOUND IN YOUR COCKTAIL GLASS, THEIR COLOURS ARE ALSO PERFECT FOR BAR ACCESSORIES TO SET A MEDITERRANEAN TONE.

1 THE FLYING SOMMELIER

This brightly coloured parrot hurries to help when a bottle of wine needs opening: Parrot by Alessandro Mendini for Alessi.

2 HAPPY HOUR

The Crispy diamond-cut highball glasses from Frederik Bagger are available in many colours, including citrine.

3 WELL SHAKEN

It stands out thanks to its rounded shape: the Alir cocktail shaker made out of stainless steel with a brass finish is from House Doctor.

4 TRAINING SESSION

Good cocktails take practice: the set from Jonathan Adler has just the right tools and looks like a barbell.

5 GREEN ALTERNATIVE

The glass drinking straw has already replaced the plastic version in many places – why not try this pack of four from Ladelle.

6 CELEBRATIONS

The iconic Alpha range of drinks glasses is celebrating its 70th anniversary and continues to appeal with its harmonious shape, thin muslin glass and subtle colour palette.

7 BIG BOWL

Inspired by Cubism, the Strøm bowl by Nicholai Wiig Hansen for Raawii is just crying out to be filled with citrus fruits. Or ice cubes, of course.

8 COOL DOWN

Refreshing design for refreshing drinks: the Wave pitcher made out of borosilicate glass is by Sophie Lou Jacobsen.

9 FAMILY FRIEND

The Barboy trolley by Verpan is always there when you need it. And in bright orange, you definitely won’t miss it.

Cocktails

on

THE

7

holiday

STAYING IN IS THE NEW GOING OUT: WITH THE BOTTLED COCKTAILS FROM DRINKS AT HOME, YOU CAN TURN YOUR OWN LIVING ROOM INTO YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAR, AND IT’LL SERVE MORE THAN JUST GIN AND TONIC. FRESH INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CLASSICS AND INNOVATIVE CREATIONS FROM NOTEWORTHY AUSTRIAN BARTENDERS ARE READY-MIXED IN BOTTLES AND DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PUT ICE CUBES IN A GLASS, POUR IT IN, ADD A GARNISH AND ENJOY, AND YOU DON’T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT CLOSING TIME. WHY NOT TRY THE HEDONIST AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUNNIER DAYS? CHEERS!

THE DESCRIPTION:

Dry, Mediterranean, loaded with citrus, slightly sharp and refreshing: the Hedonist adds a summer holiday feel to the bar atmosphere and lifts the spirits

THE BARTENDER:

Multi-award-winning Damir Bušić runs Liquid Diary in Innsbruck, allows guests to use the cocktail menu as a diary, takes inspiration from the Alpine and Mediter ranean surroundings and loves aromatic ingredients

THE INGREDIENTS:

Belvedere vodka, orange, lemon, lime, rosemary, ginger, Supersawa, rhubarb, tonic

THE GLASS: Slim and robust: that’s how a highball glass should be so the carbon dioxide doesn’t escape too quickly and the sparkle lasts longer. A good example is one by Riedel from the Drink Specific Glassware range

THE PREPARATION: Place whole ice cubes in the glass, pour in the cocktail, garnish with lemon peel and a sprig of rosemary and top up with tonic as required

THE BASIS:

A vodka fizz is the sparkling version of the vodka sour, with vodka, lemon juice and sugar being topped up with soda

It was during a walk when life seemed to stand still for the first time, a walk that brought hope, lifted the spirits and relieved the feeling of confinement. It was a walk that changed life unexpectedly. In a leafy part of Graz, the second-largest city in Austria, fashion designer and artist Bettina Reichl took advantage of her surroundings to get some movement during the pandemic. Along the way, she came across a small sheep farm. It had been there for a long time but she’d never really noticed it. But then she caught sight of this one sheep. A sheep that was sitting there strangely like a cat and looked her straight in the eye. It looked at her sear chingly and, rather oddly, she recognised something familiar in it. “I saw this sheep and saw in it my cat that had recently died. It sounds so ridiculous, but this sheep made me spiritual. More than anything else, it touched my heart.” And she couldn’t get it out of her head.

