It seems that names like Villeroy & Boch are synonymous with exquisite porcelain for formal dinners. But this company is much more than just tableware. It has a history spanning hundreds of years, full of surprising twists, innovations, and even a few curiosities.
It's hard to imagine, but its roots go back to 1748. Over the centuries, the brand has witnessed and participated in tremendous changes in the world, from industrial revolutions to shifts in culture and everyday life. It has survived wars and unifications and has constantly changed while remaining relevant.
We have compiled a few facts that will show you a different side of the company. You will learn how it has influenced the daily habits of millions of people, what bold steps it has taken, and what little-known pages its rich biography holds. Ready to be surprised?
- InMyRoom visited the Villeroy & Boch headquarters and learned 10 interesting facts about the brand that you have definitely not heard before.
- 1. An ode to creativity
- 2. Beautiful old Luxembourg
- 3. Advertising is a must!
- 4. The most beautiful tiles
- 5. Welcome to Schloss Saareck
- 6. New aesthetics
- 7. Mix and match
- 8. Only innovations
- 9. Course to the East
InMyRoom visited the Villeroy & Boch headquarters and learned 10 interesting facts about the brand that you have definitely not heard before.
1. An ode to creativity
The members of the family cannot be described merely as good managers of the Villeroy & Boch company — they are also people who are sincerely passionate about art: Michel von Boch is a professional photographer, his sister Carmen is an artist, Claudia von Boch is a sculptor, and Ophelia Villeroy is a textile designer… Clearly, a love of art is in their DNA.
It is worth mentioning their ancestors, Eugen and Anna von Boch, who spent their entire lives in bohemian circles: the Impressionists Paul Gauguin, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Signac, and Vincent van Gogh knew them personally. The latter, incidentally, painted a portrait of Eugen von Boch. It is now part of the permanent exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
2. Beautiful old Luxembourg
The world-famous Alt Luxemburg (Old Luxembourg) tableware collection is the hallmark of Villeroy & Boch. It is decorated with the elegant Brindille ornament, created in 1770 by Pierre-Joseph, the son of François Boch. Interestingly, most of Villeroy & Boch's tableware is now decorated using the decal technique: the pattern is “transferred” to the porcelain from a paper base and then fixed by firing. This process is very similar to sticking on the transfer pictures familiar from childhood. However, some elements of the pattern are still meticulously painted by hand: for example, the handles on Alt Luxemburg tableware.
3. Advertising is a must!
In 1985, Villeroy & Boch launched one of the most resonant and creative advertising campaigns of the 1980s. Famous photographer Helmut Newton was commissioned to create 14 advertising motifs for the sanitary ware division. In these black-and-white photographs, taken in Newton's characteristic style, long-legged models present the new products. Advertising experts at Cosmopolitan magazine chose this ad as “Campaign of the Year.”
4. The most beautiful tiles
The invention of Metlach tiles is another source of pride for Villeroy & Boch. When archaeologists discovered Roman floor mosaics near Metlach in the mid-18th century, Eugen von Boch undertook to restore them. Inspired by the discovery, he and his specialists began experimenting with tile production.
As a result, they managed to develop a special production method – now the tiles combined high wear resistance and beautiful appearance. These tiles, which have been produced in Metlach since 1852 based on Roman mosaics, have become world famous as Mettlacher Platten – Metlach tiles.
Villeroy & Boch is not just a brand with beautiful tableware on store shelves, but a true legend that has existed for over 275 years. During this time, the company has grown from a small pottery workshop to an international giant whose products can be found in homes around the world. But behind the facade of elegant plates and stylish bathrooms lies a wealth of unexpected stories: from participating in exhibitions during the reign of Napoleon III to producing ceramics for space projects. Few people know that their porcelain was used by emperors, and some collections are still made by hand using ancient techniques. This company is a mixture of tradition, innovation, and extraordinary charisma that is worth learning more about.
5. Welcome to Schloss Saareck
Three hours' drive from Frankfurt am Main, in Metlach on the banks of the Saar River, lies Saareck Castle, owned by the Villeroi-Bohe family. Don't be fooled by its medieval appearance – the castle was built in 1902 by architect Ludwig Arntz as the residence of the Boch family. During World War II, Saareck was converted into a hospital. Afterwards, it served as an administrative building for the occupying forces. In 1954, Saareck Castle was converted into a hotel, where today guests of the company and anyone wishing to relax in Metlach can stay.
6. New aesthetics
Friendship with talented designers is a matter of course for the brand. In 1975, German conceptual designer Luigi Colani was commissioned by Villery & Boch to develop a completely new bathroom collection that defined it as a living space and a place for regeneration.
Colani was one of the first to focus on the ergonomic aspects of the room, comprehensively optimized functionality, and a special selection of colors. This collection was the first for Villeroy & Boch in which all bathroom elements were made in the same design style – a revolutionary solution for those years and a pioneering one for the years to come.
7. Mix and match
Mix & Match is another innovative concept from Villeroy & Boch, which was the brand's immediate response to the transformations in society in 1986. With changing lifestyles and an increase in the number of single people, new consumer habits emerged, including in the area of tableware.
The Mix & Match program allowed fans of the brand to freely combine decors and purchase additional tableware items according to their individual needs: it became optional to purchase a 12-person set, and changing the look of the table setting became easier than ever before.
8. Only innovations
The company's priority area is sanitary ware. In addition to producing functional furniture and ergonomic sanitary ware, the brand also develops innovative solutions that minimize cleaning time and reduce water consumption in the bathroom to the lowest possible level. One of the main innovative solutions is the unique CeramicPlus coating. Dirt hardly sticks to the surface, immediately separating and being washed away by water. Limescale stains are easily removed without the use of aggressive, abrasive, and environmentally hazardous cleaners.
9. Course to the East
Villeroy & Boch tableware adorns the dining tables of royal palaces, luxury hotels, and even the Vatican—the Royal tableware set was created especially for the Pope. And since 2012, bone china tableware collections have also appeared in the dining cars of the legendary Orient Express.
Villeroy & Boch has developed three lines of tableware — one for each dining car of the train. The L'Oriental series is decorated with elegant patterns, colorful birds, and plants; the Etoile du Nord collection is done in warm tones with floral ornamentation; and the design of the Cote d'Azur line is inspired by the aesthetics of the famous glass manufacturer Lalique.
Another, fourth, Orient Express service with gold decoration is intended for breakfasts served directly in the compartment. Interestingly, during the trip, the tableware can be purchased as a gift.
As you can see, there is much more to Villeroy & Boch, a brand of luxury tableware familiar to many, than just the history of porcelain. It is a story of true family entrepreneurship that has survived wars and crises to become a global leader.
It is particularly impressive how much the company has influenced our everyday lives by inventing such commonplace items as the pedestal for the washbasin or the shower tray. Their contribution to the design and culture of home comfort is truly difficult to overestimate.
And although their products are often associated with luxury, it is important to remember that the brand has always strived for mass production of beauty. Perhaps the next time you pick up a cup with their signature floral pattern, you will see in it not just tableware, but a piece of living history that has lasted for almost three centuries.
