Know Your Chairs: The Wishbone Chair by Hans Wegner

When discussing iconic pieces in my recurring series of Know Your Chairs, few are as instantly recognizable--or as universally revered--as the CH24 Wishbone Chair. Designed in 1949 by Danish master Hans J. Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn, the Wishbone Chair is a hallmark of modernist simplicity and craftsmanship, blending form, function, and beauty in a way that has endured for over 70 years.

Wishbone chair, in the collection of the National Museum of Norway

Hans J. Wegner, often dubbed the “Master of the Chair,” was one of the leading figures in the Danish modern movement. In collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn, he set out to create a chair that was both practical and sculpturally elegant. Inspired by portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Chinese Ming Dynasty-era chairs, Wegner distilled this aesthetic through the lens of Scandinavian minimalism.

The result was the CH24, commonly referred to as the Wishbone Chair or Y-chair due to the distinctive Y-shaped back support that provides comfort while echoing the organic form of a wishbone. The chair was designed as a single piece, meant to be lightweight, strong, and comfortable without the need for upholstery.

Each Wishbone Chair is a testament to high-level craftsmanship. It takes over 100 individual steps to produce just one chair, including the hand-weaving of the seat from more than 120 meters of paper cord—a durable material that adds warmth and texture to the piece.

The frame is traditionally made from solid wood, such as oak, beech, ash, or walnut, and finished in a range of natural or lacquered options. This blend of natural materials and meticulous attention to detail speaks to the values of quality and sustainability that have kept the chair in continuous production since its release.

The CH24 is more than just a piece of furniture—it’s a symbol of the post-war design movement that prioritized honest materials and human-centered design. It helped to define Danish modernism and has influenced generations of designers worldwide.

Its elegance and versatility have made it a favorite in both residential and commercial interiors, fitting seamlessly into dining rooms or living areas as an occasional chair. And because of its history, it can live comfortably in traditional or contemporary schemes.

by Chambers & Chambers

by Commune Design

by Studio Shamshiri

by Commune Design

by Mandy Cheng Design

Astonishingly, the Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair has never gone out of production. It’s been manufactured continuously since around 1950. You can purchase one from authorized dealers Carl Hansen & Søn, Design Within Reach, and Hive Modern.

Happy designing!

"Architects & Chairs" by Jorge Arévalo

This is "Know Your Chairs" month here at the ol' FID blog and I will be sharing with you a very interesting chair on the 24th, but for now, I want to show you the delightful work of master illustrator Jorge Arévalo. He created a series called "Architects and Chairs" where he puts the architect on or near the chair they designed which defines their individual legacy (some designers have more than one!). The precise, pointy style in which he renders people feels a little retro, perfect for the subject of Modernist furniture. All these are available as prints at the shop on his website!

Happy designing!

Know Your Chairs: The Africa dining chair

For this installation of Know Your Chairs, I am presenting a truly gorgeous seat, a sculptural work of art: the Africa dining chair.

Few pieces of furniture so effortlessly blend a handmade/organic sense with modernist refinement as the Africa Dining Chair by renowned Italian husband and wife designers Afra and Tobia Scarpa which shows the Scarpas' ability to bridge tradition and innovation, resulting in a piece that is as functional as it is poetic.

The Africa Chair was designed in 1976, during a fertile period in the Scarpa duo’s career when they were deeply engaged in redefining Italian modernism. The chair was produced by Maxalto, a division of B&B Italia launched that same year with the goal of creating fine furniture using traditional cabinetmaking techniques. Maxalto means “the highest” in Venetian dialect—a fitting name for a collection that emphasized artisanal quality and sculptural beauty.

With the Africa Chair, the Scarpas set out to create a dining chair that would honor both form and craftsmanship. Constructed from richly stained wood, often walnut or mahogany, and paired with a simple leather or upholstered seat, the chair combines clean lines with subtle curves, exuding a quiet sophistication. The name “Africa” conjures a certain primitivist style, evoking natural forms and a tactile simplicity that contrasts with more industrial mid-century aesthetics.

What sets the Africa Chair apart is its joinery and attention to proportion. Its silhouette is straightforward—minimalist, but its construction is intricate, revealing the Scarpas’ reverence for historical craftsmanship and their deep understanding of materials. It stands as an object of contemplation as much as comfort.

The Africa dining chair in the home of architect Alexander Liberman.
via Architectural Digest

The Africa dining chair at the Parisian home of Lenny Kravitz.
via Architectural Digest

Because the Africa Dining Chair was out of production for many years, it remains a coveted collector’s item and a testament to the enduring legacy of Afra and Tobia Scarpa. Of course originals fetch high prices at auction but the distinguished Italian furniture manufacturer Tacchini has revived the design for sale at select retailers around the world!

Africa chair by Tacchini

Happy designing!

History of Furniture: Queen Anne

Although I covered chairs from the Queen Anne period here, and settees here, the style deserves to be discussed in my History of Furniture series as well!