PROJECT

She immediately knocked on the door of the farmer and asked whether she could work at the farm. The help was welcome, so fashion designer Reichl worked for six months on the sheep farm and learnt everything there was to learn. She was fascinated by the personality of the sheep and the interesting process between animal and human. Soon another thought blossomed: she wanted to sponsor an animal and make a dress out of the wool.

FROM THE PASTURE TO THE CATWALK

It takes many stages, a lot of dedication and a great deal of passion to make an item of clothing from the wool of one sheep.

Especially when you’re doing everything yourself with your own two hands.

Bettina Reichl learnt the entire process and took on board the knowledge of everyone from the sheep farmer to the felter. She found support for the elaborate work in her sister and friends, who took inspiration from her and helped out.

She set up a wool studio in her cellar where she worked and which became something of a spiritual place. Many tasks were also carried out in the open air in the pasture.

Everything was produced by hand.

The labels on the clothing bear the name of the sheep.

“It was meditative work that involved many lovely conversations.”

The designer herself describes the project as the “high point” of her career. It’s an art project that has produced clothing for the soul out of the association of partnership, design and mindfulness.

Marija Kanizaj

DURING THE FIRST LOCKDOWN IN AUSTRIA, GRAZ-BASED FASHION DESIGNER BETTINA REICHL STUMBLED UPON A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT –IN THE

A SHEEP. HERE’S HOW AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH AN ANIMAL WAS TURNED INTO INCREDIBLY SOPHISTICATED FASHION PIECES THAT CHANGED PEOPLE’S RELATIONSHIPS AND

DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.

foundations

an

For Bettina Reichl, fashion is a language that can express culture and identity, and the pieces from the Weidekleid (pasture dress) project can do even more. They represent a new beauty and a sense of solidarity. It’s what you feel when you touch or wear the garments. They have the effect of a protective hug and possess their own energy.

For Bettina Reichl, the project was a catharsis and a sudden, crystal-clear realisation: we are all living beings with one soul. At some point, it became clear to her that there was only one goal: slaugh ter has to stop and animal wool should be worth so much that sheep farmers can make a living from selling it. She became vegetarian, but she remains realistic: “It’s not possible to stop slaughter over night, as animal meat is worth more than wool. But my high level of design can make it possible for wool to be sold for more.”

To move closer to the goal, you can sponsor a sheep via Bettina Reichl with “her” sheep farmer. And if you want, you can even join her in making an item of clothing out of the wool. An item with real meaning. odrowaz.at

“Science is the contemporary language of mysticism,” claims Dr Joe Dispenza from the US. It sounds almost as though he wants to replace God with machines and medication. In actual fact, what he means is something quite different: it’s about putting an end to the ancient opposition between what spiritual traditions have been teaching and practising for hun dreds of years and what is scientifically explainable, and therefore what is “true” or “real”.

Thanks to findings in neuroscience, consciousness research and medicine, phenomena that until now had fallen into the category of esotericism have become scientifically explainable. For example, it’s been proven that we’re able to change the material structure of our brains through meditation, and that the question of whether hereditary cancer genes are activated or not largely depends on the mental and emotional state of the person carrying them. Dr Dispenza himself has developed meditation programmes to activate self-healing mechanisms that are used by thousands of people around the world, and whose results are now the subject of scientific studies.

When this development first began, the quantum physics understanding was that consciousness isn’t an accidental by-product of matter, but rather the opposite, that counsciousness only creats matter. Something similar takes place on a molecular level in our bodies: thoughts generate feelings, and feelings become chemical and energetic messenger substances that have a huge impact on our health and our happiness. Based on this idea, anyone who masters their thoughts becomes the author of their own story. So it’s no wonder that even in the West, more and more people are becom ing fascinated by meditation, yoga and Buddhism – traditions that put the key to happiness in the hands of the individual rather than in those of the sometimes blessing, sometimes punishing God above. Yet even Christianity once had mystical traditions that are gradually being rediscovered.

