Bernard is a lounge chair designed by Shane Schneck for HAY, developed from a deliberate ambition to create a new and affordable design classic — a chair that combines contemporary aesthetic relevance with the material quality and formal resolution to remain valid across changing interior trends and future generations of use. Schneck's approach centred on the easy chair genre within a contemporary context, exploring the productive tension between a solid wood frame and a visually light, slip-on cover that creates a distinctive formal relationship between the two components.

The juxtaposition of the solid oak or beech frame — available in different finishes — and the slip-on cover creates a chair in which the structural skeleton and the soft surface are visually distinct, each legible as an independent element while together forming a coherent, comfortable whole. The slip-on cover is practical in its removability for cleaning or replacement, and this construction logic supports the chair's long-term usability and material sustainability. The overall form is warm, inviting, and designed for genuine lounge comfort.

The Bernard is well suited to residential living rooms, reading nooks, and private lounge settings where a comfortable, affordable lounge chair of genuine design aspiration and material quality is the brief. Its combination of solid wood and textile cover makes it adaptable to a range of interior aesthetic directions, from natural Scandinavian schemes to warmer, more eclectic residential settings.

HAY produces the Bernard to the material and construction standards consistent with its commitment to accessible, long-lasting furniture design that does not compromise on quality.

Available as a 2D DWG drawing and 3D model.