50 Contemporary Chairs That Can Make Your Life More Beautiful

People sometimes underestimate the impact and importance of accent chairs when in fact it’s pretty amazing how much they can change the decor and the ambiance in a room. Contemporary accent chairs are particularly interesting in this sense. They come in lots and lots of different forms, shapes and sizes, with tons of contemporary design concepts to choose from, one more epic than the other. Here’s some of them:

Klara Amrchair in blue

What makes a lot of contemporary chairs special is their simplicity. The Berlin easy chair, for example, is crafted using two ancient materials: steel and leather. It has a plate steel frame and a seat made from oak-bark tanned leather created using a long treatment process that lasts 14 months. Its beauty is in the details and the story behind the design.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Simplicity also defines the REX 120 chair, a very beautiful accent chair that’s lightweight and elegant as well as ergonomic, featuring a design that naturally fits around the user’s body. It may not look futuristic or very eye-catching but this chair impresses in other ways, specifically with its beautiful curved armrests made of bent wood and the subtle retro flair that it adds to the decor.

Klara Amrchair in blue

With Nido things are a bit different. This is the type of accent chair that looks great as a standalone piece, in the corner of a room or added to a mixed lounge area. It’s a beautiful piece by il laboratoria dell’imperfetto and it comes in a variety of colors, including this glamorous metallic shade.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Called Hideout, this contemporary chair is designed by Front with a backrest that extends on the sides like wings that embrace the user. It has a square frame made of steam-bent solid beech and a large seat. Only the seat and the central part of the backrest are upholstered, while the remaining portions feature a woven cane structure.

Klara Amrchair in blue

These three chairs are all pretty similar. They’re all part of the Fiber chair family. The armchair on the left side has a smooth, curved shell covered in a bio-composite material which includes 25% wood fibers. The other two are side chairs, one with a tube base and one with a wood base. They’re both simple and elegant, with gentle curves and a lightweight appearance. Any of these would make great contemporary dining chairs for minimalist and classy settings.

Klara Amrchair in blue

This is The Tired Man, an easy chair that, as you can guess, is intended to be comfortable and super cozy, like a warm embrace. It’s the type of accent chair that fits well in casual settings, social spaces and cozy homes. It has organic, bear-like shapes which, as the designer himself declared, are meant to make the user feel “as warm and safe as a polar bear cub in the arms of its mother”. What a sweet description…

Klara Amrchair in blue

Brody is also a comfortable armchair, featuring a design defined by a large seat with a soft cushion and a selection of fabric or leather upholstery.The legs are available in oak or walnut wood and the chair can either have a high or a low backrest.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Even for a contemporary accent chair, this design is pretty unusual and intriguing. The Cut chair is part of a unique collection by BlackCork which also includes stools, lounge chairs and tables, all with designs similar to what you see here. They’re designed by Toni Grilo.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Speaking of intriguing and unusual designs, have you looked at these chairs? They look like broken pieces of a Greek column. The Gufram lounge is actually a depiction of what such a column would look like if it were to fall down and break into several pieces. It’s a unique concept and the chairs resulted are made of polyurethane.

Klara Amrchair in blue

But let’s get back to simpler and more versatile designs like the Bai chair. It has a sinuous and organic silhouette which gently envelops the user and sleek and thin legs that give it a lightweight appearance. It’s a chair that you can use in a variety of spaces such as the living room, a lounge area and even in reception areas or cafes or as an accept piece in a corner of your bedroom.

Klara Amrchair in blue

It’s strong, lightweight, very resistant and also a bit nostalgic. The Mikado XL chair, like all the other pieces from the same family, has a structure made of birch wood. Its armless seat and back are curved and each piece can be customized, offering a variety of plywood seats and upholstery options to choose from.

Klara Amrchair in blue

These are versions of the Bai chair we mentioned earlier. Both the Bai Steel Chair and the Bai Swivel Chair have the gentle curves and beautiful silhouette of the previously mentioned version, the main difference between them being the design and structure of the base.

Klara Amrchair in blue

You’re probably familiar with that one chair that slowly becomes overwhelmed by all the clothes you throw on it to the point where it disappeared under them. Strangely, someone was inspired by it. Designer Jörg Gätjens created the Hanger Chair based on this idea. It’s a simple-looking chair with a hanger as a backrest. It has a secret compartment under the fold-up seat.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Loren armchair is pretty robust so it’s best to put it in large spaces or open floor plans. But while this would be an inconvenient in some cases, the design also gives the chair a glamorous look. The polished brass base and the real leather upholstery make a stylish and elegant combination.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Both the Patchwork and the Patchwork Jacquard armchair are interesting for the same reason: their colorful and unique appearance. They have wooden structures and robust forms and they’re upholstered using off-cuts of fabric. That means each piece is unique and different from the rest.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Armchairs like Jo are cute on top of also being comfortable. But let’s take this case in particular. It’s a chic chair with a curved, egg-inspired seat and a swivel metal base which gives it mobility without making it look like an office chair.

