Cool Chairs For A Chic And Stylish Interior Vibe

Cool chairs are everywhere. If you’re ready to design your living or work space, start with a cool chair or two and build from there. 

The Architectural Digest Design Show has ended, but the chair designs will remain fresh. A chair might seem like a basic furniture piece, but it’s not. We found plenty of inspiration at the show.

We thought it would be a good idea if we shared 30 examples of the cool chairs that grabbed our attention at this year’s design show. 

Cool Chair Concepts For 2022

We picked the coolest chair designs from this year’s Architectural Design Show. Once you’re finished here, you’ll have enough inspiration to tackle your next interior makeover. 

Novel Wood Design

This chair eliminates the need for a side table.
This chair eliminates the need for a side table.

Campagna’s Sit Set chair has an amazing design that combines a chair with a small surface your extra items. The all-in-one design is stylish and fine-crafted. Available in white oak, walnut, or black dyed ash with a leather cushion in different colors. 

Mid-Century Modern Inspiration

Hand-carved wood and leather create a modern and masculine armchair.
Hand-carved wood and leather create a modern and masculine armchair.

The August lounge chair was created by Alexander Giray. It combines a modern design with traditional craftsmanship. The solid wood frame is hand-carved, including the armrests. Upholstery options include leather as well as other textiles. 

California Modern

Retro style rendered in mixed materials has a modern twist.
Retro style rendered in mixed materials has a modern twist.

Reminiscent of a retro lawn chair, this metal and leather chair from Amigo Modern has the free-feeling California vibe that the company promotes. Relaxed and simple, yet featuring quality wood and durable woven leather. 

Industrial Modern

Steel plates are an innovative choice of materials for an armchair.
Steel plates are an innovative choice of materials for an armchair.

A sturdy industrial look combined with comfortable leather upholstery makes the Plate Chair by APD ideal for an office, den, or living room. The chair is made from steel plates and secured by bronze wedges. 

Contemporary Swivel

This seat combines a standard swivel mechanism with modern leather upholstery.
This seat combines a standard swivel mechanism with modern leather upholstery.

Who doesn’t love a good swivel chair? This one from Apropos, called the Jude, is a sophisticated number that works well in a living room or office. The seat is comfortable and roomy without being overstuffed or oversized.

The blue leather upholstery gives it a sophisticated feeling and one can be used to make a statement or a couple can make up a conversation area.

Mid-Century Flair

Mid-century modern inspiration gets the tweed treatment in this chair.
Mid-century modern inspiration gets the tweed treatment in this chair.

Tweedy upholstery and mid-century modern legs give this chair a contemporary appeal that will last. From Calligaris, this one is an excellent choice for a living room or a sitting area in a bedroom.

It’s roomy and comfortable but does not have an imposing size that would take up a lot of space. 

Trendy And Traditional

Ornate lines combine with trendy dark florals in these distinctive seats.
Ornate lines combine with trendy dark florals in these distinctive seats.

How can a chair be trendy and traditional at the same time? With a classic shape and dark floral upholstery that is very of-the-moment, these chairs manage to be both. The ornate lines — and separate back unit — are a good match with the fabric.

Quirky Seating

An unusual chair makes a statement in any room of the house.
An unusual chair makes a statement in any room of the house.

This serpentine seat from Arcana is quirky but also super comfortable. Shirred fabric upholstery hides the structure, which is a combination of steel and pool noodles. 

Steel Ribbons

The ethereal design makes the metal feel light.
The ethereal design makes the metal feel light.

The Ribbon Chair by J Liston Design is a very artful metal construction. The representation of ribbons wrapped around a hollow space, which you could never sit on, are rendered in extremely sturdy metal that is then powder coated.

Available in a wide range of colors, it looks so delicate but is by far the opposite. This is another chair that will become a statement piece in whatever space it is placed.

Lounge Leather

Leather is the ideal material for a modern lounge chair and sling style ottoman.
Leather is the ideal material for a modern lounge chair and sling style ottoman.

The inviting and comfortable look of this Constellation chair by the Richard Clarkson Studio is far more stylish than the old-style barca-lounger.

You can’t help but want to sink down and put your feet up in the slung leather seat atop a minimalist black steel frame. 

Gorgeously Glam

Velvet and channel tufting help create a glamorous vibe.
Velvet and channel tufting help create a glamorous vibe.

Vertical tufts, luxurious velvet, and sumptuous seats, the Andes Chair sits atop the world of armchairs. Channeling a glam factor that will turn your bedroom or living room into a stylish space. The graceful back slope of the back and sides provides an extra touch.

