Hauben is a collection of outdoor wood furniture which includes a bench, sofa, lounge chair, coffee table and console table. The designs draw inspiration from the qualities of two different types of wood furniture, the robust simplicity of English garden benches and the relaxed proportions and tactile refinement of Scandinavian lounge chairs. Hauben combines these characteristics to create a collection which feels both traditional and contemporary. Its wide arms create a welcoming gesture and convenient surface for drinks and plates. The design’s soft profiles reveal gradations of light, reference the human body and invite touch. These subtleties create intimate moments, a personal connection to something tactile and handcrafted. Designed with Andrew Jones, the collection was first developed for my family home and property – Daalbroek – in Limburg, Belgium.

In 2011 a tornado uprooted dozens of ancient trees in our woodland. Sawn and airdried, this homegrown oak offered a unique opportunity to both design a collection of furniture for my extended family and to make it using our very own wood. Hauben’s beginning at Daalbroek allowed for a deep exploration into the role that furniture plays in enriching a place, and a complete approach for sustainability, including material sourcing, design and fabrication.

The Hauben bench is now available for sale in sustainably sourced teak. It has recently been specified for public seating projects including by landscape architects J&L Gibbons to sit within the newly restored Sumpter Yard of St Albans Cathedral and by Tom Stuart-Smith landscape architects for RHS Great Wisley.