Dutch Design Week 2014: Plywood Stools by Piet Hein Eek and NLXL LAB

Plywood Print Stool. Born from the creative union of Piet Hein Eek and NLXL LAB in cooperation with Rijksmuseum, the collection features 8 different designs, from Rembrandt to Vermeer. The most recognisable paintings from the art collection of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum are printed onto the seats of these plywood stools by Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek. 

Piet Hein Eek designed the Plywood Print Stool collection for the Dutch wallpaper manufacturer NLXL LAB. Hein Eek combined modern wood cutting and printing technology with traditionally painted images by Dutch Masters, sourced from the collections of the Rijksmuseum. The designer used a specialised wood printer developed by Canon to create the printed seats for the stools, which were influenced by the reproductions of famous paintings often found on museum gift shop items.

"This product can only exist through today's techniques, CNC wood cutting machines and wood enabled printers" said Hein Eek. By printing directly onto the surface of the seat, the grain of the plywood shows through the reproduced paintings and drawings. According to the designer, it was the contrast between different production processes, materials and images that led to the development of the stool. 

"I thought it would be a great idea to combine these innovations with century-old Dutch Masters from the Rijksmuseum collection" said the designer. The collection will be on display at Dutch Design Week, taking place from 18th to 26th October 2014 in Eindhoven (NL) and will be available in-store and online soon after.

Sources: NLXL, Piet Hein Eek, Dutch Design Week, Rijksmuseum, Dezeen, Domus and Jane Richards UK via Vosges Paris