Our History
Welcome to Gut Hausen
Gut Hausen has been documented as a moated castle since 1263. Forty-five years ago, Dagmar and Martin Kölnberger acquired the former summer residence of the Diocese of Aachen and brought it back to life. At that time, only two rooms were habitable. With great passiom and much attention to detail, the building was restored – without sacrificing the comforts of modern technology.
The Beginnings
On his journeys through Belgium and France, searching for bluestone floors and antique marble for his own home, Martin Kölnberger made many connections and was increasingly asked for assistance himself. Since then, numerous customers have benefited from his passion for classic cars, antique building materials, and his keen sense of quality materials.
What began as a passion for all things antique soon became a profession.
Each piece a unique masterpiece.
All our antique building materials tell a story—you can see it in every piece. We are always delighted to share these stories with those who are interested as we guide them through our showroom. This journey takes you back in time—no time machine needed. The old bluestone waiting in the warehouse at Gut Hausen once adorned the promenade of the Belgian seaside resort of Knokke. Some nearly 150-year-old marble washbasins made their way from historic Turkish bathhouses to Aachen and are now the centerpiece of an Austrian ski hotel.
The team is growing.
Martin Kölnberger has passed on his passion for the creative possibilities that come with using and installing historic building materials to the next generation. “The unique character of these materials is simply irresistible,” says his daughter, Sophia Kölnberger-Lübbert.
Second daughter Tessa Loweg, an architect herself, also returned to the family business in Aachen after spending ten years working in a modern residential architecture firm in Munich. “You can’t apply standardized regulations to old materials—you have to adapt to them to some extent. That’s what makes them so endlessly fascinating. Even in modern architecture, individuality is what makes a design truly special and gives it a unique atmosphere.”
The series Aix Stone
In addition to the wide selection of antique Burgundy slabs, bluestone floors, and terracotta tiles, customers have also been able to choose from the Aix Stone line for several years. These natural stone slabs feature an authentically aged surface while offering a consistent material thickness of just 2 cm—unlike antique flooring. Thanks to the individually crafted surface, each final product is unique and distinctive, yet it can still be installed according to modern standards.
Today
Today, our family business has been successfully specializing in the planning, consulting, and sale of historic and unique building materials for nearly 45 years. At Gut Hausen—home to both Martin Kölnberger’s private residence and the company headquarters, including the affiliated architecture office—you can experience firsthand how timeless and contemporary living with classic materials can be. We are happy to share our many years of experience and passion with you.
The Future
There is a growing trend toward historic and authentic building materials. They give private spaces a distinctive and individual character. Additionally, quality and craftsmanship are experiencing a renaissance. A visit to Aachen will quickly reveal how our materials add a unique touch to any building—old or new. We look forward to welcoming you.
