Versteel is known for versatile furniture, found in offices and classrooms nationwide. The bestselling pieces are often developed by the in-house team. Yet many of the company’s most popular styles were envisioned by acclaimed European and American designers. President Scott Schwinghammer shared the stories behind some of his favorite collaborations of the last two decades.
Throughout the early 1990s, Schwinghammer traveled to Europe for inspiration and was able to incorporate more contemporary styling while maintaining the signature Versteel look. “All of our products had a bit of European flair. Back then, it would take about five years for a design trend to move from Europe to the United States. That allowed us to stay at the forefront,” he said.
Schwinghammer noted that he wanted to experiment and continue to push the envelope further, but he didn’t intentionally seek anyone out. “I wasn’t looking, but I was thinking about doing something different. I wanted to have variation in the lines.” With an eclectic roster of designers at home and abroad, he explained that sustained success has been achieved by preserving quality and the Versteel vision each season.
“Many designers have approached us, and when we look at a concept it has to be something that can actually be made as a Versteel product. I think we have kept that consistency no matter who we have worked with, which is really hard to do. There’s no real education to it. There’s no formula to it. I can just look at something and know whether it’s the right product or not.”
Roberto Lucci and Paolo Orlandini | Chela
“Roberto Lucci came to the showroom at NeoCon in 1997. He just hung around and we talked a little bit. He showed up the next year, and the year after that. Finally, in 1999 we had a serious conversation about doing some work together,” Schwinghammer said.
He added that the camaraderie between the trio made the process easier, with no shortage of ideas to discuss. “Roberto was responsible for the design side of it, and Paolo was the prototype maker. He interpreted what Roberto did and then presented the models. Once we found out how easy it was to work with them and what type of product we could come with, we just kept on going down that road. They did several products for us.”
Chela, with Flex Motion ergonomic design, moves with a user’s body for maximum comfort. It was a groundbreaking chair that generated plenty of buzz when it was launched. “There is no mechanism, it’s all built in. So when we introduced the Chela in 2000, it was big for the industry. It was the first of its kind,” Schwinghammer noted.
A molded, satin textured shell gives the piece an Italian touch, while casters or glides ensure that it can be rearranged quickly and easily. “Chela is a good example of the design and flexibility that we strive for,” he added.
Qdesign | Zayn
Schwinghammer looked to a friend to help create one of Versteel’s most distinctive chairs, Zayn. He attended school with Mark Stenftenagel, founder of Qdesign. The Chicago-based firm is a one-stop shop, handling marketing to product development for contract furniture industry clients. Close to Versteel’s headquarters in Indiana, the location was ideal, yet projects were never quite right.
“I went to high school with Mark, we have known each other practically all of our lives. Over the years, he attempted to design various products for us. We worked on several conference tables in the past, but when we were finished, they just didn’t fit,” Schwinghammer said.
Inspired by the industrial loft aesthetic, Zayn blends the beauty of color washed plywood with a metal frame. Schwinghammer said Zayn is now a complete collection of seating showcasing the expertise of both teams. “We discussed solutions freely, and when you work with a talented group like this, everyone gains much more exposure and knowledge. We were able to come together and put out a really nice line of chairs.”
Jonathan Nesci | Model 8
Model 8 is a series of minimalist occasional tables, featuring octagonal legs accented with a contrasting steel inlay. Nesci crafts high-end, artistic furnishings, rather than contract office furniture. For Schwinghammer and Nesci, this particular collaboration was a departure from their comfort zones.
“A person on our marketing team suggested that we might look somewhere else for designers instead of just within our industry. He did a little research and found Jonathan, who is only a few hours away from us in Columbus, Indiana. He was making furniture, but they were one-offs that sold for thousands of dollars. Jonathan had no experience with putting production pieces together,” Schwinghammer said.
The learning curve was steep, but as Schwinghammer explained, it led to new territory. “It was a challenge for both of us to work through. Jonathan is a purist in every sense of the word, so exacting. We looked at some aluminum and plastics that would allow us to yield the shapes that he wanted. Even though it took us longer to develop the line, we broadened our horizons. The experience influenced the way we design today.”