Rey bar stool by Bruno Rey

The Rey bar stool comes in two heights, and the choice is not random: a 65 cm seat height for a kitchen worktop around 90 cm, and 75 cm for a bar or high counter around 105 cm. The general rule is to allow about thirty centimeters between the seat and the underside of the top to accommodate your knees. Overall, this results in a height of 87 cm and 97 cm, with a footprint of 45 x 49.5 cm.

The construction is the same as the chair: a molded beech veneer shell, solid beech legs, and water-based lacquer. Added to this is a footrest, which is essential once your feet no longer touch the floor. There are eight finishes, including six opaque lacquers and two wood stains—light wood and dark wood—which leave the grain of the beech visible, each available in both heights and with either standard glides or felt glides.

Screwless assembly, the 1971 innovation

What made the Rey chair a success is not immediately apparent: the legs are not screwed into the seat but are held by cast aluminum brackets that act as connectors. The wood does not undergo any threading, which explains the longevity of this model in public spaces: a leg that comes loose does not tear the material and can be put back in place. HAY has maintained this principle while reissuing the collection with Dietiker.