The Berge Winter Retreat: Interior Design Ideas

Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:08 AM PST

Beginning life as a misguided real estate purchase on the Kampenwand Mountain, Aschau, it was intended to provide lodging for guests that would be visiting the new furniture warehouse to be erected behind it. Plans hit the skids when a neighbor filed an appeal, and with considerable money already spent the goal posts had to be moved.

Nils Holger thinks back on the challenge the building brought: “The problem was that the house had seen a lot of abuse over the centuries. The structure was great, but it was a tedious process to get it back out in the open.” The layout of the house needed to change too and this process took almost a year, including the relocation of two staircases and the entrance area.

The furniture displays a minimalist and simple style, supported by some fun historical additions such as the Bavarian 'Jockel' kitchen table, and the typically alpine towel holders.

The floors are made of extremely wide slats of alpine spruce, which is completely untreated and therefore suffered some terrible staining in the beginning, but eventually began to show some beautiful patina where each new scratch only acts as an improvement. Nils Holger reflects: "Many hotels are full of loveless stuff – perfunctory and shallow. I believe it has to be honest.”