Meet
Artifan Brecht


In the series Meet the Artifans, Artifort visits design lovers who share a special connection with their Artifort furniture. The series highlights how these designs are not only functional but also carry stories, evoke memories and connect generations. This time, Artifort visited Brecht – a surgical assistant in a children’s hospital, passionate jazz lover and vinyl collector. Through his Instagram account @The.Jazz.Corner, he inspires an international community of more than 230,000 followers with his love of music and design. Between the intensity of the operating theatre and the calm of his home environment, Brecht has created a space where music takes centre stage. An interior in which the iconic F588 armchair by Artifort plays a natural leading role.


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An interior as a soundtrack

Brecht’s home does not feel like a quiet set, but rather a carefully curated environment in which every object has its own voice. Mid-century modern forms the foundation, enriched with organic shapes from the sixties and seventies and subtle Space Age influences. Woven through it are colourful references to Mexico, his wife’s home country, to which the couple regularly returns.“My wife is Mexican; we were also married there, and every year we bring back new treasures. The vibrant colours and artisanal details from Mexico can be found throughout the house,” he says.For Brecht, an inspiring interior is all about harmony. “An interior has to feel ‘right’ like a well-composed arrangement: there needs to be a balance between the clean lines of design classics and the warm, tactile texture of a well-stocked record collection.”


“The Artifort F588 armchair is my ultimate listening chair, it turns every record into a moment of complete immersion.”



The influence of the Jazz Kissa
When the conversation turns to inspiration, Brecht almost immediately refers to Japan. “I find inspiration everywhere, from vintage magazines to architecture books. My vision is strongly influenced by Japanese Jazz Kissa culture.” In cities such as Tokyo, Jazz Kissa have been beloved meeting places for music lovers for decades. Intimate spaces where audio systems, carefully curated vinyl collections and an almost meditative listening experience take centre stage. “In a Jazz Kissa, there is very little conversation. The music is the protagonist and the interior forms the soundbox. I have translated that philosophy into my own home.” According to Brecht, his passion consists of two parts: the search and the listening. “My hobby is 50% the ‘hunt’ outside the home for those missing gems, but the other 50% is the ritual of coming home and listening. When I sit in my Artifort F588 armchair, surrounded by my collection and audio system, I create my own Jazz Kissa.”

Listening with all the senses
For Brecht, the environment plays an essential role in how music is experienced. “The interior determines how you receive the music. When the space feels right, you hear more. The colours from Mexico, the ambient lighting by the record cabinet, and the comfort of the F588 allow me to fully focus on the texture of the music.” Sound and design reinforce one another. “It is a total experience in which design and sound flow seamlessly into each other.”

“The F588 by Geoffrey Harcourt is, for me, the ultimate listening chair.”
The choice of the F588 armchair was no coincidence. “The design comes from the golden age of jazz, the 1960s and 1970s, a period I also celebrate in my interior. Its organic, shell-like form creates an immediate sense of comfort and enclosure.” His first encounter with the design dates back years. “The F588 armchair was my introduction to Artifort. I once saw a vintage version in a television programme, and that image has stayed with me ever since as the ideal place for long nights of listening. The design radiates calm even before you sit down in it.”


Warmth, character and timelessness
Brecht chose a version in brown leather with a cream-white base. “Brown leather feels natural and warm to me. Over time, the material only gains more character, much like a much-loved jazz record that reveals new nuances with every listen.” The light base, he says, provides just the right balance. “It keeps the design light and timeless. It also ties in beautifully with the combination of warm materials and lighter accents throughout the rest of the interior.”

The ritual of slowing down
The moments when the F588 is used most are often the quietest of the day. “At the end of the evening, everything settles down. I choose a record, lower the needle, and settle into the armchair. That moment marks the transition from the busyness of the day to complete relaxation.” During listening evenings with fellow collectors, the chair also proves to have a strong pull. “People are naturally drawn to it as soon as they come in. Sometimes I have to share it, but that’s part of it. Good design is meant to be experienced and shared.”

If the F588 were a jazz track…
When asked which jazz track best matches the F588 armchair, Brecht didn’t hesitate. “I would choose ‘So What’ by Miles Davis. It’s cool, minimal and effortlessly stylish.” The comparison goes beyond mood alone. “Like the F588, it’s a composition that never dates. It was revolutionary in the 1960s and still sounds like the future today. Both are icons that don’t need any unnecessary embellishment to make an impression.” Brecht smiles. “And there’s a certain defiance to it. As the title suggests: ‘So What’. It just is. Iconic, self-assured and entirely self-contained.”