There are chairs, and then there are chairs. We’re talking about furniture that exists on the bleeding edge of creativity and innovation. Chairs that will make you laugh, dazzle you with their beauty and clever design, and in some cases, scare the bejesus out of you or leave you scratching your head.
You’ll find examples of all of that (and more) in this article. We’ve scoured the web on a quest to find the coolest of cool chairs being created and sold today. Fair warning though: It’s virtually guaranteed that you won’t like everything you find here.
Some of these are mass-produced, while others are one-of-a-kind creations. We won’t discriminate in this article; our mission is to show you what today’s most creative designers are doing to push into new frontiers. Ready to dive in with us? Let’s go!
Cool Looking Chairs
This section is something of a catch-all, filled with fun, interesting and well-designed chairs you might find in various rooms in your home.
The Fjord Relax Armchair
An unusual looking chair brought to us by designer Patricia Urquiola. Utilizing steel, leather, and block foam, and inspired by the Jacobsen “Egg Chair,” this take on that classic design is a lesson in simplicity and minimalism, offering a great aesthetic that can blend easily with almost any home décor scheme. A great chair for relaxing, reading, or conversing with friends.
The Poul Volther EJ5 Corona Wood Frame Chair
The brainchild of Poul Volther, the Corona is a stylish, modern-looking lounger with a unique segmented design. These are unique comfy chairs that are offered in a variety of colors and blend in well with just about any home décor scheme.
The Paimio Armchair 41
This is a sleek modern design that people who love a minimalist aesthetic will almost certainly be drawn to. With clean, simple lines, it’s a glorious achievement born of the mind of Alvar Aalto. Perhaps the most amazing thing about this chair though is that even today it looks delightfully modern, but the design itself dates back to the Great Depression! That’s a testament to how far ahead of his time Aalto was and speaks volumes about this design.
The Affinity Chair
Designed by Ben Alun-Jones, this mostly transparent chair takes on the colors and characteristics of the materials that surround it, rendering it virtually invisible, which has the effect of making the person sitting in it appear to be floating in midair. Even better, the Affinity chair is fitted with LED lights that glow a soft-hued blue when activated, giving it a luminescent, otherworldly appearance, and making it one of the most interesting chairs in our collection.
The Aston Martin Lounge Chair
Inspired by the designs of Aston Martin cars, this curvaceous, elegant lounger may be out of reach, price-wise for many would-be purchasers, but is absolutely deserving of a mention on our list. These are stylish, fun lounge chairs that would make a superb addition to just about any home.
The Setu Lounge Chair and Ottoman
This is one of the only chairs on our list made by a mainstream manufacturer that Americans will recognize. Herman Miller employs many world-class designers and over the years, has introduced some truly stunning designs, including the Aeron and Sayl chairs. The Setu is less well-known, but like its cousins, is a stunning achievement. It’s probably one of the coolest, most versatile loungers around, and can easily be used as an office or gaming chair.
At first glance, we were reminded of the famous “Ghost Chair,” but unlike that design, this lounger features an exceptional suite of ergonomic features, making it ideal for sitting several hours at a stretch. This is an amazing, versatile, endlessly useful chair.
The Karuselli Lounge Chair
Designed by Finnish architect Yrjo Kukkapurro, this is quite possibly one of the most fun swivel chairs we’ve ever seen. Constructed of white fiberglass and stainless steel, this chair and ottoman would look fantastic in any home that features other futuristic design elements.
Upholstered in top-quality grain leather (offered in a variety of colors) and well padded, this is decadence in chair form. A magnificent design.
The Bahia Chair
Offered by 20 Age, these fun reading chairs are plush, comfortable and brightly colored. Granted, the aesthetic isn’t our cup of tea, but for the right person, 20 Age’s designs are simply to die for. While it’s not true of all the company’s designs, this model, in particular, has a fun, playful, feminine look, and we’d consider these to be extremely cool chairs for girls. A fabulous addition to our list!
The Peacock Chair
The aptly named Peacock chair was designed by Dror Bershetrit and is manufactured in Italy by Cappellini. Whatever room this chair is found in, it’s bound to make a statement, and it’s surprisingly comfortable, to boot.
Note that designer Tokujin Yoshioka created a design called the “Bouquet Armchair” that could fairly be described as a close cousin to the Peacock, so if one isn’t to your liking, perhaps the other will be.
The Pink Chair
Designed by Vladimir Tsesler, the moment you see this chair for the first time, you’ll probably smack your head and wonder why nobody thought of this before. It’s a simple, fun, bold design may not fit into every home décor scheme, but for the right person, it’s solid gold!
