Christoph Karl, co-founder and managing director of Guideline, is a furniture designer, master craftsman and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of industry experience.



Growing up in a family of Bauhaus architects in Germany and being a German Master Craftsman has a strong influence on design, quality and manufacturing method of his furniture pieces.



After his 3 year apprenticeship as a cabinet maker at one of the top furniture makers in Wiesbaden, Germany and additional 3 years of Master Craftsmen School and several employments to gain experience, he opened his first furniture business in Germany.



It was love on first sight when he visited South Africa in 2003 and decided to move permanently to South Africa in 2005. The new home provided the perfect platform to focus on his true passion, the design of classic-contemporary furniture pieces inspired by his Northern European roots. After meeting his South African business partner Roan Snyman the decision was made to start the furniture design and manufacturing brand Guideline in 2011.