There have also been spectacular findings in the area of smell over the last few years. While good old aromatherapy still often means rank lavender oil in a dusty fragrance lamp, aromachology now looks at what happens in the brain when it’s triggered by scent molecules.

Anne Churchill, an in-house researcher at perfume developers Givaudan, explains more on this on coveteur.com: “Over the past 20 to 30 years there’s been an

enormous increase in the amount of knowledge in this area, particularly related to improvements in the technology available to actually measure brain responses or other physiological responses [via] brain scanning equipment and things like facial recognition equipment, the ability to measure heart rate accurately, and skin conductance.” Givaudan was therefore able to launch three collections of fragrance technologies that can be used by perfumers to create what are known as functional fragrances. The MoodScentz collection, for example, is intended to promote relaxation and well-being.

We’re now seeing an influx of totally new products whose goal is to have a targeted and scientifically founded influence on our mood, our concentration levels and our sleep, and therefore to integrate a new spirituality into our lives.

Sound a bit too ambitious? Anyone doubting the power of smell should be reminded of the mind-altering effect of a full baby’s nappy on a long-haul flight or a sweaty cheese left in the bin in glaring sunshine. Why shouldn’t it work just as well the other way round?

to create fragrance layers, like Wunder-Selig (wonder-bliss) or Glück-Sucht (happinessaddiction), and thereby strengthen or hack your current mood.

These are only a few examples of how spirituality, neuroscience and self-care can be crystalised into innovative products. Enjoy discovering these new trends, and Sat Nam!

Traditional items of clothing like capes and hoods are the

HELDER SUFFENPLAN is an independent journalist and creative consultant from Berlin, and has had a particular passion for perfumes since he was a child. With his successful 2013 launch of SCENTURY.com – the very first online mag azine for perfume storytelling –Helder has become a recognised authority in the global world of fragrance. He has been on the jury for events such as The Arts & Olfaction Awards in Los Angeles and the Prix International du Parfumeur Créateur in Paris. As a writer, he combines his passion topic of fragrances with a range of fields such as contemporary art, popular culture, literature, film and geopolitics.

Happiness

The Nue Co., for example, actually sells supplements for the skin, hair and gut, but has now expanded its range to include a few fragrances. Mind Energy has shown in studies that 86% of subjects felt they had more focus and 76% felt their produc tivity levels improved. Forest Lungs brings the woods into your home office and your lungs thanks to patented phytoncides, a molecular compound produced by trees.

London brand DOSE uses the slogan “Taking control of your moods” to promote their mood-boosting mists. Hit Me Up energises and motivates you for your workout, while Smells Like Yoga soothes and relaxes. You’ll learn more about the philosophy behind the brand on the brand’s own podcast Hacking Happiness.

Adidas has also caught wind of the trend, although is a bit more performanceorientated with its Culture of Sport collec tion: fragrances including CHRG, UPLFT and STRK are intended to stimulate the same parts of the brain as sport in order to increase “the desire and the ability to train”. Vera Portz and Marion Lange from Hamburg-based Mavemade are taking a playfully different approach: using nine fragrances with names like Eifer (vigour), Artig (good) and Glück (happiness) you can mix and match the words and scents

in

Photos: Annet Teapel Portrait: Holger Homann

ABOUT BETTINA REICHL Bettina Reichl’s

Design meets spirituality

The story of the ancient city of Sogmatar in eastern Turkey, where seven circular structures were placed around a sacred hill in 200 AD to represent seven planets, inspired the creations by designer Şule Koç. The three-piece set comprises a plate with a lid and a diffuser made out of oak, and they can be used in a number of different ways. Together, the pieces won’t just embellish any home, they’ll also form a small altar: a place to relax and pause briefly between working from home and your daily routine. Nature-based design for your connection to the universe.

