1966: The Beatles stormed the charts, twist fever broke out – and while everyone was dancing around their living rooms to The Mamas and the Papas' ‘Monday Monday’, a new design icon was born: Rolf Heide's stacking chair. Not a superstar made of vinyl, but a little hero for anyone who had limited space but big plans...
The best thing about it: the stackable bed was designed for Brigitte readers – yes, you read that right! While the female readers of Brigitte were discussing fashion, recipes and interior design trends, Heide was already thinking about how to design a piece of furniture that could be a bed, a sofa and a guest solution all at once – flexible enough to accommodate spontaneous visitors without cluttering up the small living space in Hamburg. Rolf Heide was working as an author and designer for the editorial team at the time – together they developed the idea of selling clever, collapsible furniture by mail order. A piece of furniture that was as flexible as the readers' lives: a bed, sofa and guest solution in one, easy to transport and stackable in case visitors turned up spontaneously. In short: the first multifunctional furniture (not only) for women who wanted to juggle everything – or rather, fit everything onto a lounger. And a star of women's magazines, of course.
The magic is in the details: laminated wood side panels with their characteristic curves fit together perfectly, allowing you to stack two, three or five beds in no time at all. Minimal effort, maximum effect – and with a touch of humour: who would have thought that a bed could be so charmingly stackable?
The stackable lounger has been manufactured by Müller Small Living (formerly Müller Möbelwerkstätten) in Lower Saxony since 1966. The former ‘student bed’ has become a design classic that has inspired generations – and not just because of its clever stacking principle.
To mark its 60th birthday, there is now a splash of colour: five original 1960s colours that are as charming as the music of the time. Apricot brown and bamboo yellow bring sunshine into the room, fairy tale blue has a calming effect, while liqueur red and alexandrite green add bold accents. Retro? Yes, a little. Nostalgic? Hardly. Flexible and fresh? Absolutely.
Anyone who would like to see the stacking lounger in person can do so until 7 June 2026 at the August Kestner Museum in Hanover – in the exhibition ‘Fun Design | Circular Design’. A treat for anyone who wants to see how clever design can endure for six decades.
Rolf Heide, the creative mind behind this classic, has shaped the German understanding of functional design with his furniture and lighting. His message? Design must serve, not dazzle. The Stapelliege proves that sometimes a simple, well-thought-out piece of furniture is enough to create a little bit of everyday happiness – and has been doing so for 60 years.
Conclusion: small flat, great comfort – and a stacking lounger that proves that good ideas never grow old.