Queen Anne furniture has long stood as a symbol of refined elegance, simplicity, and the graceful transition between ornate Baroque and the more restrained Georgian styles. This beloved style has remained a staple in traditional interiors since its emergence in the early 18th century (I remember seeing tables with cabriole legs at my Aunt's house in upstate New York!). But to understand Queen Anne furniture, let's explore its historical roots—both in monarchy and design.

So who was Queen Anne? She was the monarch of Great Britain, reigning from 1702 to her death in 1714, and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart. Her rule marked a significant time in British history: the Act of Union of 1707 united England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Though her personal health was frail and she experienced considerable political turmoil during her reign, Anne presided over a period of significant cultural, political, and architectural change.

Portrait of Queen Anne, circa 1702 from the workshop of John Closterman

Despite her limited direct influence on the design world, the style that bears her name became associated with the sophistication and domestic comfort that flourished during and after her reign. Queen Anne furniture reflects the shift in British society toward more intimate, livable interiors—a stark contrast to the more ceremonial and grandiose styles that came before.

Queen Anne furniture began to emerge in the early 18th century, around 1720, but interestingly, it wasn’t called by that name until over a century later. This style grew out of the William and Mary period (late 17th century), which itself was known for more rectilinear forms and Dutch and Flemish influences that featured heavier, more angular pieces with intricate marquetry and turned legs.

As craftsmen became more skilled in working with woods like walnut (a preferred material of the time), furniture design became more refined and the Queen Anne style gained immense popularity not just in Britain but also in Colonial America, where it inspired generations of American craftsmen. The style was embraced for its simplicity, making it relatively easy to replicate with local materials like cherry and maple. The Queen Anne style is known for its delicate proportions, gentle curves, and a greater emphasis on comfort. This evolution reflects broader cultural trends: an increasing emphasis on private life, leisure, and intellectual pursuits in the home. The Queen Anne style introduced several key design elements that would become hallmarks of 18th-century British and American furniture:

* Cabriole Legs: Inspired by animal limbs, these S-shaped legs end in pad or trifid feet and are perhaps the most iconic feature of the style.

* Curvilinear Forms: Chairs, settees, and tables began to show more graceful silhouettes, with rounded backs and smooth edges.

* Minimal Ornamentation: While earlier styles favored bold marquetry and carving, Queen Anne furniture emphasized restrained elegance—favoring line and form over lavish decoration.

* Veneers and Inlay: When ornamentation did appear, it was subtle—delicate fan or shell motifs, small inlays, or the strategic use of wood grain patterns.

As I have said before in this series, if you want to discover why a certain style or movement looks the way it does, you simply need to look at the styles immediately preceding it and you will see that, generally, the style is a reaction to and against its antecedent. However, the Queen Anne furniture style represents a pivotal transition in the history of furniture design. Preceding it, the William and Mary style featured heavier, more angular pieces with intricate marquetry and turned legs. Succeeding it was the Georgian period, which would reintroduce classical influences and symmetry, especially under the later guidance of designers like Thomas Chippendale. What makes Queen Anne style so important in the continuum of furniture history is its role as a bridge: it softened the excesses of Baroque design and paved the way for a more human-centered, elegant aesthetic. It marked a shift from ostentatious display to graceful domesticity--furniture that was not only beautiful but also functional and comfortable.

Happy designing!

Know Your Chairs: The F300 by Pierre Paulin

I have posted about French furniture and interior designer Pierre Paulin and his wonderful creations previously here. Not all of his pieces are still in production but thankfully Danish furniture company GUBI, started in 1967, just reintroduced one of Paulin's iconic designs. So for this installation of Know Your Chairs, let's look at the refreshed F300 chair!

Created by Paulin in 1965 and released by furniture manufacturer Artifort that same year, the first F300s were produced in fiberglass or injected polyurethane, allowing for contoured ergonomic comfort while maintaining a visually light expression. GUBI says they have responsibly upgraded the production of the F300 for the 21st century, which is now crafted in Italy from the engineered polymer HiREK®, made using industrial plastic waste. Retaining the durability of plastic, HiREK is lightweight and resistant to UV, weathering, and pressure. Most importantly, HiREK produces a smooth, high-gloss surface without requiring additional finishing processes, perfectly replicating the performance and aesthetic of the original materials while minimizing waste created during production.

I love how, despite the fact that the chair references a certain, sleek, man-made aesthetic, it still managese to present an alluring organic shape. And I really love how the uphosltery creeps down the legs a bit...

Like so many pieces of furniture from Europe in the mid-sixties through the seventies, many Paulin pieces showed up in sci-fi films and television shows (the Paulin Ribbon chair was a staple on "Space: 1999" and even had a cameo in "Blade Runner 2049") and the F300 is no exception! It appeared in the film "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" and on several episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

You can now have your own Pierre Paulin F300 chair from GUBI or Design Within Reach, available in two colors for the frame and many fabric and leather color options for the upholstery.

Happy designing!