Fun Chairs
This is another broad, catch-all category, with the chairs in this section being characterized by the fact that they’re constructed of unusual materials, have a zany or unexpected appearance, and many (but not all) are finished with bold, bright colors. You’ll find an even mix of funny desk chairs, fun teen chairs, and plenty for adults to love too!
The Skateboard Stool
Created by Jason Podlaski, this is a fun chair for adults and kids alike, built using old skateboards. Each one is unique, so if you’re planning to buy several, you’ll wind up with a collection that has a common, unified aesthetic, while simultaneously, having a number of one-of-a-kind creations. The best of both worlds!
The Speed Chair
Designer Boris Bally draws inspiration from an unusual source, utilizing old road signs in his creations, repurposing them in the form of chairs. The speed chair is a classic example of his work. While it’s true that you’ll need to add some kind of padding or seat cushion to make it viable for long-duration seating, Boris Bally creations are undeniably fun desk chairs, and no two are exactly alike!
The Shape-Shifting Ollie Chair
Fashioned with teakwood and aluminum, these innovative, versatile chairs are great for indoor or outdoor use. Brought to you by the design team of Jessica Banks and Pete Schlebecker, the great thing about this design is that when not in use, the chairs fold up, rather like an accordion, so storing them in the off-season or when you need to repurpose the space for some other purpose is a snap.
While they weren’t expressly designed for the purpose, depending on your home’s décor scheme, these would make some seriously fun patio chairs!
The UFO Chair
These are both fun and funny bean bag chairs, and even better, they’re amazingly versatile. Not only do you get the casual convenience of the classic beanbag chair, but you get it in a UFO-shaped frame that enables it to rock, tilt and swivel. It might not fit into every home décor scheme, but if it fits into yours, this would be a fabulous addition to your home!
The Fat Boy
A much more conventional take and update of the classic bean bag chair. This one was designed by Jukka Setala and is made right here in the USA. It’s a great, versatile, “go-anywhere” type of chair that can be used for lounging, as a massive body pillow, or even as a spare bed in a pinch.
The Nest Chair
Designed by Seyhan Ozdemir and Sefer Caglar, the Nest Chair offers a cozy, semi-private seating experience that’s strangely reminiscent of a bird cage.
It’s a visually interesting design makes a statement, regardless of the room you place it in. Best of all, it’s a very comfortable chair, making it a true delight to spend some time sitting in. A great design that works well with a surprising percentage of home décor schemes.
The Porsche 911 Office Chair
These are more than just creative office chairs, they make amazing gaming chairs, too. Yes, the designers actually use the racing seat from a Porsche 911 in the construction of this chair! You get all the features you’d expect in a top-quality office or gaming chair, plus the comfort and refinement of the Porsche 911 seat; to say nothing of the bragging rights. A truly awesome chair design.
The Perseus Dining Chair
Designer David Savage has really gone above and beyond with the Perseus chair. It’s an amazing piece of work and one of the most fun dining chairs we’ve ever seen. Truly a thing of beauty, these chairs almost can’t help but enhance the aesthetic of your home. You’ll pay a premium for a design like this, but it’s worth every penny!
The Magis Julian Children’s Chair
Italian furniture company Magis has a whole line of wacky chairs for kids, and this is part of that collection. Designed by Javier Mariscal, the idea here was to begin to blur the line between toys and furniture, creating a fun kid-sized seat that could also be played with. The entire Magis “Me Too” collection is magical and wonderful. If you have kids, these are well worth taking a closer look at!
The Magis Puppy
This is another example drawn from the Magis “Me Too” collection we mentioned above. Designer Eero Aarnio added to the collection with the creation of this fun puppy that’s one-part toy and one-part child-sized chair. A fun, colorful addition to any home with children in it!
The Magis Rocky
Yet another entry on our list that comes from the Magis “Me Too” line of kid-sized furniture, these are fun rocking chairs and toys, all rolled into one. Designer Marc Newson did a brilliant job of capturing the magic of the rocking horse, incorporating it into a fun, modern, kid-friendly seat.
Loosely based on the look of medieval jousting horses, this would be a stellar addition to almost any child’s bedroom!
The MT3 Rocker
If you’re looking for a clever, creative, strangely beautiful adult-sized rocking chair, look no further than the MT3, designed by Ron Arad. The “MT” in the chair’s name is pronounced “empty,” and when you look at the chair, the significance of those letters become clear. It’s a robust, futuristic looking rocker (offered in a variety of accent colors) that features an almost shocking amount of empty space. We love this design!
