“Industrial meets old-building charm” – Insights into Lisa & Florian's passion project

Lisa & Florian (altstadthaus1818) have achieved something many dream of: Lovingly renovating a historical townhouse from 1818, combining the charm of bygone times with a modern living atmosphere. The kitchen? The heart of their home – designed with clear lines, natural materials and great sensitivity for functionality and design. Black Green instead of black or white, an open beam ceiling, oak parquet underfoot and a Quooker that is dearly loved. Here lives a family with a clear attitude, plenty of heart and an eye for the essentials.

Are you completely finished with the renovations, or is there still much to be done?
We have completely finished the third floor & are currently living there. The attic still needs to be fully renovated. That means the bathroom will be completely redone, all floors newly laid, walls newly plastered or wallpapered, the former kitchen will become a guest room, and two small windows must be turned into one large window—that is the requirement from the city's fire safety officer. Additionally, we would like to open up the ceiling towards the gable in the current living room. It remains exciting & there is still quite some work ahead of us.

Was there any particular moment or challenge during planning or renovation that you still remember today?
There were several moments. Installing the steel beam was one, or the time we decided to expose the beam ceiling in the kitchen and remove the old intermediate floor.

Where do you get your inspiration for designing your home? Are there specific styles or personalities that influence you?
Lisa likes to browse Instagram & Pinterest or flip through interior design magazines. We both enjoy spending time in the mountains and like the Alpine architectural style. We like wooden elements paired with modern components like black or steel.

The illuminated recessed handles are a real eye-catcher – how important is proper lighting in the kitchen for you?
Proper illumination and above all clear lighting are essential and indispensable in the kitchen. Nothing is worse than not seeing what you're cooking. Additionally, with the illuminated recessed handles, you have a wonderful indirect light source, which we especially enjoy using in the evening.

Is there any feature in your kitchen that's indispensable to you?
The Quooker is dearly loved here.

What were three must-haves that absolutely had to be in your kitchen?
Drawers! A flush-mounted, large hob and plenty of workspace

When planning the kitchen, was the design or functionality more important for you – or did you find a good compromise?
Functionality was at the forefront, but always paired with design. For example, it was clear to us that there should only be drawers. For aesthetic reasons, we chose them all to be the same size, creating a harmonious visual impression.

Is the interior organisation just as important as the external appearance?
Definitely when it comes to creating order. It doesn't help if everything looks tidy from the outside but is chaotic inside. A suitable cutlery insert, for example, really helps here.

Which place in your home is your favourite and why?
Currently, it is actually the kitchen, since its wooden beamed ceiling, oak parquet flooring, beautiful dining area & lovely kitchen make it very inviting to stay in. But of course, our small wellness room with the sauna is also one of our favourite spots, as it promises pure relaxation.

If you could change anything about your kitchen or the house – what would it be?
In the kitchen, we would install two additional spots, and in the house, we would actually like to combine the two floors into one living unit – unfortunately, we were denied this due to fire safety regulations.