Tray oak and ash

From the house of Auerberg in Bavaria comes this simple tray, which comes up with small but fine details, which at the same time give it a very unique aesthetic. The tray body made of oak wood is open on the narrow sides. The handles here are not part of the frame, as is usually the case, but are set on as semicircular strips of ash wood in a striking, handcrafted connection. This special design feature and the color contrast due to the material combination of dark, finely grained oak and lively light ash give the tray its aesthetic appeal. Another functional and haptically pleasant feature is that the rounding of the handle strip points downward, making the tray easy to carry even when fully loaded. The oak wood is treated with linseed oil and therefore food compliant.

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.

Not suitable for direct contact with food.