The Experience Blum EuroCucina 2024 Tour

The Experience Blum EuroCucina 2024 Tour gave a group of Australian architects and designers a front-row seat at Milan Design Week and a first-hand look at Blum’s processes, products and people at its Austrian headquarters.

It was an invitation that was hard to refuse: five days in Milan to discover the best of Salone del Mobile and EuroCucina 2024 then a sojourn to snowy Austria to take a deep-dive into the world of Blum, a leading manufacturer of elevated hardware for kitchens and furniture. Little wonder that a small group of Australian architects and designers said a definitive ‘yes’ to The Experience Blum EuroCucina 2024 Tour.

The group was given a rich and immersive insight into the Blum brand, its processes, initiatives and, ultimately, what makes Blum so successful.

The architectural and culinary experience began in Italy’s design capital, which was “pretty spectacular,” according to Annaliese Edwards, an associate at Hayball. “It’s the vibe of the whole city during the week that draws me here,” adds Gavin Hestelow of Gavin Hestelow Architect. “To be able to walk down the street and know that there are people from the design world all around you, it’s special.” For architect Ariel Ophir-Verheyden of Mathieson Architects, “the fair itself lived up to expectations. It comes down to the smallest details… you know that they care about design, no matter what it is.”

As an extension of the Milan festivities, Blum invited the group to experience the brand at its headquarters in the small Austrian town of Höchst. There, the Australian architects and designers were given a rich and immersive insight into the Blum brand, its processes, initiatives and, ultimately, what makes the company so successful. “They showed us who they are, what they do and what their brand represents,” says Hestelow.

Blum is a family-run business and family values permeate every facet of the business. “We visited Blum’s apprenticeship program where we heard from first- and second-year apprentices,” says Ophir-Verheyden. “I found it really inspiring and heartwarming to see how much Blum invests in the business and into the community. Whether or not I was on this trip, I would continue to specify Blum, but getting to know the brand that much better has really reinforced that.”

The contingent also met with Blum’s CEO, Philipp Blum, who reflected on the company’s roots and the dedication of its staff, and his vision for the future. “At the moment, the whole industry is facing challenging times,” he says, “but I’m really eager to turn these challenges into opportunities because in the end it’s all about the homeowner … making life more comfortable and making beautiful spaces within the home.”