Homes Antiques

Collecting

CHAIRS

Five chairs that Sebastian Conran

predicts will become future heirlooms

1

CHARLES EAMES ‘SOFT PAD’

DESK CHAIR This was created for

Herman Miller. The use of aluminium and

stretch fabric was unbelievably innovative

when it first came out and it remains so light

and comfortable. I sit in mine every day.

2

‘ WINK’ E A SY CHAIR

Created by Toshiyuki Kita this chair

was launched while I was still at college.

Kita used a frame similar to that of an

ergonomic car seat. It was the first piece of

furniture I ever bought. It was ludicrously

expensive but I loved it so much that I

bought a second one.

3

K ARUSELLI ‘LOUNGE’ CHAIR

This was designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro

in 1964 and was revolutionary in the way it

pivots and swings – the swing point is above

your centre of gravity. Kukkapuro got the

idea while sitting in a snow bank. I love it

because I remember whizzing around in my

father’s chair as a child and my father sitting

in it glass of whisky in one hand cigar in

the other plotting how he was going to

amaze us all.

4

THOMA S HE ATHERWICK

‘SPUN’ CHAIR I love its dramatic

sculptural design and I taught Thomas

Heatherwick furniture design at the Royal

College of Art in the Nineties. This is clearly

a future classic.

5

GIO PONTI ‘SUPERLEGGERA’

This chair is made from superfine slats

of beech so it’s light enough for a child

to pick up with just one finger. It’s such

a beautiful example of an exquisite

handmade chair.

4

5

3

LEFT Sebastian

Conran at home with

his latest design from

the ‘Gifu Collection’

a collaboration with

10 artisan makers

in Japan

Max Conran; nest.co.uk; pamono.co.uk

2

1

H&A SUMMER 2017 67

H&A LIFESTYLE: Homes