At the desk with: Christoph Kümmecke

Wilde+Spieth × Herz&Blut

How can you work creatively from home? Together with Herz & Blut, we looked over the shoulder of PR & Communication Consultant Christoph Kümmecke and talked to him about creative techniques, how to organize breaks and inspiring interiors.

Where is your desk and what were your considerations for choosing a place?
The age of a pandemic made me ambitious to set up a workplace in my own four walls. The question was where? It had to be a place that inspires me, grounds me and at the same time lets me concentrate on my work. Top priority: My working environment at home should function more as a living space with a soul than as an “empty” economic space, so that my physical, social, psychological and spiritual horizons can be stimulated as much as possible. The decision was made in favor of my living/dining room in order to temporarily use this room as an additional office. Lots of daylight, a fantastic view onto the greenery, enough free space and a deliberately curated interior also promote my creativity, motivation and meaningful work in this room.

What are you doing at the desk?
At my desk I am busy most of the time communicating: Be it writing e-mails, making phone calls, viewing and editing pictures, creating creative concepts and strategies, reading magazines or browsing the world wide web.

How long are you at your desk and what do your breaks look like?
Too long to be honest, but that confirms that I like the place. Due to my profession, breaks can be very different. Ultimately, I try to take regular breaks. I spend it with a coffee on the balcony or preparing a lunch snack in my kitchen. When the weather is nice, I also use the short break for a walk in the park around the corner or to get groceries from the supermarket.

Clear structures, natural colors and a minimalist living style support my creative thinking and acting enormously. The choice of my interior is mostly intuitive and aimed at creating a symbiosis of calm, composition and serenity.

Christoph Kümmecke

Creative chaos or structured system?
A tidy and structured workplace is extremely important for my type of vocation and for my character type. So I pursue a creatively structured system that I pursue in a formally perfectionist manner. The more clarity and less chaos there is in my environment, the greater my potential is to be creative, strategical and efficient. A stimulating interior and appealing office accessories are also another source of inspiration and motivation for me. Another important factor for me is the subject of music: Calm and smooth tunes linger in the background of my everyday habits.

What is your curated interior based on? And what are the design elements that encourage your creativity?
Clear structures, natural colors and a minimalist living style support my creative thinking and acting enormously. The choice of my interior is mostly intuitive and aimed at creating a symbiosis of calm, composition and serenity. I like to really feel different material aesthetics in detail, be it for example wood, fabric or natural stone structures. The versatile shapes and materials create a qualitatively eclectic style of living in my four walls. Ultimately, every piece of furniture in my apartment has a conscious place, redundancy is completely dispensed with, so that my creative thinking can focus on the essentials.

Speaking of perfection, how must a piece of furniture or accessory be designed to fit into your interior. How do you find these pieces?
A piece of furniture or accessory has to trigger a kind of emotion in me, be it through its shape, its special story or its material properties. My apartment is made up of numerous vintage and contemporary design objects, with which I associate a certain emotionality and personal history. I found the very special pieces at flea markets, in classified ads, in selected magazines, while traveling or was made away of by artist friends.

Find out more about Christoph Kümmecke and Herz&Blut

 

www.instagram.com/ckuemmecke

www.herzundblut.com

 

 

Photography: Jules Villbrandt (Herz&Blut)

Production: Maison Palmé

Christophs’ favourite