 Garden Upgrade

A whimsical chair shape includes pockets for planting some greenery.
A whimsical chair shape includes pockets for planting some greenery.

The Drillium chair from Opiary is a space upgrade. When you want to bring a piece of outside indoors, this is the chair. The tiny pocket tucked in the top of each leg provides enough room to grow moss or a tiny succulent

Little Girly

Lucite and a fantastical pastel textile create a very feminine chair.
Lucite and a fantastical pastel textile create a very feminine chair.

Included in Shash Bickoff’s design for the AD Apartment at the Show, this chair combines a Lucite frame with upholstery that looks like a modern, pastel version of a Liberty of London print.

The slight sheen of the upholstery upgrades the whole piece and gives it a true “uptown” feeling, which is what Bickoff was aiming for.

Plump And Plush

Overstuffed and sunny yellow, this chair makes everyone smile.
Overstuffed and sunny yellow, this chair makes everyone smile.

A little like a tube squeezing out a glob, the metal frame of the Madda chair by Michael Felix can barely contain this happy pouf of a suede-covered chair. His contemporary interpretation of the classic club chair comes in a range of bright — as well as more sedate — color options. 

Great Rear View

A stand-out chair back can add great flair to the decor in an open plan space.
A stand-out chair back can add great flair to the decor in an open plan space.

This chair has a great rear view and the Eero Armchair by Porus Studio is definitely one of them. Inspired by Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch in St.Louis, Missouri, the chair is a sculpture surrounding color and texture.

Furry And Fun

A fluffy white seat -- need we say more?
A fluffy white seat — need we say more?

Take a classic director’s chair shape and add fur and you get this fun Mongolian Fur Chair from Pasargad Home. The brushed nickel finish on the base is the perfect glam pairing for the fluffy white seat, which is cozy and very distinctive. 

Updated Rocker

The unexpected color and organic shape of the base make this rocker distinctive.
The unexpected color and organic shape of the base make this rocker distinctive.

In a new twist on a very traditional piece, Ottra has created this hand-crafted rocking chair that sports a large and contemporary shaped base. Instead of the usual two arcs at the bottom of the legs, the chair sits on a large curved base. 

More Comfortable Classic

Added details make a classic rocker more comfortable and up-to-date.
Added details make a classic rocker more comfortable and up-to-date.

The ergonomic rocking chair from Erickson Woodworking is almost a classic by itself. For 45 years the company has been making handcrafted rocking chairs.

The South Yuba rocking chair is named for the firm’s neighborhood river. The contoured back has flexible back slats that look graceful but are comfortable for sitting. 

Low Slung

The low-slung style of this chair gives it a very cool and casual vibe.
The low-slung style of this chair gives it a very cool and casual vibe.

This low-slung beauty of a chair was designed by Justin Nelson, the woodworker behind Fernweh. The aesthetic is Danish mid-century with some innovative twists. The award-winning Sling chair is fashioned from wood and leather and is the first piece created by Fernweh Woodworking.

American White Ash is stained black and combined with high quality, hand-stitched leather.

Short And Stylish

The short stature of this chair does not mean that it is lacking in style.
The short stature of this chair does not mean that it is lacking in style.

Small in stature but big on style, the Lofty dining chair from Hachi Collections has a low profile that will let your dining table shine. Made from Medex in gloss white with a polyurethane finish, the short and stout piece can be created in custom colors as well as sizes. 

Transformed Traditional

Rainbow legs and extended back supports transform a classic shape.
Rainbow legs and extended back support transform a classic shape.

The Rainbow chair by Hamilton Holmes is the result of taking a traditional form — the Windsor chair — and bringing the base to a new level of creative style.

The low slung chair is actually perched on a rainbow shape that forms the front legs. The back legs intersect the curve and slant backward, extending far beyond the chair back. 

Hand-Crafted Homage

This chair is nature-inspired in every aspect.
This chair is nature-inspired in every aspect.

The Shepherd’s chair, the first Lounge chair from Hinterland, is an homage to the tools of traditional herders and their relationship with the animals and the land.

The bones of the chair include three arcs that are crafted from solid bent white ash or black walnut, finished with either natural leather or sheepskin.

The comfortable chair is oiled and waxed by hand with natural low-VOC oils and polishes.

Classics Revived

Iconic designs get a quality overhaul for added decades of life.
Iconic designs get a quality overhaul for added decades of life.