Innovative Chairs
In this section, we’ll be taking a closer look at some truly creative chairs that either belong to a broader set of home furniture, or that fulfill multiple functions (aside from the obvious) simultaneously. Check out these examples!
The 3D Coffee Table & Stool Set
If you’re looking for a clever, creative, strangely beautiful adult-sized rocking chair, look no further than the MT3, designed by Ron Arad. The “MT” in the chair’s name is pronounced “empty,” and when you look at the chair, the significance of those letters become clear. It’s a robust, futuristic looking rocker (offered in a variety of accent colors) that features an almost shocking amount of empty space. We love this design!
The Swing Table
Offered by Duffy London, these simple but awesome chairs will leave you smiling, not to mention the fact that they’ll completely redefine dinnertime at your house.
Taking inspiration from the simple playground swing, this combination of a dining table plus a set of swing chairs makes an unexpected addition to any home that’s guaranteed to be a conversation starter. While it’s absolutely true that this design won’t appeal to everyone, it’s so fun and original that we would have been remiss not to include it. Kudos to Duffy London for their brilliant design!
The Timeout Stool
Okay, so your kids might not think much of this design, but parents will love it! It’s a stool that doubles as an hourglass. Flip it over when your child misbehaves and have them sit in “time out” until the last grain of sand falls to the bottom. A brilliant, multi-function stool that parents of young children are sure to get a lot of use out of.
The Hollow Chair
Designed by Judson Beaumont and offered by Straight Line Designs, the hollow chair is not only an original work of art, but it’s one of the most unique reading chairs we’ve ever seen. Of course, you don’t have to stash your favorite books in the chair; the vast hollow space can be used to store most anything, but admit it; if you’re an avid reader, you know all your favorite books are going to wind up tucked away in the chair itself, and who could blame you?
The Ofo
Offered by Solovyov Design, if the Hollow Chair we talked about above doesn’t have an aesthetic that’s to your liking, this one might be a better fit. Like the Hollow Chair, it offers a comfortable place to curl up and read, along with ample storage for all your favorite books!
The Obelisk Chair
This design is one-part work of art and one-part function. When not in use, the cushioned chairs and table can be stacked to create an obelisk, keeping them out of the way and giving you more useable space in whatever room you have it in.
Then, any time you need seating for entertaining, in a matter of minutes, you can transform your obelisk into well-padded, comfortable chairs and a table. Amazing chairs that serve multiple roles at once. We love it.
The Trix Lounge
This simple design comes to us from Piero Lissoni and is manufactured in Italy. Like the “Fat Boy,” we mentioned earlier, it’s an incredibly versatile seat that can transform, in a matter of minutes into an ottoman or stool, a lounger, or a full-length bed, depending on your needs.
If you love simple furniture that can be used in a variety of different ways, this one is simply a must have design!
Unique Wooden Chairs
Who doesn’t like the durability and aesthetic of all-wood furniture? The pieces here are hand-crafted, unique chairs, sometimes modeled after famous designs, and sometimes completely new. In every case though, they bear the unmistakable stamp of each craftsman’s creativity.
The Wooden Panton Chair
Inspired by Verner Panton’s stacking design and built by designer Matthias Brandmaier, this sturdy work of art would be a great addition to any home with a rustic décor scheme.
The Gehry Cross Check Chair
Designed by Frank Gehry, this is one of the most original chairs we’ve seen recently. Constructed of ribbons of laminated maple, the design is beyond graceful. In fact, looking at it, one might almost be afraid to even try and sit in it.
Not to worry, it’s as rugged and durable as it is beautiful, and would make a great addition to almost any room. A set would even make exquisite dining room furniture, although be prepared for some sticker shock if you plan on buying a set!
The Newson Wooden Chair
Marc Newson’s beech heartwood chair might not look sturdy with its almost impossibly thin lines, but you’ll be amazed at its durability and surprising level of comfort. It’s a fun, playful design that shows exactly why Newson is among the most accomplished designers of his generation.
This chair will look right at home almost anywhere and is such a clever design that it’s sure to spark lively conversations as your friends, neighbors and family members demand to know where you got it. Perhaps best of all though, is the fact that it’s light enough that moving it from one room to another is a breeze, so it won’t be tied to one particular location of your house – you can enjoy it anywhere!
