Sensuous, Modern and Always Handmade

“We’re effectively one big family that knows everything there is to know about beautiful, comfortable and sophisticated furniture. The fact that we enjoy creating things naturally makes it very much easier for us.” At KFF, every single employee subscribes to this statement by company founder and owner Karl-Friedrich Förster, whose initials gave the design forge its name. He has been making the zeitgeist at home in Lemgo for almost 30 years now by ensuring that every one of the attractive chairs, tables and smaller items of furniture produced under the KFF brand name in the little East Westphalian town radiates a sense of confident modernity.

“Even today, Karl continues to sharpen our instinct for specialness. And despite the fact that we’ve known each other for a very long time, he never ceases to amaze me with his surprising ideas,” says KFF’s Managing Director Jens Lewe of his good friend and boss. “Barbarossa”, a table with a top made of ancient oak sourced from derelict half-timbered houses, is a prime example of what he means. Förster discovered the historic beams at a Lemgo firm by the name of Blöcher, whose motto is “Taking action to prevent things disappearing”. Because that approach is thoroughly compatible with the philosophy and mindset of KFF’s founder, the first witnesses of times gone by – beams dating back around 250 years – soon ended up on the company’s workbenches. The recycled wood was used to produce a piece of furniture that makes a perfect addition to the table collection and has since found a large fan following. The fact that it is supplied complete with a documented certificate is the kind of thing that comes naturally to KFF – as does its attitude to sustainability and ecology.

“We collaborate with lots of suppliers from the local area – in some cases, we’ve been working with them for decades,” says Jens Lewe. “That guarantees short distances and quick decisions – and is proof of the mutual trust between us.” The same goes for the designers who are closely linked with the label: some of these collaborations have endured for years. Besides Detlef Fischer and Guido Franzke of Formmodul, the list also includes Steven Schilte, Mika Tolvanen and designer duo Murken/Hansen. These alliances have resulted in a host of award-winning models for the company. And it’s not just these products that appeal to interior design experts from the contract sector: the entire collection is of interest to them. Many hotels and restaurants, as well as churches and VIP areas in sports stadiums, are prominently equipped with made-to-last furniture from KFF.

The ambitious KFF team is currently particularly proud of its fantastic collaboration with Hamburg designer Birgit Hoffmann. In 2011, she created a genuine bestseller: the “Maverick” chair, inspired by an old school chair. The idea caught on, and there is meanwhile an entire product family by the name of “Maverick”, ranging from a comfortable chair with armrests and an elegant stool all the way to a charming table. “Maverick” has enabled KFF to build on the success of “Sinus” – a chair that has won over a great many fans with its striking iron frame and vivacious lines.

Ever since the company was founded, its sensuous exploration of premium materials and the pleasure it takes in translating emotions and impressions into forms and colours have been vital ingredients in its recipe for success. Or as Karl-Friedrich Förster would say: “We simply enjoy creating things!”

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Photos: Heiner Köpcke, KFF Design

KFF Design
Bahnhofstrasse 27
DE-32657 Lemgo
Tel. 0049 (0) 5261 98 590
Fax 0049 (0) 5261 89 281
info@kff.de