I'm Jan-Erik — a mix of master carpenter, designer and artist, and the founder of Zeitens Studio in Cologne.
It all started in 2020. Three years earlier, my sociology degree had felt too theoretical — so I trained as a carpenter and earned my journeyman's certificate. The next step seemed clear: a design degree to deepen my passion for furniture making. Then Covid closed that door and opened another. Craft and design were suddenly in high demand — and a few happy coincidences later, Zeitens was founded.
The defining moment for the creative direction of Zeitens came while working on a half-timbered house. Inside the walls was the original clay — placed there by hand two hundred years earlier. What had come loose, I mixed with water and applied again. Same material. Same wall. Two hundred years later — still alive.
Every piece of work since then follows this measure of time, and every artwork is a declaration of love for clay.
It regulates humidity, improves indoor air quality, and contains no artificial ingredients. It is locally available worldwide and infinitely durable. It appears in countless natural colours and every surface is unique because it is shaped by hands. I have never worked with a material so complete, whose presence gives every room calm and warmth.
Every piece and every concept is shaped by experience, curiosity and a clear conviction: the space we move through is an expression of who we are — our feelings, our health, our nature. Shape it with care and intention, exactly as you wish.
I'm glad to help.