designfunktion

What designfunktion does

designfunktion is a German B2B office planning, furnishing, and workspace consultancy founded circa 1980 (originally as Objektform) and headquartered in Munich. The firm operates 18 physical showrooms across Germany, serving as a full-service intermediary between enterprise customers and over 100 premium furniture manufacturers including Vitra, USM Haller, Wilkhahn, Bene, Walter Knoll, Brunner, and Framery. Its service portfolio spans strategic consulting (Workspace Analytics, Marke im Raum, Zielworkshop, Office Effizienzcheck, Design to Budget), space planning, interior architecture, lighting, acoustics, textiles, kitchen installation, and physical furnishing delivery across corporate, education, public-sector, hospitality, events, and high-end residential segments.

The underlying "technology" is a methodology stack rather than a software platform: proprietary consulting frameworks (e.g., Workspace Analytics combining quantitative online surveys with qualitative requirement workshops; Marke im Raum translating brand identity into spatial design) supported by a content-driven digital surface (New Office Solution Finder tool, New Office Guides, blog, newsletter, events). The company does not maintain APIs, SDKs, or mobile apps per the input. Delivery is on-site, showroom-anchored enterprise field sales with full-service installation through a network of architects, craftsmen, and specialty trades.

Revenue mechanics combine hardware resale (one-time purchase of premium furniture), professional services fees (consulting and planning), recurring/contracted revenue (multi-year leasing), usage-based revenue (furnable rental for agile workspaces), and transaction-based revenue (corporate voucher Homeoffice Shop). The company is privately held under a GmbH structure with no parent, no disclosed funding rounds, and no PE/VC involvement, consistent with a founder-led German Mittelstand business model. Headcount is in the 101–250 band (with ~30 at Nuremberg, 40+ at Rhein-Main, and 8 at Singen named explicitly), and the business has grown organically through regional subsidiary formation and showroom expansion, most recently into the Oberpfalz region in 2019.

Name

designfunktion

Legal name

designfunktion GmbH

Website

https://designfunktion.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

designfunktion is a German B2B office planning and furnishing consultancy operating 18 showrooms nationwide. It delivers consulting, space design, and premium furniture from over 100 manufacturer brands to corporate, education, public-sector, and residential clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Office Furniture and Workspace Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141)

SIC

Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)

akta.pro primary industry

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Office furniture supply
• Workspace design consultancy
• Corporate interior planning
• Office furnishing services
• Furniture leasing rental

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Office Furniture Sales: Sale of premium office furniture from over 100 manufacturer brands including Vitra, USM, Wilkhahn, Bene, and others. Customers can purchase directly or through leasing arrangements.
2. Consulting and Planning Services: Professional services including workspace analytics, goal workshops, office efficiency checks, brand-in-space workshops, and comprehensive office planning and design services.
3. Furniture Leasing and Rental: Flexible financing options including leasing with end-of-term purchase or return options, and rental through furnable brand for agile workspaces requiring temporary furniture solutions.
4. Homeoffice Shop: Corporate voucher-based home office furniture shopping platform allowing companies to support remote workers with quality designer furniture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

designfunktion provides holistic office planning, furnishing, and advisory services, selling furniture from more than 100 premium manufacturer brands through 18 showrooms across Germany. The offering combines strategic consulting (workspace analytics, goal workshops, brand-in-space), full office planning and design, and flexible acquisition via purchase, leasing, or rental (furnable), with related residential and home-office solutions.

Product overview

designfunktion is a German B2B office furnishing and workspace design consultancy with over 40 years of experience, operating 18 locations across Germany. The company offers a comprehensive service portfolio organized around three core pillars: consulting (Beratung), planning (Planung), and furnishing (Einrichtung). Their consulting services include Workspace Analytics, Zielworkshop, Office Effizienzcheck, Marke im Raum, Nachhaltigkeit im Raum, and Design to Budget. Planning services encompass complete office design, lighting concepts, acoustics, textiles, and kitchen installations. The company represents over 100 furniture brands including Vitra, USM, Wilkhahn, and Walter Knoll. They provide flexible acquisition options through purchase, leasing, or the furnable rental service. Key digital offerings include the New Office Solution Finder and New Office Guides. Their services extend to home office solutions via a dedicated shop with employee voucher systems, as well as residential interior consultation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beratung und Konzeption (Consulting and Concept)

