Clever German versatility

Written by

23 May 2021

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4 min read

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An award-winning German furniture manufacturer sets a benchmark for pioneering, innovative, quality designs that can be highly customised on many levels to meet personal requirements.

For more than 20 years Frobisher Interiors has represented some of the world's biggest design names, bringing international flair to New Zealand homes.

One of the standout European names that’s exclusive to Frobisher is Rolf Benz. This stellar range of finely crafted, contemporary furniture is known for its pioneering design and innovative functionality. Having been first produced in the Black Forest in the 1960s, by the 1990s it had become Germany’s most famous furniture brand and it has continued to win national and international acclaim.

Rolf Benz is constantly expanding its offering with iconic new and exciting additions that are destined to become the classics of tomorrow. They recently launched their flexible and freely configurable Stretto Cabinet Furniture system to complement their living, dining and bedding pieces.

The Rolf Benz Stretto cabinet system brings order to every living space and comprises fully customisable lowboys, sideboards, highboys, a media console, a bedside table, wardrobes and open elements.
The Rolf Benz Stretto cabinet system brings order to every living space and comprises fully customisable lowboys, sideboards, highboys, a media console, a bedside table, wardrobes and open elements.

Stretto: bold simple forms

Jennifer Keenan of Frobisher explains: “The name Stretto is Italian for 'strict' and the concept for the system is its bold simplicity of form. Like other Rolf Benz items, Stretto provides the greatest possible freedom to customise to suit your home, offering an incredible variety of shapes, styles, finishes and sizes.”

Rolf Benz Stretto includes lowboards, sideboards, highboards, a bedside table, wardrobes and open shelves. Surrounded by a slimline frame, the elements can be tailored to your requirements with insertion plates and trays.

You can select timber surfaces in natural oak, black oak or American walnut veneer. Ceramic options include Calacatta smooth and Emperador extra. You can choose glass or 14 different colours in matt or high gloss from cool white and warm grey tones to spicy tones in sage, curry, cocoa and cognac.

The cabinets can be positioned on striking sword feet made from aluminium, stylish cast steel feet or on a pedestal. Foot designs can be painted to match the body of the cabinet. Alternatively, the cabinets or shelves can be wall-mounted.

Rolf Benz is also known for its huge variety of sofas, chairs, coffee tables, dining suites, beds, rugs, accessories and outdoor furniture. With each model in the range, there are numerous options.

For example, when you choose a sofa, you can select from several modular elements, seat depths, side elements, foot variants and fabric or leather covering.

The timber frames are sourced locally in Germany and there are over 200 fabrics and 100 leathers to choose from. You are spoilt for choice.

The Rolf Benz 594 high-back armchair is an eye-catching statement whose soft lines offer a visual clue to its particularly soft, light upholstery, while its finely balanced back curve embraces its occupant.
The Rolf Benz 594 high-back armchair is an eye-catching statement whose soft lines offer a visual clue to its particularly soft, light upholstery, while its finely balanced back curve embraces its occupant.

Sustainable design mark

They’re especially proud that the entire upholstered furniture collection has been certified with the ‘Blue Angel’ mark for a healthy living environment and environmentally friendly production. At Rolf Benz, sustainability isn’t simply a trend they’ve latched onto.

Within the company, there is a culture of respect that they’ve upheld since it was founded by a young upholsterer, named Rolf Benz, who set out to revolutionise traditional seating with his hugely successful Addiform range that added flexible elements that could stand alone or fit together in a cohesive furniture landscape.

Rolf Benz keeps its finger on the pulse and continues to thrill. As well as the Stretto cabinets, they recently released an outdoor range for the European summer and the 594 Chair by award-winning designer Sebastian Herkner. The unmistakable 594 Chair has a finely balanced curved back, firmly upholstered seat shell and soft seat cushions.

Jennifer says, in recent times, as we spend more time at home, our living spaces have become more important.

“During an event such as a COVID lockdown, our living spaces are not just places to return to at the end of the day but they’re now spaces for cocooning. The newly designed 594 chair and footstool offer a place to retreat to, to sit and talk on or offline, to read, write or check emails and the latest post. The chair is like a hug in furniture form.”

Learn more about how you can customise your living spaces with high quality German-made Rolf Benz designs by visiting the Auckland or Christchurch showrooms.