07 December 2011

Timber Tales with Team 7

A rich history in cabinet making and a return to ‘the old ways’ has given Team 7 their vision for the future. Alice Blackwood meets with them following their launch into the Australian market.

"We went back to the beginning and used our grandfather's non-toxic rules," says the International Sales Manager for Team 7, Oliver Bayerl.

Bayerl is referring to the years 1980-1981 in which the then founder of Austrian furniture design company, Team 7, saw a proliferation of white lacquer furniture spreading across consumer markets, and decided to do things differently.

It was at this point that Team 7 re-focused their vision on their rich cabinet making heritage, and the country's rich source of sustainably grown timber, to make furniture – just "like our grandfathers" using solid wood over MDF, and oil and beeswax over lacquer.

Showing the new collection at IMM Cologne in 1981 was, as Oliver describes it, "a disaster" with distributors, yet a success with end consumers looking for something really different.

Today Team 7 is renowned for their solid wood timber furniture which carries an air of pared-back natural beauty, as well as their sustainable practices.

The latter came almost as if by fate, says Oliver.

"We realised that we use only timber from sustainably managed forests, we use glue that is free of formaldehyde, and use beeswax on our surfaces."

Designers Jacob Strobel (top) and Sebastian Desch

Speaking of forests, Team 7 actually builds a percentage of their furniture using wood sourced from their very own sustainable forest.

This, combined with an in-house saw mill, means their capabilities for building custom-made solid wood furniture for all areas of the home is greatly enhanced.

Further confirming their reputation as suppliers of solid wood is their relationship with leading brands such as Steinway & Sons pianos, and bathroom brand Villeroy & Boch.

Their furniture is now available in Australia, a country which Oliver feels has a strong appreciation for environmentally conscious design, as well as the integrity and beauty of natural materials.

"It's a good match" for a company whose forward-thinking values is informed by its rich heritage.

Team 7
team7.at/en

Distributed by Popcorn Interiors.