When we reached Rudi by phone for an interview, he was seven hours ahead of us and on a seven-hour drive with his children in the car. We got disconnected briefly, and when we connected again, he had pulled over to chat with us about Schwung Home. We get the impression that this is the life of an antiquing family.
“My wife [Dominique] and I are both antique lovers,” Rudi says. “We love being on the hunt for antiques. We are interested in beautiful things, beautiful designs, and we love exploring and seeing different parts of the world.”
Schwung Home is a family affair.
“Our children are 8 and 11. They are with us wherever we go. They obviously see a lot of interesting things,” Rudi says. “Yesterday, we went to a flea market, and I took my oldest son with me. He has developed a passion for it. My son sees something, and he points it out. He helps load the truck.”
Rudi tells us that he has been in the business since the 1990s and had antiques stores in Antwerp and Brussels before eventually launching Schwung Home in High Point, NC, five years ago.
“High Point was chosen, because it’s where the furniture market happens in the U.S.,” Rudi says. “We are open year-round. We buy in Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany and France. We also have pickers we trust and have used over the years.”
What you’ll find at their 60,000-SF showroom are lighting, furniture, mirrors and other found objects that blend classicism and modernism, and feel fresh yet timeless.
“We’re not really attached to one style,” Rudi says. “From industrial to classic, mid-century to modern, we like all beautiful pieces, which makes it interesting. That’s our joy. Finding beautiful pieces and bringing them back and into people’s homes.”
Rudi also sees the bigger picture.
“It has something to do with helping save the planet – that these things don’t end up in a landfill. That they are restored and can live for another century.”
Part of that process involves shipping everything to a workshop in Poland where each item is cleaned and restored before it is shipped to High Point. At High Point, Schwung Home is the go-to for designers.
“Our showroom is a favorite for designers and retailers. Our customers know us for always having the best finds when it comes to objects and antiques. As we source on a global level, our customers can count on us as being the hidden gem for found treasures.”
When it comes to helping designers find that one special piece, he says the key is truly getting to know their customers.
“We invest in spending time learning about our clients and their business models. Communication, asking great questions, and interpreting their responses are what make a successful partnership.”
This will be the first time Schwung Home will have a presence at Round Top.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to meet new people who share our passion for antiques. All our pieces speak for themselves. People fall in love with them. That’s the great thing about antiques – to fall in love with them – to experience great joy owning them.”
As for the pieces he is most excited to show at Round Top, it’s hard for Rudi to remember it all.
“We have so many things. We shipped a couple of very large shop fixtures. Big cabinets,” he says. “We are bringing quality pieces that will be very reasonably priced.”
We’ll have to wait and see all that’s in store at Schwung Home, as they make their debut in Round Top at Market Hill. In the meantime, like them on Facebook.com/schwunghome and follow along on Instagram @schwunghome.
