Ideas for beautiful living

BEST OF | Issue 04 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2025/26 | Text: Barbara Schneeberger

The ground we stand on is what gives us our stance in life. An outstanding image for the daily work of entrepreneur family Auinger. Through unflagging, consequential passion to preserve their aesthetic independence, they create rooms bursting with character… and were recently distinguished with an award for doing so: the Heimtex Star Award in the category “Exemplary New Buildings/Renovations” for their “Centre for High Quality Living in Austria.”

Striking beauty – the Trapa natural wood floor in a rhombus pattern.

From ropemaking to premium room-creation

With clear-cut lines and undying respect for what transpired yesterday, happens today and what will come tomorrow, Anita and Johann Auinger span a huge divide and succeed in drawing an arc of sustainable timelessness. Their achievements are anchored in a one-man operation founded in the year 1933 by Alois Auinger who had a farm alongside his own ropemaking business in Laufenbach. Over the course of several decades, his ideas grew, his concepts evolved until out of a rope factory a floor specialty shop was generated – at the time, in the 1970s, focusing on textiles. The company flourished, floating-screed flooring was added to their offerings, and by the 1980s it boasted five employees. When the son of the family, Hans Auinger, returned home after several years abroad, he joined the family operation and brought his own visions of architecture and commercial construction objects into the picture.

The daringly expanded segment of offerings – the actual design of rooms to live in – succeeded on the foundations of the excellent groundwork which had preceded it in the truest sense of the word, for highly satisfied clients wanted still more of the Auinger family’s profound comprehension of high-quality design. “We would also like a sofa in the self-same quality as the floor which was laid down,” ran the wish of many clients. And thus, piece by piece was added over the course of the next few decades, all in solid harmony with what had already been achieved. Hans then found Anita, the love of his life, and since the 1990s they have run the company together.

Promoters of aesthetic independence – Anita and Hans Auinger are running the traditional family business in its second generation.

Creative ideas for beautiful living – this is the guiding principle behind the showroom in Laufenbach, Taufkirchen.

Turning dreams to reality

Inspired by endless visits to international trade fairs and by a sophisticated reach upwards towards materials, origins, quality, Anita and Hans Auinger developed their very own language of forms and shapes. This unmistakable signature is reflected in every single project they approach for their clients. And this unparalleled, precise sense recently became visible for all design lovers in Austria at a brandnew showroom in Laufenbach, the Centre for High Quality Living in Austria. “We made the exhibition spaces just like we ourselves would want to live in,” explains Anita Auinger. Over the years, Hans Auinger drafted plans for the old building which in earlier days had served as their carpet warehouse. At the same time, he engaged in an ongoing dialogue with a friend of his who was a landscape architect. And as if it had been foreseen, step by step out of an overall visual concept an actual premium building built on a future was generated, which forces evolution and further development so that the company can continually define itself anew as the times change.

Tradition and modernity in harmonious symbiosis. The view towards the Craft Museum reflects the roots of the Auinger family.

History lived and felt

The past is also rolled into this composition, just like the present and the future. In striking ways and analogous to the long company history, beautiful floors of natural wood, tablet parquet flooring, fishbone floorboarding and carpets are presented. Attentive visitors might also take note of the ropes used as terrace banisters and are even employed decoratively and practically in the form of room dividers. Rooms are furnished and outfitted down to the most minute detail, lovingly and with top-end furniture. “It was also important for us to create a building which didn’t devalue the old timber-framed buildings all around it, but instead, amplified their value,” elucidates Anita Auinger. With modern architecture and arrow-straight lines, the Auingers once again accomplished a contrast which brought about a new kind of equilibrium and were in turn awarded the Heimtex Star Award as a crowning distinction.

The pool house – nestled in a green oasis – was named one of the most beautiful gardens of 2020 by Callwey Verlag.

Wine tasting in the Auinger wine cellar – where wine and design come together.

Craftsmanship that awakens emotions

As to just how inspiring the ongoing transformation really is, it becomes evident not only through the success of the company, but also in the motivation of its employees. For example, Sophie Buchbauer just completed her professional training as a room outfitter with high honours and subsequently decided to learn to lay flooring as an additional specialty. The enthusiasm of son Johannes Auinger is also a cause for joy at the company: in 2019 he was the youngest master floorer in Austria and today is one of the major pillars of the enterprise. As can be easily seen, the well-conceived, well-laid floors of the Auinger family continue to lead to higher and higher values – envisioning them, grasping for them, reaching them – as well as the human values which support that, accompanied by far-sighted knowledge and a glance at the trends around the corners of the future.

At the Auingers‘, life and celebrations are enjoyed – together with customers, friends, and family.