The Upside Down Chair
Created by designer Floris Wubben, this is a truly fascinating, earthy design. Some might even go so far as to call these chairs creepy, but we love them! They’re strange chairs, no doubt. Crafted from inverted willow trees, the dried branches serve as the chair’s legs, while its trunk serves as the seat and seatback.
Sans padding, these chairs don’t win high marks for comfort, but they sure make a statement in whatever room you put them in!
The Inception Chair
If you love the works of M. C. Escher, then Vivian Chiu’s inception chair is going to be your new favorite piece of furniture. This simple all-wooden design is actually made up of several chairs stacked together like nesting dolls, creating one useable, functional whole while simultaneously providing a mesmerizing visual feast. This one’s not to be missed!
The Slice Chair
Mathias Bengtsson is a designer like none other, offering an extensive collection of furniture and other artworks on his gallery A great example of his work takes the form of the Slice Chair, which is constructed entirely of layers of plywood and bearing a mesmerizing organic shape that’s reminiscent of rock formations found in the badlands of Utah. If you have a home décor scheme dominated by earth tones, this would be a fabulous addition.
The Wiggle Chair
This is an older Frank Gehry design, created back in the early 1970s. At first glance, one might not even think this to be a chair at all, but rather, a strange, squiggly sculpture.
While it’s true that they’re bizarre chairs (and a bit strange looking, to boot), they are perfectly serviceable and more comfortable than you might think. They’d mesh poorly with some home décor schemes, but for the right person, a few of these would be a fabulous home addition!
Weird Chairs
The Octopus Chair
Brought to you by Maximo Riera, the Octopus Chair definitely qualifies as a strange beast and has an undeniably creepy vibe to it. It looks like something you’d see in a movie based on one of the Cthulu stories.
Note that the Octopus Chair is part of a larger set, a collection of animal chairs made by Maximo Riera, which include:
- The Rhino Chair
- The Elephant Chair
- The Hippo Chair
- The Toad Sofa
- The Whale Chair
- The Beetle Chair
- The Baby Elephant Chair
- The Buffalo Chair
- And the Walrus Chair
While none of these are optimized for long-duration sitting and working, in a pinch you could use them as a set of truly weird office chairs, and doing so would give you a unified (if highly unusual) basis for a décor scheme.
Even if you find that you don’t like them, they’re undeniably creative!
The Rive Droite Lounge Chair
This delightful chair comes to us from designer Patrick Norguet and is a delightful throwback to the sixties. It’s a great synthesis of fashion, design, and comfort, offered in a variety of bold, vibrant colors. It won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’re a fan of the sixties, then this chair is likely to be a superb addition to your home’s décor scheme.
The Joe Colombo Tube Chair
An interesting take on the amazing noodle chair, this one is constructed from what looks at first glance like several oversized, hollow pool noodles, arranged in sequence. The aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but if you’re casting about for a fun, colorful way to liven up a room, give this chair a second (or even third) look!
The Castiglioni Mezzadro Stool
Sometimes, simplicity is best. That’s certainly the case with the amazing Castiglioni Mezzadro stool. Lightweight, offered in a variety of bold, fun colors, and more comfortable than it looks, these are the perfect portable seating solution.
They might make funny beach chairs, but honestly, if all you’re looking for is a means of getting your rump up off the sand, they’re amazingly practical beach chairs and are versatile enough to be used in a variety of other settings (both indoor and out) as well.
Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, this design has been around for decades but has been kept up to date by incorporating modern materials into its design. A wonderful, surprising seating solution.
The Thinking Man’s Chair
This brilliant Jasper Morrison design is a fantastic, unusual outdoor chair. Patio furniture tends to be rather unimaginative, but Morrison proves with his design that it doesn’t have to be that way. Fashioned of varnished metal and tubular steel, it’s a visually interesting design that’s also a joy to relax in.
The Dark Side Chair
In the world of odd chairs, it’s hard to find one that tops the Darth Vader “Dark Side” chair. Unless all your friends are diehard Star Wars fans, this chair is all but guaranteed to get some quizzical looks when company comes over.
As the name suggests, this chair sees you sitting in a giant replica of Darth Vader’s head. Each one is handmade, generously padded and delightfully comfortable. Once you go to the Dark Side, you may never want to come back!
The Proust Geometrica
While this chair clearly isn’t for everyone, someone with a flair for the dramatic, artistry, and the playful use of bold colors would almost instantly fall in love with this design.