Quantifiable outcome

• 92.7% of packaging materials recycled
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VitracoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium furniture brand partner providing office seating, tables, and storage solutions. Featured in multiple high-profile projects including Musikhaus Thomann, Wissenschaftszentrum Bonn, and Charité.
• USM HallercoreTechnology or IntegrationSwiss modular furniture system partner for office storage and space division. Featured on homepage as key brand partner.
• WilkhahncoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman office seating specialist providing ergonomic chairs and furniture. Used in SC Freiburg VIP lounges project.
• BenecoreTechnology or IntegrationAustrian office furniture manufacturer providing comprehensive workspace solutions. Featured brand on homepage.
• BrunnercoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman furniture manufacturer specialized in public seating and conference furniture. Partner for Heidelberg Congress Center and other projects. Regional production with high quality standards emphasized.
• Walter KnollcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium German furniture brand for reception, waiting, and executive areas. Featured in LVMH Watch & Jewelry and HUK Coburg projects.
• FramerycoreTechnology or IntegrationFinnish acoustic pod and phone booth manufacturer. Featured in Qontigo and other projects.
• Creation BaumanncoreTechnology or IntegrationSwiss textile manufacturer providing acoustic and decorative fabrics. Partner for LVMH project.
• degelo ArchitektencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm responsible for Heidelberg Congress Center design. Collaborated with designfunktion on interior furnishing integration.
• Gäbele & Raufer ArchitektenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm for SC Freiburg VIP lounges project.
• Becher & PartnerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitecture firm in Bayreuth for HUK Coburg executive workspace project.
• Interior Architects and DesignerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVarious interior architects and designers supporting projects across Germany, including taktonika GmbH for Charité project.
• Craftsmen and Specialty TradescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNetwork of carpenters, metalworkers, electricians, flooring specialists, painters, and dry-wall builders for project execution. Includes Schreinerei Herglotz, Ehm & Eitel, Hinsche GastroBau, and others.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Haworth: Global office furniture manufacturer with a European dealer network and workspace design services, including integrated NARBUTAS and Poltrona Frau offerings; competes head-to-head with designfunktion in EMEA enterprise workspace projects.
• Vitra: Premium Swiss office and home furniture brand (also a core designfunktion partner) operating its own showroom network, design consultancy, and direct enterprise sales in DACH — relevant both as a supply partner and competitive incumbents in flagship workspace projects.
• Nowy Styl Group: European office furniture group offering comprehensive workspace solutions including furniture, advisory, and fit-out; competes across DACH and broader Europe with both manufacturing scale and integrated service offerings relevant to designfunktion's positioning.
• Steelcase: Global office furniture leader with a substantial European (including German) dealer network and an integrated workplace consulting practice; the most direct global incumbent analog to designfunktion's premium workspace positioning.
• USM Haller: Swiss modular furniture manufacturer with own-brand showroom presence across Germany (also a core designfunktion partner); a frequent co-specification partner but also a competitor pursuing similar premium enterprise and architectural accounts via direct channels.

Direct peers

• M Moser Associates: Global workplace strategy and design consultancy that bundles strategy, change management, architecture, and furniture procurement — directly comparable to designfunktion's integrated consulting + planning + furnishing model. Operates globally with strong European (and German) presence.
• Bene (Bene GmbH): Austrian office furniture manufacturer (also a designfunktion partner) with end-to-end office conception, space planning, and furnishing services. Positioned as both a partner and direct competitor for major DACH workspace transformation projects.
• König + Neurath: German office furniture manufacturer with deep consulting, space-planning, and dealer-network services; well-established German Mittelstand peer with overlapping customer base (corporate and public sector) and direct competition for workspace projects.
• Sedus Stoll: German premium office seating and furniture manufacturer offering workspace consulting, ergonomic planning, and space design — a direct competitor for German enterprise workspace projects with similar premium positioning and customer reference style as designfunktion.
• Walter Knoll: Premium German office and contract furniture brand (also a designfunktion partner) serving reception, lounge, and executive areas for luxury and enterprise customers; competes for the same high-end project specifications referenced in designfunktion's LVMH and HUK Coburg engagements.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/designfunktion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designfunktion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about designfunktion