Our product development team has been working together with respected designers since day one. These partnerships can consist of developing a bed or textile collection or jointly carrying out a colour study. But it is always based on a shared pursuit of elegant, high-quality designs and well thought-out products that contribute to a well-rested world.

Dick Cordemeijer, born in 1924 in Amsterdam, studied mechanical engineering. He began his career as a draughtsman-builder and began working at Auping in 1952.

Cordemeijer designed, amongst others, the Cleopatra divan bed for Auping in 1953. He was asked to design ‘something beautiful’ for Auping.
In the 1950's, bedroom interior design took on a new look and the elegant Cleopatra fit in perfectly with the new style. The Cleopatra is synonymous with genuine industrial design, it is the first bed produced in a series by Auping.

After 1954, Cordemeijer continued his career as an independent industrial designer and worked for companies like Gispen, where he designed numerous office furniture models.

Cordemeijer died in 1998.  
Image credits: Book Het bed van de toekomst is nooit af. 

Friso Kramer, born in 1922 in Amsterdam, studied at the Institute for Applied Arts. He began his career as an interior architect. Kramer’s designs include the well-known Revolt chair and the famous green letterbox.

He held a large number of board positions, including one at the Rietveld Academy and Amsterdam Arts Council. From 1971 to 1983, he was director of the Ahrend design agency. Kramer was also a member of the Industrial Design Council and International Design Consortium and he was a guest lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.

For Auping, Kramer’s designs include the Ariadne and Couchette beds and Euroika set, created between the years 1954 and 1965. His Auping designs feature functional, clear-cut shapes and continue to form an important part of Auping design history. 

Friso Kramer died in February 2019.
Image credits: Wikipedia

Beeldcredits: wikipedia

After his technical study Mechanical Engineering, Frans de la Haye earned a degree in Industrial Design from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. De la Haye has worked for a wide range of clients, including Ahrend, KLM, PTT and Shell. For Auping, De la Haye not only designed the Auronde, but also the Superbox and Royal beds.

The Auronde
In 1972, Frans de la Haye was commissioned by Auping to design a new wood and steel bed, but he saw nothing redeemable about those steel beds with wooden slats. So he decided to toss out the idea and design a bed that he would like personally. “Because I’m not so special to think that if I like it, I’m the only one who will like it."

"I wanted to design a bed that would be comfortable for many years and that would be easy to assemble and disassemble.” At that time, many beds were made of particle board, which damaged easily. So De la Haye opted for beech wood and came up with the characteristic aluminium connectors, which are an important party of the design.

Köhler Wilms is an interdisciplinary design studio. Since 1996, Claudia Köhler and Irmy Wilms-Haverkamp have been developing products (including furniture and interior furnishings) used by millions of users and have been awarded several international prizes. Their goal is to make products that make users happy and products that are long-lasting due to their timelessness, while at the same time being versatile.

For Auping, the design duo designed the Essential, which has won several awards. The Essential is synonymous with innovation and sustainability with a contemporary, attractive and almost iconic look. The unique interrelationships and organic shapes give this bed model a friendly and natural look. “We believe it is important that the Essential can be used in a wide range of styles and interiors, which in turn guarantees a long lifespan.”

Studio Rens is a research and design studio run by Renee Mennen and Stefanie Keijsteren. Based in Eindhoven, the duo carries out projects in which colour often plays a key role. Studio Rens is considered an innovator in the landscape of Dutch Design

They carried out a colour study for Auping, the results of which were presented in an artistic manner during Dutch Design Week in 2018 in the form of the exhibition Nighty Night Colours.

Image credits: Aisha Zeijpveld

Eva Harlou is a Danish architect who graduated from the Aarhus School of Architecture in 2003. Her Scandinavian eye for shapes, functionality and beauty is reflected in all her designs.

According to Eva, design stands for craftsmanship, art and hand-made details, and it centres around capturing everyday moments. In order to achieve that, it is important to understand people and to assume responsibility for the world around us. Her designs always have a clear concept, and they tell a story.

She enjoys how simple and beautiful geometric shapes can sometimes solve a challenge in a project or piece of furniture, and she believes that design should be functional, durable and beautiful. We couldn’t agree more.

For Auping, Eva deigned Noa, this wooden bed is a genuine Scandinavian design, with simple shapes, clever details and natural materials.

Meet Eva here.