Whether you like it or not, you have to admit that Alessandro Mendini took a classic Old-World design and did something remarkable with it. Even though it’s not our “thing,” we were impressed with the strength and daring of the design. Kudos to Mendini!
The Bouloum Lounger
This one definitely qualifies as weird. Designed by Olivier Mourgue, sitting in this chair, you almost can’t help but feel as though you’re sitting on someone’s lap.
The original design is on permanent display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, but you can buy an exact replica of that chair in a variety of colors. It may not be for everyone, but for the right home, this could be a superb addition, and is a guaranteed conversation starter!
The EJ400 Apoluna Box High Back Chair
Most of the time, chairs are designed with socializing in mind. That’s not the case here. This chair was designed for privacy. As such, it’s definitely a niche product, but if you’re in the market for a well-padded comfortable reading chair that sees you in the same room with others, while simultaneously in your own private little cocoon, this one’s almost got to be on your short list.
The Embryo Chair
A three-legged design that manages to be simultaneously futuristic, industrial and vaguely disturbing and unsettling. We don’t necessarily want to, but we rather like this chair. It’s certainly eye-catching, and more important than that, it’s comfortable. Designer Marc Newson did a fabulous job with the geometry and the innovative design of this piece. We readily admit that it’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly an attention getting chair.
The Bibendum Lounge Chair
At first glance, we were struck by the odd look of this chair, but the more we look at it, the more stylish it feels, which is a real achievement, in our view, and a testament to the design chops of Eileen Gray.
These chairs are built in Germany, so if you’re ordering one for use in the States, you’ll pay a premium to have it delivered. That said, if you find yourself admiring its unusual aesthetic, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more comfortable lounger than this one.
The design itself is a lesson in simplicity, which only adds to its charm and accessibility. This isn’t a chair you’ll be afraid to sit down on. It looks like it can take just about anything you can throw at it, and that’s absolutely the case!
Honorable Mention
The Child-Sized Womb Chair
The womb chair is a well-known design, but this child-sized, kid-friendly version of the iconic chair is something new. We love that Eero Saarinen created this pint-sized version of what many people have called the most comfortable chair ever built, and our list would not have been complete without at least giving it a mention. If you have kids and can afford the hefty price tag, this is the one you want. An amazing chair, by any reckoning.
Fun Wheelchairs
In many ways, we’ve saved the best for last. There are millions of people in the US and around the world who struggle with mobility issues, and although the underlying technology behind wheelchairs is well understood, many designers are applying their talents to the task of creating unforgettable wheelchair designs as well. Here are a few of our favorite examples.
The CARRIER Wheelchair
CARRIER is the result of the collaborative effort of Julia Kaisinger, Mathias Mayrhofer and Benesch Xiulian, whose goal was to create the ultimate in mobility aids. A device that would not only travel over any terrain (including up and down stairs!), but raise and lower as needed to allow the person sitting in the chair to reach high shelves, and even slide seamlessly over a toilet, all while retaining a relatively low profile. It’s a truly remarkable design that pushes the limits of today’s technology.
Sue Austin’s Submersible Wheelchair
Sue Austin is an artist who has perhaps the most unique wheelchair we’ve ever seen. It’s literally one of a kind. She uses the prototype in her work, and as you can see from the pictures, we weren’t kidding when we said it was submersible!
This amazing wheelchair allows Sue to explore seascapes firsthand, and her creation goes places that no other wheelchair we’re aware of can even attempt.
The HEROes Series
Designed by Jairo da Costa Junior, the HEROes series of sports wheelchairs were inspired by Mark Zupan (American wheelchair rugby player), Daredevil, and Professor X from Marvel’s comic books. They’re sleek, exciting, go-anywhere designs that may well change how you look at wheelchairs from this day forward.
If you’re even remotely inclined toward sports, you need a mobility aid that can keep pace with you and take you where you want to go. HEROes can do just that.
NEWS
NEWS (New Electric Wheelchairs) is designed by Ju Hyun Lee. This tech will not only enhance the aesthetic of any non-motorized wheelchair you place it on, but it will instantly convert the wheelchair it’s placed on into a motorized chair! It’s a great-looking, landmark achievement in wheelchair design.
Final Thoughts
As extensive as this list is, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There are, as you read these words, thousands of designers spread all over the world pushing the limits of art and design to redefine the chair as we understand it.
Some of these designs will undoubtedly wind up being flashes in the pan. Here today but gone tomorrow because they’re not embraced by a wider audience. Some, however, will go onto become mainstays that will change how we sit, work, and even live, and that is exciting indeed.