The brand that wants to decorate the world: KARE Design
One of the most exciting home furnishing brands, it is no mere cliché that everyone can find pieces that suit their own taste. After all, the essence of KARE Design is that they sell collections with different styles that appeal to different customer segments.
The only link between them is courage. So that shoppers dare to break away from the ordinary and make their homes just as bold and unique as the clothes they wear.
The story began in 1981, when two friends, the Germans Jürgen Reiter and Peter Schönhofen, founded the company while still studying with one very important stipulation: that they would never become boring, that this home decoration company would always be characterized by breaking away from conventions.
KARE has not been aiming for the traditional path in its business policy either. It is not a manufacturing company, but it is not a repository of selected pieces from well-known brands either. The founders always carefully put together the next year's collections and acquire the pieces for this from all over the world, mainly from smaller manufactories. Customers, but even the profession, cannot identify where the individual products come from, but it is true that the curatorial concept is so strong that we do not even feel that the furniture and accessories are not made at the company's headquarters. Since we are talking about several styles, it is difficult to find signs that make it clear that it is a KARE piece. Humor, a provocative, sometimes sexy attitude, a playful interpretation of luxury, exaggerations, gags, these are all characteristics of the brand.
An international solution to boring homes
The company is still headquartered in Munich, where in 2014, the KARE Kraftwerk, the brand's only flagship store, was opened in a former power plant building, which was awarded the Store of the Year award by the German Retail Association. It is where you can view all the models currently on the market on 10,000 square meters. (You can even have lunch in their Küche im Kraftwerk restaurant with a panoramic terrace.) The founders and managing directors also own the Regensburg and Vienna stores, but the rest of the KARE stores around the world are operated by local franchise partners, which has enabled the company to have 100 brand stores in 50 countries by 2016, from South America to China. (And we haven't even mentioned the reseller networks that have truly made the brand a global player.) The brand can of course also be found at major international exhibitions, such as the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Maison & Objet in Paris, Ambiente in Frankfurt or Imm Cologne in Cologne. The company has won several professional awards, but perhaps they are most proud of supporting the Artists for Kids foundation, which works for the art education of disadvantaged youth.
The joy of life is at the heart of KARE Design's philosophy.
The company’s slogan, Joy of Living, has a double meaning, as it means both the joy of life and the joy of living. But the KARE lifestyle actually extends beyond the walls of the home, as a funny mug, plate or table decoration can also be brought to the workplace, and there are many hotels and restaurants around the world partially or completely furnished with these eye-catching pieces of furniture, lighting fixtures and home decoration accessories. But if we were keen, we could even have a coffee next door – although unfortunately the KARE Café in Prague has now closed. (Of course, in-store cafes have also opened in other parts of the world.) KARE stores are usually located in larger cities, as urban lifestyle is encoded in the brand’s DNA. They are mainly aimed at the younger generations, who no longer want classic or very minimal furniture, but would like their home to be memorable, like their personality, if they are hosting a party. In Hungary, the brand is currently only present in the MaxCity Shopping Center in Törökbálint with a physical store, but they deliver from there to the entire country in order to introduce uncompromising home furnishings.