Delivering a personal service

Our planning team is formed of an eclectic group of individuals. They are united in aiming to make each customer’s experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. You will have your own dedicated planner wherever you are in the world.

What our customers say

“I’m not sure if you realise the degree to which your customer service affects all other companies or products I use. You’ve set the bar incredibly high and I have stopped tolerating poor service.”

Read more from our customers

What our customers say

“Vitsœ are one of the few products I’ve purchased that lived up to the hype when it came to their service and packaging.”

Read more from our customers

Ali K

Ali enjoys his days as a planner, designing just exactly what customers need. For him it is creative work in the broadest and best sense. He came to us from a career in the shipping industry. Lockdown, unexpectedly, became a time to think about life changes. His father (a long–standing Vitsœ customer) saw we were recruiting, and suggested Ali apply. Initially the design aspect of working at Vitsœ was the attraction. But representing the ‘modesty’ of the Vitsœ ethos quickly became its own joy.

Ali is a people person. He likes to talk (for England, he says). He is, well, interested. His family moved to London, England, from Cape Town, South Africa, in 1996. He admits he is a Camden ‘type of kid’ – he likes bikes, designing ‘stuff’ in Adobe, 35mm film, music (vinyl, of course) and painting. Much of it accompanied by his perky Springer Spaniel Huey – named after Huey Newton, the Minister of Defence for the Black Panthers.

Ali, Vitsœ planner

Andrew J

Andrew, born and brought up on the Isle of Man, recently spent five years working for Vitsœ in New York. He also travelled across the United States, visiting as many states as he could. It is a country he has long found fascinating.

We first met Andrew when he was working in an Apple Store in 2012, shortly after he had left university, and he has been with us ever since. He studied politics but now thinks that perhaps he had a near miss, not working in that area. He says his reason to join Vitsœ was “completely an ethos-led decision.”

Now based in London, Andrew likes to track down interesting furniture for his home. A Danish table here, some G-Plan chairs there. That’s about getting a bargain and consuming consciously. Otherwise, he enjoys cooking (he made his own wedding cake) and exploring the results of the micro-breweries popping up in his home borough of Walthamstow.

Andrew, Vitsœ planner

Anna S

Anna walked across many different countries before settling with us at Vitsœ. As part of her modern-language studies in Spanish and German, she spent six months living and working in Munich. Following graduation, she took time out to see and hear more of the world: principally Central and South America. Back in her (and our) home town of Royal Leamington Spa, she was referred to Vitsœ by her mother, who had an inkling we’d make the perfect match.

Since then, she has migrated to join our planner team in London, taking her experimentation with fermenting, curing and pickling with her. She also keeps herself busy doing bits-and-bobs of sewing, unapologetically devouring romcom novels, creating beautiful life-drawings and cycling around London, both on customer site-visits and exploring the city. She is pondering how to design a 606 system around her huge six-year-old Swiss-cheese plant, which has become a city-dweller too.

Anna, Vitsœ planner

Holly B

A former architectural student, Holly studied at the University of Sheffield, England, where she lived for a while in Park Hill: the refurbished brutalist housing estate that put the city (architecturally speaking) on the map. There she met and befriended fellow residents who share a passion for Vitsœ and gradually navigated Holly in our direction. In tandem with architecture, Holly has previously worked in hospitality and interior design. Now based in London, she is enjoying the customer-focus and brisk project pace of being a Vitsœ planner.

Holly originally comes from Maldon, a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, famous for its eponymous gourmet salt. Her parents still live there, and she returns often. Holly likes being by, on, and in water. Although she denies being a ‘serious’ swimmer, four or five times a week she will be found in a pool, getting her laps in. And whenever she can, she goes sailing and walking; always happy to be outdoors.

Holly, Vitsœ planner

Marie C

Marie was born and grew up in France. She moved to the UK in 2015. As a resident of Royal Leamington Spa, she watched Vitsœ’s production building being built and was curious. She visited, and has worked for us ever since. She came to us with many years of customer service under her belt – after business school and managing shops. Marie finds her work / life balance is, these days, balanced.

Marie says her young family now feels more British than French. When she asks her children a question in French, they answer in English. Marie’s weekends are when she bakes. She does admit to missing specialist French cooking ingredients a little, especially when making croissants from scratch. She also has a famous chocolate cake she takes as a treat for colleagues, when visiting our London shop.

