Benchmark and Jaime Hayon remind us of how contagious a smile can be Words by Shoshana Espeut Benchmark introduces the Smile Stool by Jaime Hayon launching in line with Madrid Design Festival from 12 Feb – 31 Mar 2021 Designed by Spanish artist and designer Jaime Hayon for leading British furniture maker Benchmark, the Smile Stool is a joyful and expressive piece of furniture which adds a playful touch to home offices. Celebrating the age-old traditions of craftsmanship in everyday objects, the Smile Stool combines durability and careful detailing with a generous materiality that imbues a wonderful tactility and warmth within each piece. Crafted at Benchmark’s UK workshops from solid American cherry, the soft geometry of the seat and gently curved profile of the underside invites touch. The playful ‘Smile’ doubles as the stool’s carrying handle, while the natural grain of the timber adds to the character and expressive design of the face.