Stricken by curiosity after seeing a few ornate pieces of vintage design and a selection of home accessories outside an old coal shop on Körtestraße, we make our way down a few steps into the cave of wonders called Blau 4 Drei 9. Inside we are hit by a clear aesthetic sense. The selected items throughout the shop can be characterized as colorful, ornamental and full of details, yet there is also restraint and simplicity — a rawness in both form and material. The owner Mario Müller-Strässer is a lovely man bubbling with stories about every piece in his boutique, even his path is a tale of what dreams and passions, in the end, lead you to. Coming from a fine arts background, Mario worked as a social worker for many years. He started collecting and renovating furniture and accessories with the intention of filling his house with objects with which he shared an emotional connection. His personal collection grew along with the dream of sharing it with an audience. Two years ago he opened the doors of his first shop, Blau 4 Drei 9, and put his found, sourced and remade treasures on display.
There are so many wonderful objects that describing them all would turn this post into a Dostoevsky novel, and describing a few doesn’t seem to do justice. We will make an attempt non the less; The carefully selected mix of African, Indian and Scandinavian home-design, reflect solid craftsmanship. Many of the pieces have an industrial feel to them, such as dressers made from Petrol barrels and found wood from Senegal and factory lamps from India. There are 3D wall paintings showing sea life hailing from Denmark, glass window cabinets made from salvaged wood, stools and other furniture made from discarded beech wood, dolls made of metal wire and flattened beer caps by women in Kenya, shoulder bags made from old US post sacks, Moroccan tea accoutrements, African mask sculptures… and much more!
Mario states that the pieces adorning his shop are things that caught his eye and correspond with his sense of aesthetic — all artifacts he would gladly have in his own house, had there been enough space. His remark about choosing objects for their emotional impact made us wonder if Mario also has an ethical agenda to promote upcycling and redesign, but as Mr Müller-Strässer responds, his reason for favoring these kinds of objects comes primarily from his love of good craftsmanship and admiration of beautiful and peculiar items that he has been lucky to find at flea markets, fairs and through his travels. To him, it is not a lifestyle decision — the environmental aspect of it all come as a bonus.
The man’s generosity in time and enthusiasm, when describing his finds, is so infectious that you just want to spend a little more time than you expected. Surprisingly, the items in the shop are more than fairly priced considering the amount of work — and often thousands of miles — it has taken for them to end up here. Blau 4 Drei 9 is really truly gem. More than a shop, it is also a gallery — and if one takes the time to linger and let Mario guide you through his collection — a place of marvel and wonderment. This is the place to go when in need of a little pick-me-up, for ones home — and spirit.