WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog

WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog
Hi- It's Tamara. I'm happy you've stopped by, and since 2010 I've been sharing my passion for interior design, history, art, entertaining, travel & fashion. I am an interior designer, textile designer and writer living and working in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. My musings have taken me to international design, art, antique and epicurean events and I have lots to share. I'm grateful to have been listed as the #1 top design blog, blogs to watch, top design blogs and named and awarded Rising Star of Design by the IFDA NY industry organization. Please feel free to reach out to our team for an interior design consultation at NestbyTamara.com -Tamara

When In Berlin, You Must Visit Antique Shop, MÖBEL

Around The World With Antiques:
Stop Into MÖBEL,
Our Favorite Antique Shop in Berlin, Germany!
Felix Bachmann
Fidicinstr. 27
10965 Berlin, Germany
Last week I traveled with a talented group of designers, dealers and antique shop owners to the coveted and infamous antique show in Parma, Italy-- 
the Mercanteinfiera.  It was a whirlwind weekend with early morning buying, then navigating the show and shipping our goods back to our native lands.  Our group was hand picked by the show themselves after our friend, Toma Clark Haines of the Antiques Diva recommended us for the trip.  I feel grateful to have been included with this interesting assortment of talented folks from all over the world. 

Today, we are happy to showcase antique dealer and restorer, Felix Bachmann and his highly regarded shop, MÖBEL in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin.  Throughout the course of the weekend, I was struck with Felix's quiet confidence and integrity plus his knowledge on antiques and restoration.  We had several discussions--and I found he has a treasure trove of knowledge on the subject of antiques.  He held many esteemed positions and pursued education in his field for over a decade before opening his shop.  Felix strongly believes that antiques bring special, individual character and value to a home. 

I was impressed to hear from Felix himself that he takes an old-world artisanal approach to restoring antiques, and he has a studio in the shop where he does a good deal of restoration work for his clients.  He works mostly in these techniques and principles of hand work without the use of machines to restore antiques, and he is well trained in reconstruction. Felix takes note of old paints, shellac and glues (bone or fish glue for instance) and color formations to ensure the authenticity of an antique, and when restoring his pieces he uses these materials and practices as well.  He has a wonderful assortment of antiques and vintage finds in his shop, and throughout the vignettes he mixes various styles and time frames in a way that feels cool and edgy, plus offered at reasonable rates to boot.  I heard from many on the trip that Berlin is having a real estate growth spurt of great proportions and there is a surge in residential building happening throughout the city.  This is refreshing to hear considering the state of the economy in some of Europe.  If you have not booked your trip to Berlin yet, maybe this is your push to do so. When headed to Berlin, please put MÖBEL on your "must see" stop for antique shopping, and please tell Felix that Tamara sent you!  No plans to travel in the near future?  The shop offers wares online as well,
Felix Bachmann on 1stDibs
"If there have been faulty repairs in the past, I reconstruct the antique furniture according to its era and create a surface which belongs to the piece."  
~Felix Bachmann
about Felix:
Felix has extensive education and experiences in antiques and antique restoration beginning with an internship is his hometown, Ulm, then work in Freiburg, Germany, and then onto studying Conservation and Restoration of Antique Furniture in the UK at West Dean College.  His travels took him to New York City, a stint at Joathan Burden, then back again to Germany where worked as an apprentice as a furniture restorer.  Five years ago Felix took the leap to open the doors of his very own workshop and shop, MÖBEL.
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara 

right; original painting by Felix