Marie, Vitsœ planner

Matthew P

Having studied Architecture Part 1 in Lincoln, England, Matthew graduated to the sound of the financial crash of 2008 and a dearth of architecture jobs. He decided to go travelling instead. He then spent a decade or so planning bespoke travel tours before coming to Vitsœ in 2021.

Matthew is now commuting the dream. He has a ten-minute cycle ride to work in Royal Leamington Spa, replacing ten years of driving for an hour in the car, each way. Change has been good. He has recently sold his car.

As a man well-travelled, Matthew’s favourite places are where he can be outdoors most of the time. He likes the big outdoors with big scenery: New Zealand, Canada, Scandinavia. He also likes to take in an architecture exhibition or two, on shorter day trips to London.

Matthew, Vitsœ planner

Robin M

Robin likes nothing more than to leave his computer behind and connect with people (old-school style) on the telephone. For him, customers make his job – and the 606 system – more interesting. On a recent site-visit, Robin’s hot-orange Onitsuka Tiger trainers were a talking point before he’d even stepped over the doorstep. He appreciates the conversations and the chance encounters of his work.

A customer before he worked for us, he was hooked (Robin remembers) from that first conversation with a Vitsœ planner. He had been looking for work he could settle into long term. He has been with us since 2012.

Having trained as a fine artist, Robin can often be found in front of a canvas; either at home painting (on the abstract side of things) or taking advantage of the plethora of galleries in London. He particularly likes art that is “not easy”.

Robin, Vitsœ planner

Toby S

Toby studied industrial design and automotive design at college, which provoked his love of interiors. He relishes his planning role, meeting customers and tailoring each shelving system to their specific needs from our shop in Royal Leamington Spa, England.

When not working at Vitsœ, Toby can often be found tinkering around in “the family business” of cars. His grandfather worked at the Ford Foundry which previously occupied the site where Vitsœ’s production building now stands. And he is currently restoring a classic 1982 BMW, the same model his grandfather drove. He also restores – or ‘saves’ – mid-century furniture. He hates the culture of built-in obsolescence; things that can’t be repaired.

Toby enjoys hiking, walking, cycling, cooking, vinyl (naturally) and reading. And whilst he admits to owning a collection of classic Ladybird children’s books, his reading is usually researching the how and why things work the way they do.

Toby, Vitsœ planner

Yukari I

Yukari trained as an architect, but she wasn’t sure – when she finished – if it was still the career for her. She decided to travel, to seek adventure instead. Coming to the UK to study English, she worked in a few different jobs (from shoes to Selfridges department store) until she was introduced to Vitsœ.

Yukari works with UK and international customers. But in particular she looks after those speaking Japanese. She enjoys being inspired by customers, learning more about them. The occasional (real life) visit to our London shop by an international customer, being able to meet them in person, is always special, she notes.

Yukari likes the fact that her job requires her to find her way around parts of London she might never otherwise have found. Travelling the city helps her spy out new shops, restaurants and cafes to partake of. Life meets work meets life, if you will.

Yukari, Vitsœ planner

Agnes L

Agnes describes herself as “an active person”. She came to us with a love of outdoor sports like skiing, hiking, climbing and mountain biking; such hobbies are quite popular at Vitsœ. And if Munich weather is against all that, she will climb indoors. Or she might occupy herself with an artistic pursuit, or a book about psychology; activities that can be accompanied by her fluffy, lazy old cat, Thomas. Owning a cat is also quite common at Vitsœ.

Having spent time training and working as an interior designer, Agnes did not have to transition far into her role as a planner. She has moved home many times “which makes you think about your possessions”, she notes. She likes to live minimally at home, inspired by natural, simple Scandinavian interiors. The only new ‘clutter’ is a pen, ink and a pile of paper, as she has just added calligraphy to her list of interests.

Agnes, Vitsœ planner

Beate W

Beate modestly states that she has a curiosity for many aspects of life and greatly enjoys experiencing different cultures. Growing up in rural southern Germany, her inquisitive eyes were first opened when she travelled aged 14 (on her own) to stay with relatives in Chicago.

She spent a year in Paris, falling in love with French culture, all of which impacted her choice to study international politics, philosophy and romance literature at Heidelberg University. She worked part-time as a tour guide whilst studying, allowing her to practice her love of languages.

