Home tour with Marie Nasemann

Where did you first encounter Thonet furniture and why did you choose this combination?

My husband has always had an eye for design classics, and, when it was time to replace our small, round second-hand dining table with something larger and higher quality, he instantly thought of Thonet. We wanted a long dining table that had enough space to accommodate friends and family, and we used the different chairs to give it a casual, cosy vibe. The colours were chosen to match the rest of the living room, but we wanted them to be neutral enough that we would still like them a long way down the road.

What do you consider in terms of sustainability in your interior design?

We like to mix second-hand pieces with high-quality design classics: an old, painted wooden wardrobe from my grandparents and a wooden desk, at which my husband was fed as a baby, stand next to a USM shelf and a Vitra chair. We try to avoid just following trends when we buy things, but, of course, it is difficult to ignore them completely. In general, we prefer natural materials and we make an effort to take good care of our furniture, so that we can use it for a long time. 

And how do the Thonet models you have selected fit into this concept of sustainability?

The designs of the Thonet models we selected are timeless and yet each piece has its own design history. Our hope is that our children will one day move these pieces into their own homes and that they will love living with them just as much as we have loved inheriting furniture from our parents and grandparents. 

Which Thonet pieces are still on your wishlist?

I’ve had my eye on the 119 F lounge chair in high-gloss red for quite some time. And we are moving soon! We’ll see whether our new house might have a nice spot for it. 

© Photos: Marie Nasemann