A thorough restoration of one of Bauhaus master Marcel Breuer’s lesser-known gems, Villa Harnischmacher II, has just been unveiled by its new owners, Monika Maria and Stefan Eller.
Located in Wiesbaden’s city centre, the bungalow was originally designed for the Harnischmacher family in 1954 – in fact, it was the second one designed for them by Breuer. The first one was damaged during the war and this smaller version was constructed in the grounds of the original, destroyed villa.
Bought by the Ellers in 2011, the structure – which is also Breuer’s only built home in Germany – was carefully refreshed over the course of four years, with the help and support of the German office for the preservation of historical monuments and the architecture firm Schreiber & Partner.
Large openings and a sliding door link seamlessly the indoors and outdoors
'We discovered the house because it was advertised by a big international real estate firm. But, in the advert, there wasn’t the slightest hint that this was the only bungalow by Marcel Breuer that still existed in Germany,' recall the Ellers. 'It was, of course, extremely important to us to preserve the original design.'
The clean, white Bauhaus villa features open plan living areas and has been lovingly furnished with a selection of pieces from the multidisciplinary artist and designer’s Thonet range. Crafting fitting interiors was equally important to the family, as was restoring the architecture appropriately. The tubular steel classics, most of which were designed in the late 1920s and 1930s, create a consistent theme for the house and perfectly complement its marble, leather and stone details.
Large openings, including a sliding door, help connect the interiors to the garden and swimming pool outside. These are bordered by the property’s original stone wall.
Now, the villa remains a precious listed historical monument, true to Breuer’s original intentions and the Bauhaus principles, while equipped with modern amenities and energy-efficient gear that bring it straight into the 21st century. 'To us, this bungalow is the perfect combination of timeless and very modern elegance on the one hand, and just the right amount of cosiness and wellbeing on the other,' say the Ellers. 'We are incredibly proud that we discovered this architectural treasure and are now allowed to enjoy it each day.'
The white Bauhaus villa features open plan living areas and a selection of pieces from Breuer's Thonet range
The tubular steel classics are set against the villa's carefully picked materials, such as the marble fireplace
The verdant garden outside includes a swimming pool, bordered by the property's original stone wall
The tubular steel classics are set against the villa's carefully picked materials, such as the marble fireplace
-
Design solutions for make-up organisation: a guide by Wallpaper’s beauty editorThis guide to make-up organisation by Wallpaper’s beauty editor includes storage solutions from B-Line, Kartell and Muji, plus essential tools like a Shu Uemura eyelash curler
-
This ethereal Chennai home is a celebration of Indian craft and cultureDesigned by Multitude of Sins, this Chennai home is an artisanal trove of rich texture and secret garden-like design. Wallpaper* speaks with design principal Smita Thomas on crafting the space
-
Samuel Ross begins a new chapter with Zara: ‘Clothes give you the power to transform’Samuel Ross gives Wallpaper* a first look at his ‘multi-chapter design dialogue’ with Zara, which begins with a clothing collection launching this February
-
We zoom in on Ontario Place, Toronto’s lake-defying 1971 modernist showpieceWe look back at Ontario Place, Toronto’s striking 1971 showpiece and modernist marvel with an uncertain future
-
Tour 21 lesser-known modernist houses in EuropeTake a tour of some of Europe's lesser-known modernist houses; architectural writer and curator Adam Štěch leads the way, discussing the 20th-century movement's diversity under a single vision
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Weisblat House, a Usonian modernist Michigan gem, could be yoursFrank Lloyd Wright’s Weisblat House in Michigan is on the market – a chance to peek inside the heritage modernist home in the countryside
-
The case of the Ontario Science Centre: a 20th-century architecture classic facing an uncertain futureThe Ontario Science Centre by Raymond Moriyama is in danger; we look at the legacy and predicament of this 20th-century Toronto gem
-
Alvar Aalto: our ultimate guide to architecture's father of gentle modernismAlvar Aalto defined midcentury – and Finnish – architecture like no other, creating his own, distinctive brand of gentle modernism; honouring him, we compiled the ultimate guide
-
Design Awards 2025: Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall is a modernist gem reborn through sustainability and accessibilityHelsinki's Finlandia Hall, an Alvar Aalto landmark design, has been reborn - highlighting sustainability and accessibility in a new chapter for the modernist classic
-
The three lives of the Edith Farnsworth House: now, a modernist architecture icon open to allThe modernist Edith Farnsworth House has had three lives since its conception in 1951 by Mies van der Rohe; the latest is a sensitive renovation, and it's open to the public
-
A revamped Edinburgh apartment combines Californian-style modernism with modern craftArcher + Braun have transformed an apartment in a historic house with finely tuned contemporary additions and sympathetic attention to detail
