Daring to stick to the essentials

Anybody visiting "Mittermeiers Alter Ego" in Rothenburg ob der Tauber will be greeted by a successful combination of luxurious design and relaxed atmosphere – and be astonished by how the traditional setup of a hotel with a reception and numerous partitions can be jettisoned in favor of open communal areas and smooth transitions. Even the building itself is something special – a former villa, it dates back to 1905 and once belonged to August Schmieg, a soap and perfume manufacturer. Back then, Schmieg succeeded in achieving a very high profile for his soap brand "Aula", working from the company’s slick headquarters in central Franconia. A good 100 years later Ulli and Christian Mittermeier decided to convert this turn-of-the-century building into a modern guesthouse. The intention was to allow the building’s origins to remain visible; its redbrick walls and the decorative round arches of its windows were therefore left untouched, gently reminding guests of the charm of an era that was full of turmoil. For the interior design, the owners got together with Martin Schroth of Architekturstudio Schroth, opting for a scheme of contrasts with black and white as the core colors throughout the 11 rooms.

In line with this black-and-white color scheme and the high standards in terms of quality and flexibility, the team opted for Bette products in the bathrooms. This means that in the standard rooms guests can enjoy the spa feeling of a flush-to-floor double shower – with two rain showers placed next to each other, thus creating a waterfall effect and allowing guests maximum relaxation. And they can move over the generous "BetteFloor Side" shower areas without worrying about slipping thanks to the "BetteAntirutsch Pro" anti-slip surface. What’s more, the drain next to the wall is pleasantly unobtrusive. And the icing on the cake – Bette’s matt shade "Raven" underscores the smooth transition from the shower tray to the black floor tiles. The wide variety of Bette products also impressed the architect: "We chose the Bette shower systems out of design, economic and technical considerations," reports Martin Schroth. In the larger rooms, center stage is taken by the free-standing “BetteLux Shape”. With its refined steel frame, black finish and the white tub suspended in the frame and made of glazed titanium steel, both the colors of "BetteLux Shape" and its style echo the clean lines of the interior design. Moreover, this unusual setup impressively indicates what an individualist Bette can be in terms of shaping steel and glazing. “The tub’s exceptionally filigree steel frame is just perfect when it comes to showcasing our overall interior design concept,” enthuses Christian Mittermeier. (am)