We asked our product designer and founder what he pays attention to when developing new products, what is important to him and where his love for cat furniture comes from. He also reveals his three favourite products.

The magic of high-quality cat products
For a long time, cat furniture did not have the best reputation! Cheap materials and throwaway items. The time is ripe for beautiful, high-quality cat furniture! That's what Sebastian, our founder and chief designer at LucyBalu, thought too. Today we stand for high-quality, beautiful and species-appropriate cat furniture and accessories. Because who says that a beautiful home and life with cats are mutually exclusive? With the right approach and high-quality cat products, your interior becomes a paradise for our furry companions – without compromising on style and design. The scratching tree, for instance, often regarded as a necessary evil, can become a real highlight in your home thanks to high-quality materials and appealing design. 

"I had no contact with cat furniture and accessories at all until the day two cats moved in with me" - founder and chief designer, Sebastian Frank.

 1. How would you describe LucyBalu's design philosophy? Are there particular principles that you follow?

We don't have principles or rigid rules for product development, and I wouldn't think that was a good thing either — in the first step it would hold us back or constrain us, and we want to create something new and move forwards. Capturing the ideas and bringing them together into a unified "look and feel" is, in my view, the art of it. Building the complete portfolio so that the LucyBalu design language and quality is expressed in every product — even though the products are so different and incomparable — is the big challenge for me as the person in charge of product.

2. Was there a particular moment that changed your view of cat furniture and sparked your passion for high-quality design?

I have always had a passion for beautiful, fine things and above all an interest in and curiosity about materials and surfaces. It was therefore obvious that I would study product design. That passion remains unbroken; I love walking through shops or trade fairs, touching products and not just seeing qualities but feeling them tactilely. I had no contact with cat furniture and accessories at all until the day 2 cats moved in with me.

3. How do you find the balance between design and functionality in the design process?

Good and timeless products — so-called "iconic pieces" — combine both qualities perfectly and in a completely natural way, in my opinion. And the more naturally this happens, the easier the whole design process becomes. I consciously try not to approach this too cerebrally, but rather to listen to my gut and my intuition.  

 

LucyBalu and Westwing share a common philosophy when it comes to enhancing the home with carefully chosen, high-quality products. The elegant Lennon Sofa and the Alto bouclé stool from the Westwing Collection are outstanding examples of how basics and trend highlights can merge seamlessly. In both worlds, timeless elegance is at the centre, turning the home into a place of beauty and cosiness.

4. Are there particular rituals or habits that you follow during the design process to ensure that every piece of furniture reaches the desired level of quality and aesthetics?

As with many creative people, it's the same for me: the best ideas come when I'm not consciously thinking about them and, in the best case, nothing else is going on either. The classic example: the best ideas come up on holiday or while doing nothing… Sadly it's not quite that simple, but it's certainly a factor. There are also techniques, of course, that you acquire over the years. For instance, I like going to exhibitions, letting myself be inspired by totally different products and trying to arrive at new shapes or product ideas via associations. Many things can become a scratching tree or a food bowl or the next little cat bed… 

5. What are your three favourite LucyBalu products and why? Which design elements make them so special?

I have many favourite products and have built up a very individual relationship with almost every one of our products. Every product has a story and this story evokes very different emotions in me.

I'd like to highlight our ZENPAD lick mat – the product was so much fun to develop and that came through in the product itself.

Then our SCRATCHPAD scratching board – we've had the Scratchpad in the range for a long time, but I still find our magnetic fixing solution almost genius, because it is so simple and logical — such seemingly small ideas simply give me joy.

And as a third one I would say our Wandkratzbaum MAISONETTE  – the product optimally combines our wall furniture with the classic free-standing scratching tree. That is what LucyBalu stands for – rethinking what exists while always keeping the cat and the human in focus.