Nienk\u00e4mper, Scavolini and Roche Bobois are three of the most trusted names in interior design, each with a distinctive aesthetic point of view, an archive of iconic creations and a reputation for top-tier quality. While their specialties are wide-ranging \u2014 from sculptural seating to innovative office furniture to sleek modular kitchens and bathrooms \u2014 these companies share a unique common thread: family. Decades after they were founded, these brands retain a commitment to family-led stewardship that has helped them stay grounded while growing into global design leaders.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/INSIGHTSpring25_DesignFamilies03.jpg\")
<\/div>\n\u201cWhen you\u2019ve been born into a business like ours, core values and vision are instilled in you [via] osmosis. Our foundation was strong, thanks to both our parents,\u201d says Rebecca Nienk\u00e4mper, vice-president at the office furniture specialist firm founded by her father, Klaus. When Klaus and his wife, Beatrix, opened the company\u2019s first 31 furniture showroom, on Toronto\u2019s King Street East, in 1968, there was nothing else like it in Canada. Nienk\u00e4mper\u2019s combination of high-quality Canadian fabrication and Bauhaus-inspired designs quickly proved to be a winning formula and helped the firm grow into one of North America\u2019s most recognized office furniture designers today.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cMake a quality product, respond to clients\u2019 needs while maintaining design integrity, and be nice,\u201d says Ottilie Nienk\u00e4mper, the company\u2019s marketing director, describing her father\u2019s business philosophy. These founding tenets, along with a commitment to doing as much as possible in-house, remain Nienk\u00e4mper\u2019s guiding principles and help it stand out from the competition after more than 50 years in business. \u201cNienk\u00e4mper outsources very little, which gives us greater control over the entire process,\u201d Ottilie adds. \u201cThis is pretty unique in our industry.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/div>\n
Italian kitchen specialist Scavolini shares a similar origin story, and likewise credits its continued success to its founders, Valter and Elvino Scavolini, who began producing modular kitchens in Pesaro, Italy, in 1961. Now in his 80s, Valter remains an active part of the business even though his daughter, Fabiana Scavolini who joined the company in 1995, has taken over as the company\u2019s CEO. Alongside her brother, Gian Marco, and cousins Emanuela and Alberto, Fabiana is dedicated to running Scavolini with the same passion and enthusiasm as Valter and Elvino, particularly when it comes to its long-standing commitment to Italian craftsmanship. \u201cA cornerstone of Scavolini\u2019s identity is its dedication to the principles of \u2018Made in Italy,\u2019\u201d says Fabiana. \u201cWe continually invest in our production system, nurturing it with responsibility and foresight, guided by the entrepreneurial values that have shaped us from the start.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Fabiana further credits Scavolini\u2019s success to her father and uncle\u2019s savvy decision to outsource production while focusing on research, development and marketing in-house \u2014 a strategy that still guides the company\u2019s operations today. \u201cProducing everything in-house would have made it impossible to meet demand,\u201d she says. \u201cInstead, we opted for a lean production model supported by a supply chain of specialized partners \u2014 a groundbreaking move for the industry then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, with an expansive network of showrooms, from Toronto to Shanghai, and a growing range of living, bathroom and outdoor collections, the Scavolini family\u2019s time-tested strategy is helping their brand prosper. \u201cWe believe [Scavolini] must be nurtured with responsibility and vision, remaining true to the ethical and entrepreneurial values instilled in us by my father,\u201d Fabiana says. \u201cHe continues to be a reference point for all of us.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/div>\n
At Roche Bobois, the Parisian brand known for expressive yet functional home furnishings \u2014 like the Bubble sofa and the Legend bookcase \u2014 family has always been an important part of its business model. In 1960, after a visit to a design fair in Copenhagen, brothers Fran\u00e7ois and Philippe Roche and Patrick and JeanClaude Chouchan launched what would become one of France\u2019s leading importers of Scandinavian modern furniture. Following its initial success, the brand established a new visual identity that married the clean lines and functionality of modernism with a French sense of frivolity. \u201cThe Roche and Chouchan families always promoted innovation, creativity and boldness,\u201d explains Eric Amourdedieu, executive director of Roche Bobois SA. \u201cThey wanted to produce furniture that is more than just functional but [also] embodies elegance and French art de vivre<\/em>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
While the company has grown into a global empire with dozens of showrooms worldwide from Sydney, Australia, to Saudi Arabia, it continues to uphold the founders\u2019 vision under the leadership of Jean-Eric Chouchan and Nicolas Roche. \u201cBeing a family-owned company has enabled Roche Bobois to nurture a long-term vision and a deep attachment to its core values,\u201d Amourdedieu says. \u201cIt has given us the freedom to make bold decisions, to invest in innovation and partnerships with renowned designers, all while staying true to our roots. This family-based approach is key to our success and our international growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s telling that, while almost every aspect of doing business has changed since the 1960s, the vision of Roche Bobois\u2019 founders remain a primary source of guidance and inspiration more than 60 years later. The same is true at Nienk\u00e4mper and Scavolini, both of which continue to be guided by principles established by their own respective founders decades ago. This isn\u2019t the only thing that sets these companies apart, of course, but it suggests that \u2013 in business as in life \u2013 knowing where you came from is just as important as knowing where you\u2019re going.<\/p>\n
\n