Family
The Apartment in the Kreuzberg-Berlin District, Occupied by the Founders of the Another June Vintage Boutique, Bucks Current Trends in Design Terms
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Ariane and Rainer Stippa, Alma 6 and Luca 9 years old
Certain areas of a city leave a deep impression on us without us realising. This is at least the case for Rainer Stippa, who, after his years of fashion studies in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, continues to write the thread of his story there, this time together with his partner Ariane. A geographical anchor for the co-founders of the vintage furniture boutique Another June, who, in addition to establishing this latest address specialising in second-hand furniture, decided ten years ago to invest in the generous space offered by a pre-war apartment. A genuinely blank canvas with bewitching arches where the duo express, together with their daughters Alma and Luca, their definition of beauty in decoration. “A tension between traditional and contemporary, between craftsmanship and technology, and between order and chaos” where each piece coexists without coherence of style or period, on the contrary. As long as they only have “an extra soul, a story to tell, or a bit of inspiration to pass on to us, to allow us to enjoy the present moment a little more”, the two Berliners explain. A passionate relationship with each object as the key element of a daily ritual, like Ingo Maurer’s “Zanotl” lamp, which “always provides a zen moment and is a sight to behold” for the couple once it is lit. Not following any pre-requisite as to the fame of such a creation and its design signature, here, the two parents have established a setting for themselves that bucks the trends. A liberated vision of design where items from anonymous makers and famous designers quietly rub shoulders with each other, when they are not in their shop. Let’s take a tour.
Location
Berlin
Author
Juliette Bruneau
Photos and videos
Valerio Geraci
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TSF
Ariane and Rainer, can you introduce yourselves, please?
Ariane
We have both always been very interested in design as a whole. Rainer studied fashion in Berlin and worked as a stylist for years. As for me, Ari, I’ve worked as a make-up artist and editor of various publications in the fashion world. That is, until we met in a queue at a Paris Fashion Week event in 2012. We started dating, and at the end of that year, we moved into this huge and rather splendid apartment together. I moved out of my room in a flatshare, Rainer moved out of his small one-room flat, and we decided to take only the most essential furniture with us. One hundred and twenty square metres, a bed, a Danish teak sofa, a teak sideboard, a table improvised from two trestles and an old door and my two Technics MKII decks. Since then, our flat has been filling up; we’ve tried out so many different ideas and concepts and made so many changes that we’re almost having trouble finding our way around. But there is one constant: we have always loved and sought out unique vintage decorative items to add to our collection.
TSF
Tell us about your childhood. What sort of environment did you grow up in, and how did that influence your perception of aesthetics?
Ariane
I was born in East Germany and grew up in a small town called Erfurt: my career in fashion was nothing more than a distant dream. My mother was a teacher and my father an engineer, so they weren’t really into fashion and design. But we travelled a lot in Europe, and I think I was already aware at a very young age that I wanted to live in a beautiful house surrounded by remarkable objects sourced from all over the world. Preferably a house by the sea. After my studies, I travelled on my own, especially to Hong Kong, which I really loved, and then I moved to Copenhagen, where I think I laid the foundations for my career. I’ve been through some tough times, but I’ve found many sources of inspiration. What I like about the Danes is that they seem to appreciate design from childhood, as everywhere you go, you see examples of good design; you live constantly surrounded by it. After a few years, I moved to Berlin and, luckily, stayed there. neWe’ve been fortunate enough to take some memorable trips across the Atlantic and to Europe in recent years with our children and have loved these experiences. This clearly shaped the way we approached our family life in later years. Our adventure isn’t over yet, and we don’t know if we will stay in Berlin for good, but for the time being, we feel good here. I left a part of my soul in California, and I frequently think back to all the seaside and mid-century homes we saw there during our trip. It would clearly be our dream to furnish one of those houses ourselves. To decorate our own home, we try to bring back souvenirs and unique pieces from each of our trips and arrange them in a pleasing way.
Rainer
I grew up in a very pleasant art nouveau apartment in Berlin. The interior was a very eclectic mix of antiques bought by my parents during a year spent in Indonesia, vintage pieces (in those days, we called them second-hand) and masses of objects my father brought back from his professional trips to Africa and North and South America. All this left its mark and has made me appreciate traditional crafts. But it also made me want more minimalist, streamlined and less busy surroundings. Unfortunately, I’m not very good at tidying up. That’s one of Ari’s strengths and one of the many qualities I really admire in her. What I find fascinating and inspiring is the tension between traditional and contemporary, between craft and technology, and between order and chaos. And that goes for the decoration of our home as well as for everything we offer in our vintage shop, Another June.
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We love vintage, especially when it comes to furniture. But our passion for design is growing all the time.
