Nestled in the heart of the Swiss Alps, Schloss Schauenstein has long been a destination for culinary excellence under the vision of three-star Michelin chef Andreas Caminada. In celebration of the restaurant’s 20th anniversary, the interiors of the 12th-century castle have been thoughtfully reimagined by the acclaimed Danish design studio Space Copenhagen. The result is a delicate dialogue between past and present, where heritage and craftsmanship intertwine, and where guests are invited to savour not only Caminada’s celebrated cuisine but also the sensory experience of the castle itself.
Schloss Schauenstein’s ivy-clad stone façade rises from the mountains of Fürstenau, Switzerland, steeped in centuries of history. As guests arrive, they’re met by crisp alpine air, scented with pine and woodsmoke—setting the tone for the experience ahead. Crossing the threshold, they step into a world where ancient stone walls, timber beams, and winding staircases are thoughtfully balanced with soft, natural materials including oak, stone, wool, and linen. The lobby introduces Space Copenhagen’s restrained and elegant aesthetic: timeless furniture pieces from Studio Oliver Gustav, including a stone side table by Maverick Lee and a brass table lamp by Michael Verheyden, sit in quiet conversation with the castle’s original architecture, offering a sense of both intimacy and grandeur.
At the heart of Schloss Schauenstein, the dining room is an intimate, evocative space, softly lit to cast shadows that move gently across textured walls. The atmosphere exudes a calm sense of anticipation, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in Caminada’s culinary vision. Tableware, cutlery, and bespoke furniture—crafted by local artisans using wood and stone—reflect the same attention to detail and commitment to craftsmanship. Custom Sela dining chairs from De La Espada, upholstered in a distinctive blend of wood, leather, and textile, complement the refined yet grounded setting.
In the Chimney Room Bar, warm rust tones create a cocooning atmosphere, complemented by Space Copenhagen’s Loafer sofas for &Tradition, the Stay Chair for Gubi, and Frama’s Sintra Stone Lounge Tables. Throughout the interiors, vintage pieces salvaged from the castle have been upcycled and reupholstered, seamlessly integrating with more contemporary designs to create a layered, cohesive narrative.
The redesign of Schloss Schauenstein is a testament to the collaborative vision between Caminada and Space Copenhagen—a shared commitment to honouring the spirit of place while creating a timeless, sensory experience.
“Having worked with Space Copenhagen for our boutique hotel and restaurant Mammertsberg, it was clear to me that they were the perfect people to bring the castle into its next era,” says Caminada. “My wife Sarah and I wanted to create the perfect harmony between tradition and modernity, blending timeless design classics into the fabric of the castle.” He continues: “To me, experiencing the castle’s spirit and feeling its history has been crucial in planning the renovations for our 20th anniversary. Guests should feel at home in every corner and enjoy both the culinary journey and the castle with all their senses.”
The redesigned guest rooms provide a sense of stillness and retreat. Each room is distinct, yet all exude an understated elegance. Original stone and timber-clad walls anchor the spaces in their medieval heritage, while natural materials—oak, soft wool, and linen—introduce a contemporary warmth. Earthy tones reflect the surrounding alpine landscape: soft greys, burnt orange, forest greens, and warm neutrals.
Furniture has been carefully curated and crafted: vintage pieces from the castle restored alongside iconic designs from B&B Italia, Cassina, and Bonacina, as well as bespoke additions by Space Copenhagen. The lighting is soft and atmospheric, changing with the time of day to cast shadows across the textured walls. Large windows frame views of the valley and the cobbled village below, blurring the boundaries between inside and out. Bathrooms, finished in stone with minimalist fixtures, invite quiet reflection, featuring rainfall showers and deep soaking tubs that enhance the sense of calm.
Signe Bindslev Henriksen, co-founder of Space Copenhagen, comments “Each room is a study in understated elegance, deliberately stripped of excess to let the architecture, and the guest’s own experience, breathe. No two rooms are the same; each offers its own sense of place.”
Peter Bundgaard Rützou, co-founder of Space Copenhagen, adds “There’s a rare stillness to the rooms. They offer different forms of respite, but all share a sense of comfort, privacy, and connection to the landscape. We hope guests feel less like they’re checking into a hotel and more like they’re being welcomed into a thoughtfully curated retreat.”
Space Copenhagen’s sensitive design approach invites guests to experience Schloss Schauenstein as a living, breathing place—where the past is honoured, the present savoured, and the future thoughtfully imagined. Every detail, from the softly worn stone floors to the carefully curated furniture, reflects a deep respect for craft, material, and context. This isn’t just a renovation—it’s a quiet reawakening. A layered collaboration between architecture, design, and gastronomy. Together, Andreas Caminada and Space Copenhagen have created an experience that feels timeless yet deeply personal—an immersive experience where heritage and hospitality, nourishment and nature, memory and modernity seamlessly converge.
Credits
Design: Space Copenhagen
Photography: Joachim Wichmann
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