What was the starting point and framework you set yourself?

Raimana Jones: I set out to achieve a stool with a sense of lightness, one to suit commercial and residential environments, that celebrates the technical process of tube bending and constructed with an effective use of materials.

What were your main design inspirations?

Bending was a prerequisite and I began to look at design classics that use curves for aesthetic and functional purposes. This led me to studying the construction of the Thonet chair. Like a lot of designers, I’m also very fond of the graceful curves found in most mid-century furniture. It was an era characterised by a sense of optimism that translated into design, often through expressive curves and vibrant colours giving a feeling of warmth and friendliness. 

Tell us how you translated your ideas into the design.

It was important that the curves were expressive, yet not too eccentric. The bending of the legs towards the top section of the stool accentuate the ‘scooping of the body’. The asymmetrical, oval timber seat is made of a very thin, routed solid timber top. The intention was to push the limitation of the wood through a concave that dips to a very thin point in the mid­section and meets the thickness of the supporting steel plate. Some changes to the scale are a result of testing and feedback by friends in architecture and interior design. This iterative process was incredibly valuable.

What’s in the name?

I was browsing through old architects’ names and found Auguste Perett, the French pioneer of steel-reinforced concrete. I thought it was a good match as the steel in the stool acts as reinforcement, but in this case for the slender timber top. 

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Perrett stool
Atelier Jones Design
atelierjonesdesign.co.nz