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TSF
As a vintage furniture retailer with Another June, can you tell us about your relationship with second-hand furniture?
Rainer & Ariane
We love vintage, especially when it comes to furniture. But our passion for design is growing all the time. Generic cutlery has long been replaced by a beautiful set of cutlery from WMF Helsinki. Our old dining room table and chairs have given way to a fabulously massive 1970s set by Rainer Daumiller. I think the revelation for us was understanding that design could transform a banal object into something special and unique, a work of art. But a work that has a place, a role to play in everyday life, that you can use like any other object, but with an extra soul, a story to tell, or a bit of inspiration to pass on, to allow us to enjoy the moment a little more. Switching on an Ingo Maurers “Zanotl” light in the morning is always a zen moment, and it’s also a sight to behold because our children really love the special light it creates. It gives us great pleasure to preserve, even restore and (re)discover treasures from the past, to put them back on the market by prolonging their life, living with them and seeing our customers add them to their interiors.
TSF
We are here in your Berlin apartment. How did you come up with the design for it?
Rainer & Ariane
We’ve been living in this apartment for eleven years, and in that time, it’s undergone plenty of changes. In particular, becoming a family of four has had a considerable impact. The room that used to be our bedroom has become our children’s room, and our living room now houses our bed and desk. Our dining room table has always been in the centre of our third room, which is now also our living room. We feel we have made this apartment our home, and it’s always nice to look back on all the changes and be happy with the result. Our daughters’ room will probably be transformed again at some point as they grow and demand more personal space…
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It gives us great pleasure to preserve, even restore and (re)discover treasures from the past, to put them back on the market by prolonging their life.
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TSF
What styles or periods can be found in your apartment?
Ariane
We’re very open-minded when it comes to design, and we love to discover new things that speak to either one of us or, preferably, both of us. We tend to surround ourselves with designer objects from the second half of the 20th century rather than antiques, but we wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to find a century-old creation that would go perfectly with our current interior. The piece of furniture we value most is actually the only piece of furniture we don’t really use. It’s an original JH512 Johannes Hansen / Hans Wegner chair in great original condition, which hangs next to our piano. One family used it as a patio/outdoor chair in an incredible penthouse with exquisite furniture; it was almost too good to be true. Unfortunately, that apartment no longer exists. But we have kept a part of its spirit in this chair, and every time we put it in place, that spirit shines through. Almost every object we own has a story, but those stories would probably be too long for this interview…
TSF
What potential addition to the Socialite Family collection would go well with your decor?
Ariane
I’ve been keeping an eye on The Socialite Family for a few years now, and I’ve always enjoyed the brand’s world. I love the multi-coloured lamps and the versatile Mara corner shelf that can be placed in a corner or next to a sofa. I’d love to have it in our apartment. It fits in with so many styles and is a good basic piece of furniture in a room.
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We’re very open-minded when it comes to design, and we love to discover new things that speak to either one of us or, preferably, both of us.
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TSF
Luca and Alma’s room has also been decorated with designer furniture. What tips would you give us for decorating a child’s room and giving it style without sacrificing comfort?
Ariane
We’ve tested and replaced a few things over the years, and we’ll probably continue to do so. So far, the girls are happy with their room, and we’re trying to keep it homely and comfortable rather than too refined. It is their little sanctuary and usually their playroom. They need enough space to play, but they also need storage for their treasures and all their things. The most recent change was when they each requested their own bed, so we swapped the NY Oeuf bunk bed for two separate beds. Our youngest has always wanted a four-poster bed, and she loves to hide in it, listening to her audiobooks or reading. Luca loves to read, and she likes to relax on her Wonderwuzz play sofa, which they also use to build huts, among other things. What’s more, this sofa is ideal for sleepovers and film nights, as it can accommodate up to four children. Even though they share a room, we try to give each of them some space to be alone. The small curtain under the big bed is the work of the talented Ettina Blaison, a French friend who also made our beautiful bedspread.
TSF
What are the places you think we must visit in Kreuzberg?
Ariane
Our family loves Gleisdreieck Park, especially in spring and summer: there are plenty of playgrounds, some with water, basketball courts, a place to skateboard, cafés and pleasant beer gardens. Two Trick Pony is an ideal restaurant for breakfast and lunch, serving top-quality dishes. I particularly recommend the toasted coconut bread. Opposite our shop, on Chamissoplatz, there is a fabulous place called Rekorder Galerie und Café. The VOO Store is always perfect if you’re looking for the latest fashions, exceptional gifts or for inspiration. You can also cycle on the Tempelhofer Feld, a former city airport that has been transformed into a vast leisure area.
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Almost every object we own has a story, but those stories would probably be too long for this interview…
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