Atlas Harran, Sogmatar set, € 92

“THE HUGE PLATEAU OF SOGMATAR LET THE PEOPLE OBSERVE THE SKY CLEARLY AND CONSTANTLY, BECOMING A VALUABLE PART OF THEIR LIVES AND THEY CREATED A BELIEF SYSTEM ACCORDING TO THE PLANETS IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSE. THE SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE IS THE INSPIRA TION FOR SOGMATAR. THE ROUND SHAPE AND THE PROPORTIONS REPRESENT THE ECLIPSES OF PLANETS AND THE ENCAPSULA TING PIECES KEEP YOUR SECRETS AND WHATEVER YOU VALUE.”

Şule Koç

Sustainability meets modern simplicity. The Almost Gone range of design pieces by Stefanie Hödlmoser is made out of waste from the manufacturing of items made from Corian – a composite material made from minerals and plastic that is predominantly used for outdoor furniture, lamps and in construction projects. For her candlesticks, the designer prioritises clean lines and functionality. With a shape based on traditional nightlight candleholders, the upper part serves as a form of handle. This means the candlesticks can be used universally for meditation sessions and mindfulness routines so you can be inspired by the magic of the light.

Stefanie Hödlmoser, Almost Gone candlesticks € 35

“FOR ME, SPIRITUALITY IS BEING WITH MYSELF AND DOING EVERYTHING WITH PURPOSE. MY OWN ASPIRATION TO CREATE DESIGN PIECES THAT ALIGN WITH MY VALUES OR AREN’T JUST MADE FOR AESTHETIC REASONS REPRE SENTS MY COMMITMENT TO THIS SPIRITUALITY AS A DESIGNER.”

Stefanie Hödlmoser

Drinking a lot of water isn’t just healthy, it also has a healing effect on our soul.

Thanks to the Botijo water bottle, it’s easy to drink enough and look good while doing it – be it at your desk, in the kitchen or next to your yoga mat.

Created by designer Yunuén Hernández, Botijo is a reinterpretation of traditional Mexican jarrito earthenware jugs. The container with an integrated beaker is made out of terracotta and keeps water fresh for a long time because of the porous nature of the material. For an invigorating sip of fresh water in all situations.

Merakia, Botijo water bottle, € 44

Tea ceremonies have been a tradition in many cultures, especially in Japan, for thousands of years. Today, they are being revived as a practice to escape the fast pace of everyday life. Juskani Alonso created the ideal tea service for this purpose: a sculptural walnut monolith serves as a rack for three oak bowls that can be arranged in different ways. With the Camelia tea set, there’s nothing more to do than to celebrate drinking tea: rather than quickly pouring hot water over a bag, drinking this ancient beverage is turned into a ritual for mindfulness and relaxation. Slow down with tea!

Se’Wá Productora, Camelia Tea Set, € 210

TRAVEL THE WORLD WITHIN YOUR OWN FOUR WALLS! THESE DESIGN OBJECTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE THE PERFECT TRAVEL COMPANIONS TO ADD A SPIRITUAL TOUCH TO DAILY LIFE AND INSPIRE AN INTERNATIONAL, SPIRITUAL LIFESTYLE EVEN AT HOME.

Scattered in temples, thrown at celebrations and worn in the hair –flowers have always carried huge symbolic value. They represent life and mother Earth, and often form part of traditional rituals. The artistically playful vases and vessels from design studio mpgmb are perfect for floral arrangements or displayed alone as an eye-catching ornament. Each of the handcrafted and hand-painted pieces has a unique combination of shapes and colours that are inspired by paper cuttings. Artistic zest for life in the form of a design piece that reminds us of the beauty of the Earth.

mpgmb, Lola vase, € 250

WORLD

Very, very strong sound.

See for yourself at the Poet Klangwelt, in selected hotels or in your own home. poetaudio.com pandoretta° 360° music, from smartphone to highest quality sound.

home.