For Geoff Swinbourne, founder of Crafted Hardwoods, a piece of furniture is so much more than a useful object. It’s a reflection of design, craftsmanship and the materials that shape it. In the same way, the reimagining of the STAY stool is more than a product re-release. It’s about merging local design and materiality in an exciting new way. This collaboration demonstrates how the right materials, combined with the right process, can breathe new life into an iconic design, creating something that holds both fresh meaning and lasting relevance.

Swinbourne, a commercial furniture industry stalwart, is one of those rare founders who not only believes in his product and its capabilities to change the industry for good, but also is a fearless champion of local design, hyper-local manufacturing and creating products that tell stories. 

The lightbulb moment to relaunch Skeehan’s iconic STAY stool, which was first released in 2014 but discontinued in 2020, came to him while watching his kids clambering up onto the two original STAY stools that had been part of the family’s life for almost a decade.

The stool that grew up with the family – now part of something bigger.

As one of the first products Swinbourne helped bring to market during his time at Zenith, the stools had become cherished, practical pieces of furniture, woven into the fabric of everyday moments. “They’ve been a constant in our daily routine,” Swinbourne reflects. “The kids’ perch for Weetbix, the spot to sit and write our to-do lists, the front-row seats for guests when we’re busy in the kitchen, or the vital structure for a sheet fort. Through it all, the beauty of their simple form has always managed to fit seamlessly into our lives.” 

It’s a well-worn trope that designing a chair is the Mount Olympus of product design. With good reason. Chairs are architecture at a human scale. Regardless of the design or material, a chair is one of the most intimate, personal products a designer can design. Quite literally, they support us through almost every moment and phase of our lives – a mother nursing her newborn, a place to curl up and get lost in a book, the source of back pain when the design is lacking or as our postural awareness fades over the course of a long workday. 

In 2014, when Skeehan was a fledgling designer, he knew he wanted to make his mark and design a chair. He also knew that he wasn’t ready to climb that mountain yet. “So I designed a stool, which is where most aspiring industrial designers find an entry point into chair design that has the potential to be commercialised,” he recalls. 

Original design, richer story – the STAY stool celebrates upcycled timber.

Inspired by the humble milking stool, the STAY stool was conceived to be practical and robust while also stirring memories of simpler times, when humans were more closely connected with the natural rhythms of life. “STAY was always about honest, accessible production,” says Skeehan. “The reissue uses engineered timber, which brings new structural consistency, tighter tolerances and a distinct aesthetic, while keeping the soul of the original intact. There’s real power in that restraint.” 

Recognising not only the power of this humble, useful object, but also the exciting opportunity to lean into hyperlocal end-to-end design and manufacturing, Swinbourne held onto his lightbulb idea and set about making it happen.

“I got to know Tom [Skeehan], who is also a Canberra local, really well during the original design and distribution phase,” Swinbourne recalls. “I have so much respect for his design skill and ability to be both creative and practical. I was in my kitchen one day, looking at the stools and I just knew they’d look amazing in our timber. They’re designed for disassembly, so I pulled them apart, took the original timber pieces down to the workshop, remade them in our spotted gum from offcuts I had, and the result was even better than I expected. I immediately sent Tom a photo and said, ‘We need to bring them back’.” 

Skeehan didn’t hesitate. “Geoff brings a deep respect for timber, process and data,” he says. “After that initial message, we spent time talking through opportunities, material performance and how to support local manufacturing. The collaboration gave the piece a fresh lens and helped me reflect on how far Australian design and manufacturing has come over the past nine years.”

Designer Tom Skeehan reunited with Geoff Swinbourne to revive the STAY stool for Crafted Hardwoods.

As exciting as the relaunch of an icon is – especially when it draws on the expertise of a tight-knit community of designers, woodworkers and metalworkers all within a 30-kilometre radius – the question remains: why would Crafted Hardwoods, a bold innovator in transforming low-grade, overlooked timber into architectural hardwoods, take the leap into producing and distributing its own product?

The answer lies in Swinbourne’s indomitable drive to give designers what they ask for, and show how Crafted Hardwoods can seamlessly fit into designs that traditionally use timber. “Very early on, the design community asked us what products they could specify that were made in our material, but third-party manufacturers were slow to create or offer them. So, we took the initiative and made it happen,” he explains.

STAY is the perfect example of how Crafted Hardwoods can bring a new depth of richness to the material palette. It’s not just about replacing one material with another – it’s about offering architects and designers a versatile, sustainable option that works effortlessly in their existing visions.  

For Skeehan, the collaboration “shows we don’t always need to start from scratch”. 

“Revisiting a strong idea with new materials, better data and tighter local supply chains is just as valuable,” he says. “It proves that slower, smarter design, grounded in place and process, is the way forward.” 

Ultimately, taking the design, production and distribution in-house and reviving the STAY stool is a bold move – one that Swinbourne and his team hope will be a catalyst to introduce Crafted Hardwoods’ materials to the architecture and design community in a new light, while simultaneously overcoming the challenges of introducing new materials to risk-averse manufacturers. As Swinbourne puts it with a knowing smile, “I’m not one to sit around waiting for things to happen. Tom and I, we share the same spirit of ‘let’s just get s**t done!’ So, here we are.'”

STAY is equally at home in hospitality spaces as in residential projects.

STAY is available directly through Crafted Hardwoods, in a range of upcycled timbers celebrating Australian species. Its versatile design makes it perfect for everything from homes to high-end hospitality spaces. With three standard height options, the stool features a universal aluminium bracket that seamlessly connects the timber assembly. This design allows for adjustable heights, while maintaining a consistent, unified look across all versions.

Find out more on the Crafted Hardwoods website.

Photography supplied.