Haus am See

What is the story behind Haus am See, what was your inspiration to create it?

We found the house by chance. We weren’t actively looking for it. One day, our dog was sitting outside my husband's favourite chocolate shop in Munich. Suddenly, people came into the shop and asked who the dog belonged to as they had been looking for a dog just like that.

Eventually, they got themselves the same breed of dog and later invited us over to their house in Starnberg as thanks. During the meal, they told us that they were looking for a property at Lake Garda or an old farmhouse. As my husband had once renovated an old farmhouse, we started talking about all the things we had seen. 

Then, I happened to come across this property — a grand house built around 1915-1917. It was clearly too far away and too big but I jokingly wrote in the group chat: "This would be something for a senior shared living." Two or three days later, this couple called and said: “We have to go check it out." 

To be honest, we were immediately smitten. Initially, the four of us bought it in 2019 and everyone agreed: If it works out, it works out; if not, then it doesn't.

We renovated the house extensively as nothing had been done for 40 years. The house is a listed building, so you can imagine that the renovation was not easy, and this was all in the middle of the COVID pandemic working exclusively with local craftsmen. We had to redo everything: the roof, electricity, plumbing. While we handled the back of the house, the other couple took care of the front. 

We didn’t get our building permit until 2020 and our part of the renovation was finished by late 2021. By the end of 2022, we were able to live there and it became clear that this would become our main residence. In the meantime, the other couple decided to leave and headed for another property at Lake Garda.  

The house was too big for just us but we decided it was better to keep the house as a whole, rather than split it up. We needed to use the front part in a way that would at least cover its own costs. An old house needs to be lived in; it doesn’t do well if it’s left empty.

So, we spent a year following online auctions for vintage designer furniture and furnished the front. Since the spring of 2024, we have been renting it out to guests.

How would you describe the atmosphere and the interior design of Haus am See?

At first, it felt somewhat oppressive to me. Whenever I entered the house, I would involuntarily raise my shoulders. The challenge was to preserve the soul of the house while bringing in something bright, colourful and fresh. I wanted to avoid the typical designer pieces you see everywhere and instead find furnishings that suited the house without overemphasising that cosy, farmhouse feel, which can sometimes seem a bit old-fashioned.

I’m not an interior designer, so I can’t use much industry jargon, but the main goal was to have this juxtaposition - that you can snuggle up in a cosy corner with a thick blanket and, at the same time, work upstairs at the Gio Ponti desk in the bay window. As you walk through the house, you keep discovering new little details. It makes me especially happy when someone says, “Wow, I just discovered the cherub in the wine cellar.” That’s exactly what I wanted to achieve – the house doesn’t scream, but when you notice the little things, you say, “Wow.”

To you personally, what is so special about Haus am See?

For me, it’s like a beautiful person who has aged, who already has a few wrinkles and maybe grey hair, but exudes incredible vitality, beauty, strength and positivity. She’s like a grande dame who has seen it all. It’s the imperfect perfection that fascinates me. Nothing here is boring, nothing is normal, everything here is fascinating in its own way.

It wasn’t originally a farmhouse property but rather a grandiose industrialist’s villa. The guy who built it, Kommerzienrat Jordan, had a reputable company in Kolbermoor, the old spinning mill. He commissioned a very well-known architect of the time, Georg Zimmermann, to design this house for his family, along with three other buildings. His goal was to create a place of gathering where people could come together and celebrate.

We’ve seen old slides showing people walking across the property with flower crowns and flowing dresses. It conveyed this special spirit that people here enjoyed life. That’s what the house radiated – it’s not a typical Upper Bavarian farmhouse, but I’d say it’s sophisticatedly down-to-earth.

What do you particularly like about this part of Germany?

I’m really not a spiritual person, but there’s something here that could be described as the power of the mountains. It sounds a bit esoteric, but it’s truly a very special place. It’s always dramatic here – either dramatically beautiful or dramatically challenging. When it rains, it really rains. And when the sky is blue, it’s brilliantly blue. If you’re here at night, it’s so dark, you can’t even imagine it — there’s no light pollution.

What’s your policy on children?

The property is large and unfenced, with slopes and a lake. So while it isn’t “adults only”, it’s not very child-friendly. The artwork throughout the house means it’s not ideal for small children but for older children (say 12 plus), it’s a wonderful place.