Klara Amrchair in blue

This is Connie, a beautiful dining chair which can also look lovely as an accent seat in living rooms, offices and other similar settings. It’s designed by C. Ballabio and it has a frame made of solid ash wood and a fabric-covered seat with smooth curves and bright color tones.

Klara Amrchair in blue

This is a pretty sweet chair and yes, that’s actually its name: Sweet 20. Designed by Paola Navone, the chair is a modern interpretation of a classic-traditional look. It has a sleek wooden frame available in a variety of finishes and a polyurethane foam seat and backrest upholstered in fabric.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The unusual form is the main thing that makes the Daniela Armchair an attractive and eye-catching piece of furniture. The chair has a solid wood frame which features a seat and backrest that fold individually, giving the piece a unique look. The fabric in which each piece is upholstered can be selected by the client.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Stackable chairs are not always that good-looking or elegant but the Wall Street Chair is. Although the design of the chair is very simple, the message it sends is a complex one. This is a chair that was designed for sitting down to think and dream and to find new ideas, to explore the world and to enjoy life. It’s made of injected polypropylene and it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Colander chair has another versatile and stackable design. It’s a piece designed by Patrick Norguet  and it has an aluminum frame with a lacquered finish and a seat and backrest made of injection-moulded polypropylene. You can choose from the five available colors: black, white, beige, coral red and basalt gray.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The design of the Havana armchair is a modern interpretation of a classic form. It features rounded edges, soft curves and an overall graceful but also imposing look. Its design is a perfect blend of comfort and elegance.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The stitching on the Eden chair is inspired by sports cars and this gives the chair a casual and dynamic look. The seat and the backrest are slightly curved and very comfortable and the design in a mixture of modern and traditional, masculine and feminine.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The classical Wingback chair has inspired a lot of designs. These are contemporary dining chair versions with tapered wooden legs placed at an angle and slightly curved backrests that are comfortable without having the dramatic and theatrical visual impact of the Tom Dixon model.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Nature has been and still is our source of inspiration for lots of things, furniture included. One example is the Bloom chair, a beautiful piece that looks like a garden flower. It has a base made of steel and a fiber-reinforced seat shell covered in handmade microfiber with hundreds of fine stitches radiating from its center.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The inspiration for the Dragnet chair comes from the structure of fishermen’s nets. The shell of this lounge chair recreates that look from fabric which is twisted and wrapped around a stainless steel frame. A comfortable seat cushion fits perfectly in the shell and the design is completed by a round back cushion. There’s also an outdoor version of this contemporary chair.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The name of the In Between chair suggests the idea of a combination between two contrasting elements which would actually be a pretty accurate description of its design. The look is based on the dialogue between positive and negative space. Looking at the chair’s back you can see how the wood pieces shape this stylish pieces while, at the same time, forms are also created by the gaps between them.

Klara Amrchair in blue

You can see here two simple chairs by two different designers. The one on the left is the Solid chair by Stefano Giovannoni. It’s part of a collection defined by geometric designs and well-defined forms that look as if they’re sculpted in stone. The chair on the right is called Delta and it’s designed by Jorge Pensi. Its design is meant to be versatile and ideal for both indoor and outdoor contemporary spaces. It has an injected aluminum base and weather-resistant properties.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Here you can see the Vases chair on the left which has a very interesting design. Its shape is inspired by the cuts on the diamonds. The chair on the right is part of the Pezzettina collection which is a series inspired by nature. Its form is simple and fluid and this gives the chair a casual and glamorous look which brings it closer to nature. Moreover, this is a fully recyclable product.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Although it’s very simple, the design of the Nolita3650 chair is the type that sticks with you, being so easily recognizable and versatile. The chair is part of a collection of outdoor furniture inspired by the garden chairs designed by Mario Pedrali in 1963. The chair is made entirely of steel and designed specifically for outdoor use.

Klara Amrchair in blue

In 2015 the Alpha chair was designed, a piece intended as an all-purpose stackable chair, with a name inspired by the A shape of its backrest. It has a strong, sculptural look and a design that’s both practical and stylish. The seat and the backrest are seamlessly moulded into one, giving the chair an attractive silhouette.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Intended to be both comfortable and luxurious, the Miller lounge chair has a graceful but still solid and also a bit masculine design. It has a frame made of steel with a layer of wood under the seat. The seat and backrest come in leather which gets a patina over time and thus gives the chair more character.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Wendela chair comes in several different heights and a variety of different colors and finishes. It’s simple, chic and lightweight and its seat is made of beech wood using a mold produced in the 1950s. It’s a classy chair that stays simple and  adapts to the decor around it. The aluminum base comes in seven color options.

