Ortloff

Store in Cologne

After a complete refurbishment, the traditional Cologne-based company Ortloff opened its doors on 5 July 2017. Customers can now marvel in the entrance area at how the concept of “The Store Designers” adopts the elegant Bauhaus style of the building. The interior design specialist Hoffmann Interior ensured the consistent implementation of the architectural development. The complete area on the 550 m² ground floor exemplifies the guiding principle of the company founder Erich Ortloff: “Come in without knocking, the door to my house is open.”

Design trends and traditional elements are equally important in the refurbishment. Concrete finishes and a walnut décor blend uniquely into the contemporary style that shows historical awareness at the same time. Hoffmann Interior also brought more structure to the business with the refurbishment: a clear and minimalist store design takes the place of an interior design dominated by products. Another highlight of the entrance area is clearly the delicate paper work of the ceiling sail. This shows the stylised cathedral – the landmark of Cologne.

Hoffmann Interior used a tailor-made ceiling grid for the installation, made from black powdered steel in its in-house metalworking facility. The special quality of the walls turned out to be a challenge: due to the structure that varied for historical reasons, they had to initially work with drywall elements. Hoffmann Interior also carried out the flooring and painting work as part of their general contracting services, as well as the production of innovative display furniture and consultation counters. These also include a prestigious pharmacist cabinet and glazed table showcases for the writing consultation area. The redesign of the shop windows was also part of the all-round package. A real wood slab could not be used due to the very narrow access to the shop window. Instead, the employees at Hoffmann Interior quickly opted for an alternative: the décor was printed on wallpaper and then applied professionally to the back of the shop window.