Ein Besuch bei Architekt und Fotograf Dominic Schmid

Dominic immediately makes you feel at home. Nothing seems staged, but everything is deliberately chosen. You can feel that someone likes living here. And with attitude.

My question is obvious: as an architect - who actually designs the shell - what does the furnishings mean to him? "When someone builds a house or buys an apartment, the furnishings often come at the very end," says Dominic. "And then sometimes they don't have the budget - or the strength to make good decisions." Yet furnishing is more than just a final step. It connects the past with the new, transports memories - and brings rooms to life.

For Dominic, light is the invisible design element that holds everything together. "A beautiful room can lose its effect if the light isn't right."
He advocates several light sources - two to three lights, distributed around the room. "Don't concentrate everything above the table. Also think about corners. Also think about the outside." Light that opens up the room creates depth - and atmosphere.

Dominic buys some lights spontaneously. "I see something, feel it - even if I don't yet know where it will fit. And then the moment comes when it finds its place."

As a photographer, Dominic is interested in what is not visible at first glance - in stories, moods and what lies between the images. This approach also shapes his attitude to furnishings: for him, furniture is more than just functional objects. They become relevant when they bring a story with them - be it through their origin, their craftsmanship or the people they come from.

His personal centerpiece is the Eames Lounge Chair. It has accompanied him from home to home for years - not just because it is formally convincing, but because it stands for something: a close friendship, an attitude, a memento. A piece of furniture that remains.

A new addition is the Maho sofa in dark green - it has become indispensable. It is the place for TV evenings, for retreat and relaxation - and at the same time a strong splash of color in the otherwise restrained living room. A piece that was immediately accepted and has taken its place as a matter of course.

Finally, Dominic takes us into his gallery. I am surprised - and delighted - by the variety of his motifs: landscapes, architecture, still lifes. Everything is reduced, clear and composed with a decidedly aesthetic eye. It is photography that can read space - graphic, calm and at the same time full of emotion.

Between the pictures, I discover familiar scenes: the Hotel Les Roches Rouges in Saint-Raphaël, one of my favorite houses in the south of France. We stop in front of it, exchange memories, talk about hospitality, light moods, beautiful places.

And about how powerful atmosphere can be - whether in a hotel room, a photo or in your own home.