#FurniturePhilosophy: Volume 6

Oct 12, 2025

So far, I have not introduced any female philosophers in this series.

And indeed, there are significantly more men than women in the history of philosophy. For that reason, women stand out all the more. Hannah Arendt is probably one of the most famous thinkers of the last century. And because her work is so enduring, Arendt fits perfectly with our mission at Revive: Preserving what is good!

Hannah Arendt's idea is reflected in her ingenious distinction between work and work . A distinction that also applies to Revive !

Hannah Arendt – Image — Not only damn clever, but also damn casual: Hannah Arendt (New York, 1944)

For Hannah Arendt, work is something fleeting, something that functions through consumption . Furthermore, work is entirely dependent on us humans.

The work, on the other hand, is something lasting , which in turn shapes us as people. And: At the end of the work, at best, there is a lasting work!

Additionally, work is characterized by necessity: people must farm to eat; cut down trees to build a hut, etc.

The work, on the other hand, can simply serve beauty . It's not absolutely necessary . And that's precisely what makes it so special!

This is perfectly illustrated by a beautiful large sofa: The process of making this sofa initially consumes a lot of wood, metal, fabric , etc. These things diminish as you work. Additionally, you have to invest time and energy . And without a working person, nothing would happen: the materials would just lie around.

The end result is the sofa – a work that lasts. It doesn't diminish, but remains as it is. And unlike the individual materials in the work process, the sofa can shape us: When we look forward to the sofa in the living room on our way home, where we can lie down and relax. Or when we happily think back to sitting on the same sofa with friends , drinking red wine, or eating pizza and watching a film with our family . In other words: Our lives are shaped by lasting works.

That's the great privilege we have at Revive . We fundamentally work with works of art: Everything we do serves to preserve beautiful things that are meaningful to people's lives . For me, every blog post I write, every client conversation we have, and every step in the restoration process serves this goal. With every reupholstery, we ultimately extend the lifespan of a work—and its ability to create a shared world.

Below this blog post, you'll find my personal highlights from our inventory, which, for me, particularly reflect how much passion we put into preserving beauty and bringing it to people.