Early Life and Education
Heinrich Albert Otto Schulz (1882–1970) was one of the most distinctive and accomplished figures in 20th-century Swedish design and Scandinavian modernism. Born in Salzwedel, Germany, Schulz trained as an architect and designer before relocating to Sweden in 1907—a move that would ultimately define his career. Somewhat contrary in both temperament and approach, Schulz developed a body of work that resisted easy categorization, moving fluidly between tradition and modernity. Today, more than fifty years after his death in Gothenburg’s Vasa Parish, he is regarded as a pivotal contributor to both Swedish Grace and Swedish Modern design.
Schulz studied architecture and design at several institutions in Germany, most notably the Technical University in Charlottenburg between 1900 and 1907, as well as the Architectural School in Berlin. One of his most influential teachers was Alfred Grenander, the Swedish architect best known for designing more than seventy underground stations in Berlin. Through Grenander, Schulz was introduced to Sweden and secured an internship in Gothenburg in 1907. He subsequently trained and worked as a draftsman at the furniture and carpentry firm Selander & Söner, where he remained for three years before deciding to settle permanently in the city.
In 1910, Schulz established his own practice, specializing in interior design. His early work included interiors for hotels and restaurants, as well as the design of ship interiors—a lucrative and prestigious field in the busy harbor town of Gothenburg. These commissions allowed Schulz to refine a highly personal design language, characterized by inventive construction, luxurious materials, and a sophisticated balance between ornament and function.
Boet and the Rise of a Swedish Design Icon
A decisive turning point in Schulz’s career came in 1917 with his commission to design the interior of ‘Bräutigams Konditori’, one of Gothenburg’s most renowned patisseries and a central social hub in the first half of the 20th century. The project brought Schulz widespread recognition and attracted the attention of Adolf Nordenberg, head of the design offices at Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm. Their meeting led to the founding of ‘Boet’ in 1920, a furniture and interior design company that would become one of the most influential design enterprises in Sweden.
Located at the corner of Kungsportsavenyn and Kristinelundsgatan in Gothenburg, Boet functioned as both a fully furnished showroom and a workshop, offering bespoke interiors tailored to individual clients. Customers could commission complete environments—from furniture to finishes—executed to the highest standards of craftsmanship. Under Schulz’s artistic direction, Boet produced opulent upholstered seating, elegant cabinets, and richly detailed box furniture that moved stylistically between functionalism and traditionalism within the broader context of Scandinavian modern design.
The Boet Magazine
Boet’s identity was further reinforced through its eponymous magazine, edited by Schulz himself and published between 1927 and 1938. Sharing both name and founder with the company, ‘Boet’ magazine became one of Sweden’s most influential interior design publications of its time. It featured reviews and writings by prominent designers and architects, international design references, and extensive presentations of Schulz’s own work. Together, the showroom, the business, and the magazine cemented Schulz’s central role in Swedish interior design culture and the evolving language of Scandinavian modernism.
Technical Innovation and Material Experimentation
Schulz was a prolific inventor and frequently patented techniques developed specifically for his furniture. Among the most notable was ‘Bopoint’—perhaps his most famous innovation—which employed decorative brass or pearl-like nails as an integral design element, often applied to leather or artificial leather surfaces. Other patented techniques included ‘Bosaik’, a durable mosaic surface treatment resistant to spills, and ‘Botarsia’, a decorative patterning method using brass pins. These innovations contributed not only to the distinctive aesthetics of Boet furniture but also to its longevity and tactile richness. In some of the most impressive examples, these methods were used to create elaborate pictorial compositions on leather-covered cabinets.
Design Language: Swedish Grace and Swedish Modernism
Schulz’s designs are marked by an inventive tension between modern and baroque influences. He often incorporated traditional elements—such as tassel bases, decorative pulls, and ornamental detailing—into furniture that was otherwise modular, flexible, and forward-looking. Many of his cabinets were designed as convertible or combinable units, capable of being assembled in various configurations to suit different interiors. His chairs, by contrast, are typically deep and enveloping, with wrap-around backs that create inward-looking, cocoon-like seating experiences. These plush, sculptural forms stand in striking contrast to his sleek, slim-legged wooden cabinetry, demonstrating Schulz’s remarkable range and his essential contributions to 20th-century Swedish furniture design.
The Schulz Chair
Following the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition, Boet introduced its progressive ‘Bo-furniture’ line, emphasizing modularity and adaptability for modern living. Introduced in 1935, the modular sofa became a cornerstone of the collection. It was within this innovative environment that one of Schulz’s most enduring designs emerged: the ‘Schulz’ easy chair.
First designed in 1936, the ‘Schulz’ chair combines a timeless silhouette with modern construction principles and became widely popular in Sweden throughout the 1940s. Its generously proportioned seat and softly curved backrest provide exceptional comfort, while its defining feature is revealed in profile: the backrest appears to float, supported solely by the extended rear legs. This ingenious structural solution lends the chair a distinctive openness while maintaining its enveloping form. In keeping with Swedish mid-century ideals, the luxurious upholstery enhances—rather than overwhelms—the natural beauty of the wood.
Early examples of the ‘Schulz’ chair were produced entirely in-house at Boet in Gothenburg. In 1941, production moved to Jio Möbler in Jönköping, a newly established manufacturer known for its meticulous craftsmanship and high-quality hand-upholstered furniture. While the design remained unchanged, the maker’s mark evolved accordingly: early examples are attributed to Boet, while later editions bear the Jio Möbler name. Today, the ‘Schulz’ chair is widely regarded as a cornerstone of 20th-century Swedish design and is frequently cited among the most important Swedish furniture models of all time.
Public Interiors, Cabinetry, and Legacy
Beyond furniture, Schulz and Boet shaped Swedish interiors across social strata for nearly three decades, designing both bourgeois residences and public spaces. Notable commissions included Meeth’s Tea Room, the Grand Bazaar, and further work for Bräutigams Konditori in Gothenburg. Schulz also produced exceptional cabinet works employing intarsia techniques with animal and nature motifs. Notable examples include a commissioned cabinet depicting the Gothenburg landscape for clerk Gösta Ohlsson, as well as a cabinet featured in ‘Boet’ magazine in 1935 adorned with inlaid wooden cacti.
The momentum of Schulz’s legacy was further reinforced through the publication of his book ‘Möbler och Inredningar 1910–1950’, which offers a comprehensive overview of his work and philosophy. Many of his inventive designs are preserved in approximately 1,600 watercolors, sketches, and drawings archived at the Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg.
Boet ceased operations in 1950, after which Schulz’s furniture rapidly became sought after by collectors. Otto Schulz passed away on February 14, 1970, in Gothenburg at the age of 87. Celebrated for their craftsmanship, structural clarity, and distinctive personality, Otto Schulz’s works stand as a lasting testament to his enduring legacy and remain icons of Scandinavian modernism, found in some of the finest interiors worldwide.