Interview

Harald Margreiter has a knack for getting to the heart of the matter – and an eye for detail. He is the talented and passionate interior designer of ZillerSeasons. His style reflects an intimate connection to alpine culture balanced with a modest modern flair. It is this harmonious marriage that radiates homey, world-class comfort. He tells ZillerSeasons Journal about his unique approach.

JOURNAL: What makes your work exciting? What inspires you?

MARGREITER: It is my job to inspire others. I approach each challenge with great discernment. For me, there is only one creed, one maxim: the desire to create something very special with a fresh, new twist. Travel, art and nature are inspirational sources for birthing a new project especially during the creative process.

JOURNAL: Can you reveal your work style?

MARGREITER: I never prepare for a creative assignment in the traditional sense. Rather, I meet every new project as a clean slate. During the design phase, it's imperative to allow space for the unexpected to happen. Let's take the theme of light, for example. Light plays a central role in interior design. Many decisions only happen on-site during the development stage – like with HochLeger Chalets. Once we were at the building site and able to see the role natural light plays here on this mountainside, only then were we able to begin with the design concept. Every ambiance is unique and should reflect the soul of its builders. The result we achieved is an evolved interpretation of modern living: exciting and artistic.

JOURNAL: How did the HochLeger come into being?

MARGREITER: If you can picture the ideal scenario as a fluid dance – an interplay between architect, owners and interior designer. This type of engagement results in an honest and ongoing effort to achieve the best results. Enthusiasm was the vital driving force behind this project. During the development phase, builders Christina and Reinhard, Thomas the architect and I dipped into a deep wellspring of ideas that never ran dry. We examined many ways to execute our plan and didn't adhere to one specific design direction – rather, we remained open-minded until the building phase. With HochLeger, we first looked at wood floors…the type of floorboards, width and color we wanted. From this point, other design options naturally came into play like fabrics and textiles, furniture styles and colors. The dimensions for things like bureaus and armoires we measured later. Had we been too fixed on one idea from the beginning, the project wouldn't have evolved as its own independent force.

JOURNAL: Tirol handcrafts meets modern Austrian design at ZillerSeasons. Isn't this contradictory?

MARGREITER: Quite the contrary. Properly done, the result is a new dimension in alpine home decor and interior comfort. This resonance creates a new sensory experience that is inspiring.

JOURNAL: Tell us about the farm-style furnishings.

MARGREITER: I've always been a big fan of folk art. The farm furniture in the HochLeger is from the Tirol Alps. The antique wardrobes and chests were dowries, that traveled with young daughters to their husbands' new farms. They are genuine pieces. Years ago, these chests were full of valuable fabrics from which beautiful bed and table linens were sewn. These old alpine linens were often very colorful with floral and sacred motifs meant to enliven dark bedrooms.

JOURNAL: Why is there a bathtub in the living room of the Romantic Chalet?

MARGREITER: The builders desired this. Let me ask you…should it be a sin to spend time in your room? Sometimes, the traditional way of doing things can be rather unimaginative. The challenge is to reinvent something old into something new and original, and that's what we did.