Klara Amrchair in blue

When Ed Carpenter and André Klauser designed the Canteen utility chair, they wanted it to be a cheerful addition to any space it’s placed in. The chair comes in a choice of 4 wood finishes and 11 colors. The design is inspired by the classic British school chair.

Klara Amrchair in blue

It can assembled and taken apart in just a few seconds and this makes it perfect in a variety of different situations. It’s name is Nomad and it’s a chair made from bamboo. This allows it to be lightweight but also very strong and durable. The armrests, seat and backrest are made of canvas and leather.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Solid wood and bent plywood come together in the design of the Merano chair. It doesn’t contain any metal pieces or screws and it’s surprisingly lightweight considering its form and structure. This is the simple version and there’s also an upholstered one.

Klara Amrchair in blue

A similar combination of materials is also featured by the Leaf chair. This one has a frame made of bent solid wood and its seat and backrest are made of molded plywood. The chair is lightweight and at the same time strong and durable. Like the one before it, it comes in two versions, one of which is upholstered.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Mammoth Chair, as the name suggests, is a pretty impressive piece of furniture. It’s the type of accent chair that you know will stand out even before you bring it home. Its design is not particularly dramatic except for the unusual proportions of the small seat compared to the large wingback backrest. Both are upholstered in vintage leather or washed canvas.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Contemporary chairs and furniture in general are often defined by a minimalist and pure appearance and the Naked chair is a perfect example in this sense, both because of its name and its design. This is a chair which features a very simple metal frame made of powder coated metal complemented by the perforated steel seat and backrest.

Klara Amrchair in blue

David Irwin designed the Working Girl lounge, a contemporary chair that combined the simple and utilitarian style of modern design and the rugged nature and material choice of industrial design. The result is a functional, durable and also quite good-looking chair with the right combination of characteristics for a lot of different decors and styles.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The design of the Liala bergere straw chair is an eclectic one which combines a frame made in solid canaletta walnut, woven cane armrests and fabric-covered seat and backrest. The upper part of the frame also feature a solid natural maple insert. The chair is designed by U. Asnago.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Nº11 is a contemporary dining chair with a very refined and glamorous design. It has an avant-garde design with classic details and a lot of flair. Its frame is made of solid brass and features delicate curves and smooth angles. This is the type of chair that looks stunning when paired with a sculptural table or when used as a statement piece.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Cardinal is a simple-looking armchair with lines inspired by traditional furniture. It has a comfortable seat and backrest covered in fabric which are supported and connected by a slender and sleek frame made of wood veneer with a satin finish. The combination is elegant and the design is versatile.

Klara Amrchair in blue

The Kasli armchair is a piece with a design based on strong contrasts. It puts together a very slender and sculptural frame made of painted metal which holds a rather voluminous seat and a matching backrest with built-in armrests.

Klara Amrchair in blue

We love the simplicity of the Gentian chair and the fact that, in spite of that, it has a strong visual presence thanks to its delicately-curved backrest which gives it a very classy twist.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Iris is a rather unusual armchair. On one hand it has this large seat and a backrest which wraps around the user as if it wants to hug him. On the other hand, these two parts distinct pieces and this is made very clear by the thin metal frame which connects them.

Klara Amrchair in blue

This contemporary chair is a very interesting piece. It’s called Perspective and that’s actually a very good name for it. The design puts 2D and 3D dimensions together in a single perception. The idea behind it was to somehow materialize the way in which objects look like when drawn on a flat surface. This required a special technique and the project was a big success.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Don’t be influenced by the fluffy covers on these two chairs. That’s just one of the ways in which you can customize them and play with the contrast between their gold brass frames and cozy upholstered seats. This applies to both the Sedia Simple chair featured here on the left and the Mondrian Pouf on the right.

Klara Amrchair in blue

Speaking of fluffy things, check out this cuddly chair from AP Collection. This is a series that includes a lot of quirky and unique contemporary chairs inspired by flamingos, penguins, polar bear cubs and lots of other cute animals. They’re irresistible to both kids and adults so who can blame you for wanting one just for you? Wouldn’t this one look great in your bedroom, in that corner by the window or perhaps in your reading nook?

Klara Amrchair in blue

Klara is also a very cute chair, although not as fluffy as the penguin-inspired one. The thing that makes it cute and comfy is its form. We particularly like how smooth and beautiful the backrest is and the way it curves around the user’s body like a warm embrace. You can get the model with the exposed tapered legs or the one where fringes hide the base.