In German, the word Gastfreundschaft means hospitality for guests or strangers. But ask Sophie von Oertzen, the founder of Sophie Williamson Design, and she’ll tell you it encompasses so much more. Gastfreundschaftisn’t just the idea of hospitality, it’s a feeling you extend to every guest who comes to your home, a sense of warmth, inclusion, and acceptance.
It’s something Sophie studied at the feet of her parents, genius hosts and entertainers, who raised her in various European locales. Throughout her childhood, Sophie witnessed numerous scenes of Gastfreundschaft at joyful dinner parties with her parents’ friends, family holiday gatherings, and society events. And it’s those memories of listening in on the buzz of conversations and raucous laughter shared at parties and over candlelit dinners that she’s on a quest to emulate today.
