Valentin Lehner

Cabinetmaker

©A. Duarte

©Patrick Zufferey

A respectful rhythm

Valentin combines architecture with nature
Balance between stability and beauty is his priority
He works with Swiss wood only

Born and raised in Switzerland, Valentin Lehner has always been surrounded by trees, in woodlands and forests. For him, wood is life and the essence of all things as it derives from the natural landscape; it lends itself to many processes as it is hard yet flexible. Working with wood has a slow rhythm and the timings must be respected as once cut, wood must dry in the right way. Valentin expresses the entire process and his respect for it, through his creations. He exclusively uses and values the wood of his land to shape and create furniture components that combine architectural, artistic and practical sensitivity, unique pieces that are modern but at the same time communicate tradition.

Interview

©A. Duarte

©A. Duarte

What are your sources of inspiration?: I love architecture. For each work, I try to ally architecture and nature by creating objects that I follow throughout the process, from A to Z. I seek to make useful pieces for the home and to reflect a client's taste. In this sense beauty and practicality meet.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your craft?: I use only Swiss wood, generally little used because it is very expensive compared to wood coming from abroad. I cut the tree and I dry the boards before I process them. To do this I use modern machines, which accelerate certain purely technical phases, enhancing the time I can dedicate to the artistic aspects.
What is less known about your craft?: Processing times, which justify the costs. For example, freshly cut planks from the tree are dried in a year, sometimes even longer. Clearly, processing times are getting longer, and so are costs. I also add the manual work, which makes the piece unique.
Do you think your craft is in danger?: I don’t think so, there will always be people who love furniture that are unique pieces of their kind. Of course, for those like me who do this, it is difficult to sell our products and our techniques, but there will always be someone who appreciates them.

Valentin Lehner is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2007 and he started teaching in 2022