Rey Stool by Bruno Rey

The stool adopts the seat of the Rey chair without its backrest: a molded beech veneer surface set on four solid beech legs, 46.5 cm wide, 46 cm high. This height is that of a standard dining seat, making it an occasional chair that can be used at the same table as the chairs, without anyone ending up lower than the others. Without a backrest, it slides under the tabletop and disappears.

Eight finishes: six opaque lacquers, plus two wood stains—light wood and dark wood—which leave the beech grain visible. Each is available with standard gliders or felt gliders.

The screwless assembly, the 1971 innovation

What made the Rey chair a success is not immediately visible: the legs are not screwed into the seat, but are held in molded aluminum brackets that provide the connection. The wood therefore requires no threading, which explains the model's longevity in commercial settings: a leg that comes loose does not tear the material and can be put back in place. HAY has maintained this principle in re-releasing the edition with Dietiker.