Let’s talk design: 25 years of next125

next125 is celebrating its 25th anniversary – a milestone well worth celebrating and also a time to recognise the evolution of a brand that has made a lasting impression on kitchen design.

In 2001, the next125 brand came into being through a courageous decision: Schüller Möbelwerk GmbH literally took a stride forward with a new generation – its ‘next step’. The result was a new kind of premium kitchen, based on a 125 mm architectural grid. This measurement continues to characterise both the name and the identity of the premium brand. 

125 mm: compelling linearity and precision
What started 25 years ago as a revolutionary approach now forms the basis of the next125 design philosophy: a metric grid that combines functionality, precision and minimalist elegance. Driven by clear design language, the values of the Bauhaus movement and modern industrial manufacturing processes in Herrieden, next125 soon became an international premium brand.

Over the last 25 years, iconic pieces of furniture – the next125 icons – have characterised the brand image with their timeless class. The trolley, cooking table and next125 pocket system perfectly embody the premium brand’s essence and have won multiple awards. With the claim ‘authentic kitchen’, next125 stands for minimalist, low-key design that evokes emotions and an understanding of design that combines architecture and function as a matter of course. At the same time, the premium brand remains true to its roots while continuously evolving and expanding its product range.
 

The perfect context: design talk to mark the milestone
next125 is using the anniversary year as an opportunity to bring the brand’s story to life in a new format. Divided into the themes of past, present and future, next125 highlights different sides of the brand and its evolution in a series of design talks. The talks offer exclusive insights into the brand, its processes and the people behind next125. Guests include wellknown personalities who, alongside the premium brand’s designers, bring their own perspectives and reflect on the subjects of design and interior design from different viewpoints. The first design talk involved the renowned design journalist Barbara Friedrich. Thanks to her years of professional experience, including her role as chief editor of Architektur & Wohnen magazine, she has been following the development of next125 over the years from the outside.

In her talk with the premium brand’s chief designers Thomas Pfister and Alexander Röhring, the design journalist addressed the subject of the past: the beginning of the brand, the vision of a modern modular kitchen and the design principles that have characterised next125 from the start, with a particular focus on timeless form and function.

Barbara Friedrich also provided an insight into her own stance on and love for design, which she discovered in 1984 during her first visit to the Milan furniture fair. To this day she is driven by the desire to ‘inspire people with good design, beautiful objects and beautiful living’, says Friedrich. She adds that good design must serve a purpose for the user and combine functionality and emotion – it needs to work. An approach that next125 has shared since it was founded: to see the kitchen as a space for both work and living.

For Friedrich, the fascination of the brand is in its ‘approachable and authentic’ presentation: pure elegance that still oozes warmth and life. During her visit to Herrieden, Friedrich was also impressed by the modern manufacturing facilities: ‘It was absolutely fascinating how precisely quality furniture is created here on the assembly line using the latest technology and logistics, and how around 750 kitchens are dispatched every day.’ This observation reinforces what has distinguished next125 over the past 25 years: the combination of precise manufacturing with timeless design and the mindset to create premium kitchens that meet functional requirements and inspire at the same time.

The brand
next125 is Schüller’s international premium brand. Attention to detail is synonymous with next125 kitchens. Inspired by the structures of the Bauhaus movement, next125 combines craftsmanship, technology, design and architecture at the highest level with the latest industrial manufacturing techniques. The result is exceptionally elegant kitchens offering excellent value for money for quality and design-conscious customers in the mid and upper market segments. The next125 products have already been awarded a number of design prizes, such as the German Design Award or the Red Dot Award. Visit the website to find out more at www.next125.com

The company
Based in Herrieden in southern Germany, Schüller Möbelwerk GmbH was founded in 1966 and has evolved over the last five decades into a specialist for custom kitchens and ‘Made in Germany’ furniture. Around 170,000 kitchens are manufactured at the company site every year, which are sold in Germany and on international markets. ‘Typical Schüller’ is not just about its extraordinary depth of production; it’s also about working with partners from retail, a clear focus on sustainability and a deeply embedded responsibility as a company. Since 2003, Markus Schüller, Max Heller and Manfred Niederauer have led the family-run company in its second generation.