Beate met her Lebensgefährte (life and soul buddy) in Heidelberg, an artist with whom she shares a love for literature and contemporary art – including music, paintings, architecture and design – all of which led her naturally to Vitsœ (via pharmaceutical medical-research and publishing).

Deep-sea diving has also been a passion, as are cycling and swimming. Now based in Munich, she loves spending time with her extended family, and quietly mentions that she is investigating refreshing her French and Spanish languages, bringing them up to the same level as her English.

Beate, Vitsœ planner

Cecilie M

Our planner/envoy in the Nordics, Cecilie, lives in a village situated between the sea and a forest, just outside Copenhagen. A trained architect, she has been part of the Vitsœ team for many years – across different countries – and enjoys being part of a company that allows her to work (and live) responsibly.

Between work and looking after her young family, Cecilie is currently immersed in renovating a small farm, originally built in 1905. The idea is to use traditional materials and building methods to restore it from its current unloved and uncared-for state. She talks enthusiastically of hemp insulation and breathable clay walls. The family plans to grow fruit and vegetables in the garden there, in a step toward self-sufficiency and living more simply.

Cecilie, Vitsœ planner

David H

A product designer by training, David made furniture – conceptual and functional, but all about the ideas – before he joined us at Vitsœ in 2017. He has previously worked in an art gallery too.

David really values working in a non-traditional sales role, in which he has the time to build relationships (which often become friendships) with his customers. His favourite planning jobs are simply the ones where people come back. He enjoys working with customers over time, as they gradually add to their systems. Sometimes one e-track and one shelf at a time.

Away from work, David likes doing the nature thing: hiking and climbing in the mountains. Equally, he likes doing the art thing, going to museums and seeing contemporary art in galleries. These hobbies have been put (temporarily) on hold, as he and his wife have just started a family.

David, Vitsœ planner

Mirko M

A cabinetmaker who worked at a furniture company in Munich for 15 years, Mirko knows his dovetail from his rabbet joints.

Mirko has been with us since the opening of our shop on Türkenstraße, Munich, in 2014, where working on a Saturday is one of his happy places. The gentle push and pull of people browsing, the conversations, the shared enthusiasms. He also enjoys working in a historical space – the shop had a previous life as an arts bookshop.

Inevitably (it seems, at Vitsœ) Mirko is a cyclist: on city streets, up mountain tracks. But he enjoys the bustle of walking his city after hours too. For gallery openings, trips to the theatre, or just flaneuring. Perhaps his favourite thing is listening to live jazz improvisation. He likes an unexpected aural outcome.

Mirko, Vitsœ planner

Susanne V

Susanne trained to be a fashion designer in Los Angeles (drawn to clothing after knitting as a small child, for herself and her toys) and then worked in design management for many years. Returning to Munich, she worked a variety of jobs, including design forecasting, before joining us in 2018. She was ready to work for a company selling products that were 60 years old, as far from fashion as you can get in a design product.

At heart, Susanne is an organiser, of systems and people. She can often be heard asking the questions: How does it work? Why do you do it like that? She loves travelling – all over – to see friends and family, and to take in cities and their architecture. When at home, she can be found listening to audio books and knitting. She admits to having too many balls of yarn.

Susanne, Vitsœ planner

Annie H

Annie, originally from California, is now almost officially a New Yorker. Her studies originally brought her to the city. During a design-class she visited Vitsœ’s shop and heard our managing director, Mark Adams, giving a talk. A post-graduation job – working events in a local restaurant – kept us in her purview. Three years later she joined us.

Annie is drawn to design thinking and creative problem-solving. She especially likes working with people planning 606 systems for their kitchens. Her “absolute joy” is cooking, so bringing life and work together in this way is a sweet spot in her working week.

And when cooking she likes to try all sorts of cuisines - French, Italian, Asian. She has a growing collection of cookbooks, happily sitting on her shelves.

Annie, Vitsœ planner

John W

Before joining us, John worked in many different spheres: from hosting a weekly radio show and blog focused on art & design to working in furniture restoration and a brush with fashion. For John, what brought all his work together – and tunes his past work into his present – was learning to understand why people make things the way they do. It isn’t so surprising, then, to hear he studied philosophy at college.

