The former Hotel Waldhorn in the historic old town of Ravensburg has been closely linked to the town's history and the Bouley family, who ran it, for over a century. From 1975 onwards, Albert Bouley, a Michelin-starred chef, head chef and co-owner, led the hotel to culinary fame – with 17 out of 19 points in Gault-Millau and a Michelin star until 2005. After Albert's death, the family decided to close the hotel. Some of the historic hotel rooms were merged and converted into individual condominiums, which will soon be available for rent. The restaurant is also set to reopen this year.

A very special flat was created in the attic: the "Storchennest" (stork's nest). The former rooms of the hotel staff, with a view over the towers of the old town, have been transformed into a spacious, light-flooded retreat, complemented by a large balcony extension. The owner, Hedi Bouley, herself a designer, commissioned Berlin-based interior designer Peter Heimer to create the interior design. While Heimer designed the floor plan, fixtures and furniture, Bouley was responsible for the textile elements – curtains, fabrics and surfaces that give the room its soft, human touch. The new apartment thrives on exciting contrasts: light and transparency meet the venerable beams of the old roof construction. Simple, white built-in furniture interacts with expressive, sculptural elements made of solid oak. A special highlight is the striking kitchen and dining counter "Der Storch steht gern auf einem Bein" (The stork likes to stand on one leg), a humorous reference to the name of the flat and at the same time a defining design element of the room. Transparent glass walls between the living, sleeping and bathroom areas create a sense of spaciousness and visual clarity, supported by a very special lighting choreography: a 5.5-metre-high mirrored wall in the bathroom reflects daylight through glass walls and rooms. The custom-made built-in furniture was created in collaboration with Heimer's carpenter Marko Rüffel in Berlin, where it was manufactured, dismantled and finally assembled on site in Ravensburg. It is complemented by unique handcrafted pieces: a wooden door handle on the glass door to the bedroom, a coffee table with a removable wooden shell, the headboard – all made of solid oak and designed by Heimer especially for the Storchennest.

www.lpj-shop.com
www.peterheimerinterior.com

Photos:
Achim Hatzius
www.hatzius.com

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 04|25)