Discover Germany | Special Theme | Designing 2017
‘Ringtailed Lemur‘ wall decor. Manufacturer: IXXI
Wall-table clock ‘FLIP NO CASE‘. Manufacturer: Karlsson
Creating special spaces with unique designer clocks and matching wallpapers “What we do is design walls,” says Anne Opitz who, together with her partner Aimo Eckert, has founded the online shop Tapeten und Uhren – which means ‘wallpapers and clocks’ – and a boutique in Dresden. Looking internationally, they bring together design classics and new, unique design ideas. TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN
When Anne Opitz and Aimo Eckert started their shop ten years ago, they were new to the business: Aimo Eckert is a glassblower and specialist for building picture frames – so he already had something to do with design. Anne Opitz, on the other hand, had worked as a music dealer. Coming from different professions allowed them to have “a new and fresh perspective”, she says. Exploring and finding the right designs for matching clocks and wallpapers is an ever-new adventure. 20 | Issue 49 | April 2017
“I think we inspire each other. We are not only working together but are also a couple in our private lives and have a daughter,” says owner Anne Opitz about her partner. “That makes us an invincible team.”Inspiration often comes in everyday life: “We always keep our eyes open because life always shows us a lot of beautiful things, may it be when watching a British crime series or strolling through a foreign city.”But apart from that, they say they find many of their products at trade fairs.
Working in such a changing market that is influenced by trends from all over the world, it is of course not easy to pick a favourite. “We have a lot of products we really love – every now and then a new one… at the moment we are really keen on flipclocks.”The retro clocks have a very sleek design – often black and white – and the time is shown by flipping the numbers, just as the name suggests. “After many years, there are finally some great models on the market again. They offer a completely different way to show the time,” says Opitz. One model Tapeten und Uhren has currently on offer is the design clock FLIP NO CASE by the Dutch clockmaker Karlsson, a flipclock in gold and white that can either be fixed on the wall or used as table clock. What makes it so special is the