Boxy. That’s the first word that came to my mind when I saw the Bottoni Armchair over at Design Within Reach. But boxy isn’t necessarily a bad thing, oh no! On the contrary, its stolid appearance evokes images of durability and solid comfort. The colorful upholstery reminded me a bit about the Austin Powers movies, but not too much – it isn’t really that psychedelic. I think the fabric would look good on contemporary bistro chairs though.
The chair was conceptualized and created by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders in 2002. He wanted a simple type of seating that would be economical to produce, and he got the help he needed from an upholsterer. The fabric called Even, from Maharam, has serged seams and French topstitches that are of garment quality.
Here are some of the Bottoni Armchair’s materials and specifications:
- Kiln-dried engineered hardwood
- Precision cut interlocking joints
- Rubberized web suspension
- Fiber-wrapped polyurethane cushion core with down-proof ticking
- Brushed stainless-steel legs
It measures 25 inches high, 41.5 inches wide, and 34 inches deep. The seat is 16 inches high, while the arm is 25 inches high and 8 inches wide.
Wanders said the end product can be compared to a designer suit: elegant, stylish, good-looking. He also called it sexy, I’m not sure I agree with that. Nevertheless, the Bottoni Armchairs look to be very attractive seating that would do well as contract hotel chairs, as restaurant reception seating, or as part of one’s living room at home.
Wanders likes to incorporate a bit of fun even in his more serious creations, and the Bottoni Armchair is probably one example of this. His predilection for experimentation and exploration has resulted in furniture that is both attractive and durable.
