Manufactured with the utmost care in Switzerland, USM modular furniture combines durability, versatility and timeless design in its DNA.
USM
You notice USM the moment you see it. The gleam of chrome, the geometry so perfectly balanced it feels sculptural, the quiet confidence of a piece that was made to last a lifetime—or several. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It just exists, perfectly in place. And that is design. For 140 years, this Swiss company has been perfecting an idea that feels deceptively simple: furniture doesn’t have to be static. It can adapt. It can evolve. It can grow with your life.
It all started in 1885, when Ulrich Schärer opened a small metalworking shop in Münsingen, Switzerland. Locks, window fittings, metal hardware—ordinary enough. But in the early 1960s, Paul Schärer Jr., the founder’s grandson, decided to modernize everything. He was fascinated by the clarity and precision of Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, and he wanted USM to reflect that same rigor.
Swiss architect Fritz Haller.
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He brought in Swiss architect Fritz Haller to design a new factory and office complex. Out of that collaboration came the USM Haller modular system. Patented in 1965, it was astonishingly simple and genius: a series of standardized parts that could be endlessly reconfigured without ever looking pieced together. By the late 1960s, USM had transformed from a metalworks into a furniture company recognized globally, a brand that was simultaneously Swiss, modern, and human. Today, under fourth-generation leader Alexander Schärer, USM remains family-owned, its modular systems icons of durability, intelligence, and design clarity.
Jon Thorson, CEO of USM North America, has been part of that story for seven years. Before USM, he spent 15 years at BDDW, another design-focused furniture brand, and more than 25 years in New York’s design scene. His entry point at USM was as brand experience director—a role that, in his words, is “about taking something pure and European and translating it for how Americans actually live.”
“The brand already had incredible recognition globally,” he says. “But North America was an opportunity. Not just financially, but culturally. My role has been to translate USM’s purity into something that resonates with the way Americans and Canadians live and design.”
Contextualization, not alteration. Europeans instinctively understand modularity—it’s in the DNA of Bauhaus and modernism. Americans, historically, gravitate toward softer, upholstered pieces. “So we show USM in environments that feel warmer, more lived-in—wood floors, textiles, subtle hints of Americana. Once people see it that way, it clicks.”
Understanding American Design And Client Preferences
With USM Haller, there are no limits to your creativity in the living room. From small occasional furniture to timeless sideboards and shelving, USM integrates perfectly into your unique home.
USM
Thorson has noticed a shift in the audience discovering USM. Younger buyers, particularly those between 25 and 35, arrive already informed. “They’ve seen USM on Instagram, on Design Within Reach, in editorial settings. They know the history. They know the quality. For them, it’s about making an investment in something timeless and sustainable. They don’t see it as a gamble.”
Older buyers, however, often need a little convincing. “The average American in their fifties grew up with different expectations about furniture. But once they see USM—how it can be customized, moved, adapted—they get it.”
There’s a kind of slow, immersive education that happens, Thorson explains. “People research in new ways now. Platforms like Rarify create videos explaining furniture and design. You learn how pieces are made, why they’re special, why they last. That research informs decisions—people buy iconic design because it’s tried, true, and enduring.”
And there’s still no substitute for seeing it in person. “Showrooms matter. Touch it, walk around it, understand the logic of modularity. Online education is useful, but seeing is believing.”
IKEA And Modular Design Versus Longevity
Inevitably, the conversation turns to IKEA. Thorson is candid: “IKEA introduced a lot of people to flat-pack furniture, myself included. It was formative. But longevity is different. IKEA is often a one- or two-move product. USM lasts decades, reconfigures endlessly. That’s an entirely different concept of value.”
There’s a subtle nostalgia at play, too. “People are collecting older IKEA pieces now, appreciating the design history. But our divergence is quality. USM moves with you, adapts to new spaces, survives a lifetime. That’s modern sustainability disguised as luxury.”
The reception is the point of contact for employees, welcoming visitors and creates a lasting first impression. The design options for reception desks and multifunctional waiting areas are limitless.
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Redefining Modern Design And Luxury
Luxury is an overused word, Thorson insists. “For us, it’s not about price. It’s about quality. For some clients, USM is the most expensive piece in their home. For others, the most accessible. The point is investing in something enduring, adaptable, and timeless. That’s modern luxury.”
