Discover Germany | Design | Product of the Month, Austria
PRODUCT OF THE MONTH, AUSTRIA
Left: Playtime around Benni’s Nest. Right: Bedtime stories with Benni’s Nest. Below: Nicole and Stephan Pröll with their two sons. Photo: © Hanna Haböck. Bottom: True sustainability defies time, Benni’s Nest as a side table.
Love and Arolla pine make Benni’s Nest A versatile, unique piece of furniture, Benni’s Nest is a wonderful little baby bassinet made of Austrian pine wood. While its primary purpose is helping babies find deep and healthy sleep, Benni’s Nest is uniquely sustainable in both resources and functionality as it can be used as a chest, bench or side table. TEXT: THOMAS SCHROERS | PHOTOS: SUZY STÖCKL
The story of the product begins with Nicole and Stephan Pröll’s second son Benedikt. He was a premature baby and, as his parents’ worries grew, could not find rest and peaceful sleep at night. It was only when his grandma suggested putting him to bed in one of the drawers of an old pine dresser, that he was finally able to relax and sleep. His parents were astounded by the effect and consequently searched to find out whether there was an actual little Arolla bed on the market. As the search did not bear any results, they decided to take matters into their own hands, drew a concept and, together with a carpenter, created Benni’s Nest. In total, the process of developing the piece of furniture took close to a year. Naturally, prototypes had to be tested with regard to security, design and functionality. The cur16 | Issue 51 | June 2017
rent TÜV-approved sales version of Benni’s Nest is manufactured by hand from local organic materials. Pine and loden materials are sourced in Austria and it takes many small steps to create one Nest. The piece itself is clearly highlighted by the texture and aroma of the wood, details like the holes for aeration and the calming, beautifully shaped design. The Arolla aroma has long been known for its pleasant, soothing smell that sustains even after 200 years. This year, Benni’s Nest will turn two years old. For the Pröll’s, creating their own furniture was a challenging but fulfilling experience, as customers uniformly praise the product. It is a piece that perfectly fulfils its core function while also being able to grow with your child, becoming his or her chest for toys and treasures (with each Nest comes a lid), a bench to sit on (just
turn the Nest upside down and attach the little mattress) or a side table to play games on. It is this level of sustainability and material quality joined by the love of Benni’s parents that sets the bed apart and truly makes it Benni’s Nest. www.bennisnest.com office@bennisnest.com