Iconic chairs from the likes of designers such as Saarinen, Eames and Knoll get renewed life at the hands of Montage Modern. The company searches out classic pieces and then uses the highest quality materials to revive them. It’s a process that allows additional generations to enjoy the design gems. 

Updated Parisian Style

Superb leather and a tailored design make for an instantly classic chair.
Superb leather and a tailored design make for an instantly classic chair.

The leather experts and Moore and Giles have capitalized on their long history as leather suppliers to produce lines of furniture and leather goods, including the 33 Chair. This piece has the pared-down silhouette of a Parisian club chair that fits into today’s more compact spaces. 

Velvet Slipper

The wide slipper style chair is very comfortable.
The wide slipper style chair is very comfortable.

Slipper chairs may traditionally have a slight and feminine silhouette, but this updated version from Naula is made for today’s living rooms. The ample, velvet-upholstered Morgan Slipper Chair still has its namesake armless style, but it is well padded and large enough for lounging.

As an accent or in a pair for a conversation area, it’s a timeless and versatile piece.

Artistic Upholstery

Custom textiles make for super distinctive upholstered chairs.
Custom textiles make for super distinctive upholstered chairs.

There’s no faster route to making a chair more individualized than using an artistic textile for the upholstery. The beauty of customizing the upholstery means that you have total freedom to make the chair as distinctive as you like.

These chairs — and the wall covering — are from the new line of home textiles by California-based artist and designer Stevie Howell

Pared-Down Utility

The minimalist style exposes the basic structures of any chair type..
The minimalist style exposes the basic structures of any chair type..

Ideal for spaces that need seating with a minimalist aesthetic, the Archetype Chair from Studio Cidra of Philadelphia is very sturdy yet looks light. In designing this piece, the Studio aimed to “distill down the chair as an object.”

The steel frame gives the chair its “skeleton” and the wooden seat is a more welcoming material for sitting. 

Elegant Curves

The round seat and curving back add elegance to a sturdy base.
The round seat and curving back add elegance to a sturdy base.

Vonnegut Kraft’s Kana Chair is stylish and comfortable. The upholstered curved frame and back support are balanced by four small wood legs. The material is ideal for a chic or boho vibe, making it great for a dining chair or an accent chair.

Woodsport Easy Chair

Wood takes on flexible characteristics in this chair.
Wood takes on flexible characteristics in this chair.

Woodsport has taken the sturdiness and rigidity of wood and transformed it into a comfortable chair that molds to your shape. Made of walnut and ash tiles, the pieces are woven together with a prusik cord.

The soft wood material bends, making it hard to believe it’s a wooden chair.

Four Poster

Hefty and substantial, this chair channels a four-poster bed style.
Hefty and substantial, this chair channels a four-poster bed style.

The Ursa Chair by Wren and Cooper is a stylish homage to the four-poster bed. The eight-inch thick upholstered seat looks as comfortable as a bed. Hand-stitched leather sleeves for arms provide additional body support.

Supported by wooden legs capped with bronze feet. Thirty different chairs and styles only scratch the surface of the company’s inventory

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are Chairs Made With Personalized Ventilation Systems?

Personalized ventilation is the future of the chair. In classrooms, studies have found that air terminal devices protect students from cross contamination. Individualized thermal comfort has become the latest priority in office environments. Air terminal devices safeguard against indoor air contaminants while protecting inhaled air quality.  

Unfortunately, the personalized ventilated chairs are still in the experimental stages.

Are Bulletproof Chairs Available To The Public?

Bulletproof office furniture is growing in popularity. Office chairs designed to thwart bullets are available to the public. The chairs feature a vest is draped over the chair, or can be worn or kneeled behind in event of an office shooting.

Will A 3D Printed Chair Melt If It’s Left Under The Sun For Too Long?

A 3d printed chair will not melt when exposed to direct sunlight for less than five hours. Prolonged exposure will damage the chair just as it would a chair made with different material. 

Do They Make Biodegradable Chairs?

French design company Alki recently unveiled the Kuskoa Bi, making it the world’s first 100 percent biodegradable chair. The chair is made of oak wood harvested from sustainable forests. A special natural material coating covers the chair from top to bottom.

What makes the chair biodegradable is how it was made with bioplastics. Bioplastic is made from 100 percent vegetable and renewable sources like beets, corn starch, and sugar cane.

Cool Chairs Conclusion

Searching for cool chairs is almost as fun as having them in your home. When designing your interior spaces, creating a cool vibe is a fun goal to have. Keep an open mind and follow your instincts.