Every chair comes with its own personality. At one end of the spectrum, you have Pierre Jeanneret’s famous cane chair: a seat so chock-full of wisdom and authority that even college professors would be jealous. On the other end, you have chunky swivel chairs and quirky stools. These friendly surfaces embody the fun and casual qualities one might search for in a new best friend. Then, somewhere in the middle, you’ll find this contoured statement seat: Sophisticated yet sexy, this is the kind of chair you want to take out on a date.
The seat in question has no name, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t instantly recognizable. Often found in sultry dining rooms, it can easily be identified by its strong swooping curves, half-moon back, and abrupt brass legs, which are unmistakable references to Art Deco design. Despite its 20th century allure, we’ve been noticing this glamorous gem resurfacing in the homes and dining rooms of design-minded individuals.
No stranger to Parisian apartments or vintage round dining tables that mimic its romantic shape, this semicircular seat’s bold silhouette complements a wide variety of decor styles. It can go high-glam in a rich velvet or simmer down in modern camel leather.
Just comfortable enough to invite guests to gather but not too cushy to the point where they’ll stay into the wee hours of the night, this chair presents the perfect marriage of ease and luxury. While some furniture purveyors have kept with this straightforward silhouette, others have adapted its curves to form new cozy nests.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite versions of this glam seat so you can get in on the trend no matter your budget.
Velvet is a match made in heaven for a seat as luxe-looking as this. In a dining room that catches great sunlight, these airy chairs promise not to obstruct the view with their slim steel frames.
Chic and totally customizable, you can take this chair in just about any stylistic direction. Crisp white linen, for instance, will lend itself well to a rustic-luxe setting while an inky gray would serve as an edgy complement to industrial, cool decor.
Offering a more contemporary riff on Art Deco ambiance, this re-creation’s sculptural frame gets its all-encompassing form from a single piece of molded acrylic. Instead of a built-in backrest, guests are instead greeted and supported by a cozy pillow for extra comfort.
Borrowing references from modern minimalism and the Bauhaus, this chair’s back doesn’t span the sweeping half-moon shape we’ve been seeing, but its streamlined joints and its balanced composition embody elegance all the same.