Outside work, John is a keen pool player, although he endeavours not to take it too seriously. And he collects music (on vinyl and cassette). Though with “just a few hundred” records, he’s aware some music-minded customers might consider him a bit of a lightweight.

John, Vitsœ planner

Josh I

Every day, Josh travels to work hoping to meet someone with a new problem for him to solve. He particularly likes planning for challenging or weird spaces that require him to get his head down and be technical.

Josh studied mechanical engineering at college – but would study architecture, given those years again. He is something of a raconteur when it comes to design – studying and writing about architecture, interiors and graphics. And he enjoys acting as an informal interior-design consultant for friends, helping them pull their environments together.

An avid reader, Josh’s library spans “architecture & design, fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction … everything”. If not reading, he’ll be found walking New York, spotting buildings he hasn’t noticed before. Serendipitously, on one of these walks he found a bucket full of discarded 1957 Auböck Maestro cutlery, which he joyfully polished and re-homed.

Josh, Vitsœ planner

Matthew N

Matthew grew up in Westchester, New York, with an early obsession for tinkering – he would often be found taking apart and rebuilding electronics, such as the TV remote (much to the annoyance of his family) just to see how they worked.

Though he initially considered studying architecture, Matthew quickly discovered a passion for sculpture at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs. With a background in fabrication and a lifelong habit of deconstructing and reconstructing, Vitsœ seemed like a natural fit. Matthew likes to approach client projects as puzzles, figuring out how to piece things together in an exciting, sometimes surprising, and ultimately fitting way for their specific needs.

He also enjoys surfing, cycling, scavenging eBay, and spending time in his studio. He is gradually building his own design and architecture library, continuing to tinker with electronics and is dedicated to perfecting the organisation of his beloved tools.

Matthew, Vitsœ planner

Mike S

Mike is happy to report that, whilst the job of a Vitsœ planner might look black & white on paper, no two days are the same. Or rather, everything is the same but also quite different, “and that is what keeps it interesting.” The strength of the team and going to customer’s houses are highlights for him: “Suddenly standing on the 60th floor of a skyscraper looking out at a view of New York you wouldn’t otherwise see.”

He had somewhat of an experiential journey prior to working with us – via a liberal-arts degree and a stint bike-messaging, before several years in IT followed by a job at a popular cycle-wear company. It left him with a “mixed bag of skills” that we fully appreciate.

Mike has always been personally interested in design. He particularly appreciates post-modern architecture: works by the likes of Michael Graves, whose work resonates with him as accessible, simplified and playful.

Mike, Vitsœ planner

Rob F

Rob moved to New York from Rhode Island after graduating in architecture; fully expecting to take up the discipline. But he found himself drawn towards smaller-scale design objects, leading to a job at the seminal New York design shop, Moss.

He has been working with Vitsœ, in one way or another, for many years. Initially at Moss – where he first sold our 606 shelving system – and then working in our New York shop, before moving to Los Angeles to run our west-coast operations.

Rob is currently the ‘custodian’ of a mid-century modern house in LA’s Crestwood Hills, designed by A. Quincy Jones in 1949, and built using concrete (amongst other materials). Rob has become obsessed with the material, and is now producing his own cast-concrete sculptural work. This connects to a part of himself he let go of when he left architecture behind. The house is full of 606 shelving, books and Lego – the latter owned by his two small boys (but Rob admits he often plays with it too).

Rob, Vitsœ planner

Tanja H

Growing up bi-lingual with Dutch and German parents, Tanja picked up several more languages whilst living abroad. She trained in interior design and civic architecture, before working in Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong for some 15 years. On returning to Germany in 2016 she experienced a little culture shock.

Tanja, initially a customer before joining us, has been with Vitsœ since 2017. She likes the ethos of ‘considered’ planning at Vitsœ, where she can connect to people and spend time helping them get the best furniture for their needs.

Living in the tropics and missing German bread, Tanja taught herself to bake and ended up running a small bakery as a sideline. She is passionate about honestly grown and made food. Whilst working for Vitsœ in Germany her home was in the 1972 Olympic Village in Munich, where she continued her enthusiasm for cooking and baking.

In September 2022, Tanja and her family uprooted their shelves and their lives to Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, where she continues to look after Vitsœ’s Dutch customers, as well as those in her locality.

Tanja, Vitsœ planner

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