Match made in heaven: Master Oak and Frem's Novus Lette desk

Frem’s Novus collection focuses on collaborative furniture and flexible storage, bringing today’s modern office solutions that are agile and adaptable. Frem makes every one of its workplace solutions entirely in-house: from the selection of materials to processing and finishing.

One of the latest designs to emerge from Frem is the Novus Lette Desk that evolves its popular Novus A-Zone Collaboration Bench with a slimline construction and tactile, premium finishes. In the development of this new collaborative furniture, one of the Frem design team discovered Unilin Panels Master Oak and saw it as the perfect solution for the desktop.

Discovering Master Oak HPL has really helped us to deliver a premium quality of finish and with a surface we know is durable enough for demanding use. It gives the natural quality of an oak veneer but won’t need replacing, and that’s a major plus for the design principles behind the desk.

-Stephen Clarke, head of design

Efficient production with Master Oak

Fortunately, Master Oak comes in high-quality HPL (High Pressure Laminate) sheets that are ideal for furniture production. Flexible, formable and with matching edging tape, Master Oak HPL was the perfect choice to achieve the design integrity of the Novus Lette, while fitting straight into the manufacturer’s existing production.

Frem manufactures all its desktops in the same way. The HPL edging tape is laminated to the MDF and then the desk is CNC cut and profiled with the spindle cutter. It’s exactly the same process as the company would use for a genuine wood veneer and Master Oak passed through it without problem. There was no tearaway or splintering and it proved a robust surface to work with. 

Quality design with authentic oak effect

The Novus Lette brings a lightweight metal frame and slimline pill-shaped desktop for hybrid working and collaborative tasks. It is designed to fit harmoniously in office interiors focused on engaging and supportive environments that create a strong sense of place and home-like comfort. It is also the company’s first product to feature a new cashmere textured paint finish and Master Oak from Unilin Panels.

Master Oak uses exclusive Timber Touch Technology to create an incredibly authentic oak effect available in a range of natural colours. Not only is there a synchronised texture, but one that’s deeper and more variable than regular HPL finishes, so that Master Oak looks and feels just like real wood.

Sustainability at it finest

Just like all solutions from Frem, which occupies a BREEAM Very Good rated headquarters in Northampton UK, Novus Lette is made with sustainability in mind, including the use of Master Oak. The desk can be easily disassembled so that its constituent parts can be reused or have the potential to be recycled once its end of life has been reached.

Novus Lette also offers a long life through quality materials and this was one of the deciding factors in selecting Master Oak as opposed to a wood veneer. It has the same tactile quality and appearance but with up to three-times the scratch resistance, it’s more durable and will last longer.

Master Oak can also be specified on 100% recovered fibreboards and chipboard from Unilin Panels. Unilin Panels’ chipboard is even made from 95% recycled wood and Unilin Panels has world-first recycling technology that enables its fibreboards to also include post-consumer recycled wood. 

Want to feel Master Oak yourself?

Order your free sample here