The quality isn’t just aesthetic. “You can expand, modify, reconfigure. Add shelves, change panels, adapt to a new space. It’s a thoughtful design approach—intelligent, sustainable, human-centric. That’s a different kind of luxury than the usual hype.”
Omnia Hotel Design: Modular Thinking In Hospitality
Perhaps the most immersive expression of USM’s philosophy is the Omnia Hotel in Zermatt. Perched on a cliff above the Matterhorn, the hotel blends alpine tradition with modernist clarity. The Schärer family, who own USM, hired the late Turkish-American architect Ali Tayar to reinvent the property.
The Omnia doesn’t feel like a USM showroom, yet modularity is everywhere. Reception desks, shelving systems, guest suites—all seamlessly integrated. Each space feels curated but alive, flexible without appearing forced. “It’s timelessness without branding,” Thorson says.
Warm oak, leather, and slate complement the panoramic mountain views. “It’s subtle but powerful,” he continues. “Modularity isn’t just furniture—it’s a philosophy of design, of spaces that flex, breathe, and endure.”
The General Manager at the Omnia, Christian Eckert, told me: “The connection between the hotel and USM was natural – they’re actually owned by the same family. The architect Ali Tayar realized that vision in a timeless, modular way. They designed most of the interiors specifically for the hotel, and we integrated USM’s modular furniture in subtle fashion – for example, using a special matte-silver finish that blends with the local granite and oak materials. The goal was never to turn the place into a USM showroom, but rather to infuse the space with USM’s understated elegance. Many guests wouldn’t even realize our shelving or reception desk are USM designs, and that’s exactly how we like it.”
Perched on the rock in the center of Zermatt, THE OMNIA welcomes you for a time out admidst the Swiss Alps
OMNIA
Unexpected Design Collaboration: USM × Zenith Watches
USM isn’t just rethinking furniture—it’s exploring new frontiers. Its capsule collaboration with Zenith is a perfect example. The collection “celebrates the 1960s,” the decade when Fritz Haller introduced USM Haller and Zenith launched the El Primero, the first integrated automatic chronograph.
The collaboration reimagines the 1969 Zenith Defy, now available as a chronograph. Limited to 60 pieces per color, individually or as a set, the watches feature a USM Gentian Blue dial, with the second hand tipped by a miniature USM Haller ball joint. Every piece comes in a custom USM Haller timepiece chest—because even the smallest object should reflect the brand’s precision and modular philosophy.
“Design isn’t just what you sit on,” Thorson says. “It’s how you live with objects that reflect craftsmanship, longevity, and Swiss heritage.”
Integrating Multimedia Design: Leica and USM Cine Collection II
USM is also bringing modularity into the tech space. The Leica and USM Cine Collection II merges iconic furniture with Leica’s ultra-short-throw Cine 1 TV, expanding design into both offices and living rooms. Four modular sideboards conceal cables, connections, and motorized screens. The screens retract when not in use, preserving clean lines and uncluttered spaces.
“The Leica | USM Cine Collection is modular design meeting high-tech,” Thorson explains. “It’s about creating environments where technology disappears, and design endures.”
The Cine 1 projects 4K images with eye-friendly triple RGB laser technology, complemented by Dolby Atmos® sound. Modular sideboards come in 14 classic USM finishes, blending form and function. “Designing furniture that accommodates technology without compromising style is exactly the challenge we love,” Thorson adds.
Leica and USM have deepened their successful collaboration with the launch of the Leica | USM Cine Collection II, a suite of furniture and technology pairings that elegantly unite work and entertainment.
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Collaborations And Future Design Directions
USM continues to innovate. Designer Henry Jiuli introduces natural wood panels alongside steel and chrome, softening the system. Long-term collaborations with Virginia Tech, Cloud 9’s Enric Ruiz-Geli, and Kevin Jones of Joba Studio explore modularity at an architectural scale.
“The quality is such that you can keep reconfiguring a USM system forever,” Thorson says. “It’s a philosophy of living. And it’s exactly what the next generation is looking for.”
From 19th-century metalworks to iconic furniture, hotel interiors, watch collaborations, and multimedia installations, USM proves that modularity is a mindset. It’s about longevity, flexibility, and timeless aesthetic intelligence. In a world obsessed with the new, USM quietly demonstrates that investing in quality, thoughtful design, and enduring function is the ultimate luxury.
Whether it is home or office, or even public spaces, it is so iconic you know when you see it.
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