This stable, four-legged stool attracts attention for two reasons, but without pushing itself to the fore. Firstly, it impresses with a cushion-shaped seat that is completely flat on the surface, making it ideal for use as a side table. Secondly, the seat is made of six (!) centimetres thick Bavarian ash wood. This makes the seat material opulent and solid, but also visually remarkable, as the dark core typical of ash wood is not sorted out as usual, but is also used here. It is clearly visible in the seat and gives each chair an individual look. This also means that the stool delivered to your home will differ from the photo in terms of grain and color. Every stool looks a little different.

Auerberg in Bavaria manufactures the stool from local wood. The four oak legs are joined to the seat using the classic wedge-joint technique, or rather embedded in it, as can be seen from the circles in the seat. The choice of materials, design and the neat craftsmanship, including the joining technique and surface treatment, turn this inconspicuous piece of furniture into a solid wood gem that fits into any room in a timeless, classic manner.

Radical reduction in form and material and a complete focus on function - that is the guiding principle behind the furniture from Auerberg. These are handcrafted products that are designed away from industrial standards, far removed from fashion and uninfluenced by marketing constraints and produced in small batches. Behind every single piece of furniture is the authentic personality of the respective designer - and because there is no restrictive program dictate, the product designers are only committed to their own standards. Accordingly, all Auerberg furniture is unmistakable, sometimes purist to the point of stubbornness, extremely solid in terms of craftsmanship and thus virtually made to last.

The furniture is manufactured regionally in Upper Bavaria and the wood - mostly oak, ash and beech - comes from certified forestry operations. The mastermind behind Auerberg is Christoph Böninger, once a professional globetrotter, now a settled design publisher. Well-connected in design circles, Böninger works in Munich and on his farm in Auerberg - hence the name of the project - near Bad Aibling. And even though Böninger has gathered a number of designers and architects around him for his "product lab" - with established greats standing alongside up-and-coming talent - he still lends a hand himself. Sometimes he oils wooden furniture and gets it ready for shipping. Incidentally, Auerberg's greatest successes to date include the AEKI step stool by Gerhardt Kellermann and the "Silent Ladder" by Christoph Böninger himself, a versatile hybrid of stepladder and silent servant.