10 folding chairs to seat party guests in style
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Whether you’re a space-crunched urban dweller or a party host with an extended guest list, these portable perches work in a pinch. All provide supplementary seating when you need it during the holidays, then fold nearly flat for storage in a closet or under the bed.
We’ve assembled 10 options, including affordable picks from Anthropologie and IKEA as well as high design from Ralph Pucci and Poltrona Frau. For details on the chairs pictured here and others, click to the jump.
Above: The Campaign folding chair is a glamorous choice for a little martini-sipping. The chair, designed by Jim Zivic, has suede upholstery and a blackened steel frame. It’s $2,880. Ralph Pucci International in the Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood; (310) 360-9707.
Above: The Terai folding chairs from Anthropologie add global flair to any decor. The chairs have a handcrafted sheesham wood frame and different types of hand-embroidered Indian cotton upholstery called kantha. They’re $198 each.
Above: Kartell’s Honeycomb chair has a lightweight aluminum frame and mass-tinted polycarbonate seat for a futuristic feel. The chair is just 2.75 inches wide when folded. It’s $329 at Kartell in Los Angeles; (310) 271-0178.
Above: Designed by Brit Jake Phipps for Poltrona Frau, the sleek wood and high-gloss lacquer Isis chair has a sophisticated, European feel. When folded with one seamless motion, it measures an astonishingly skinny 1 inch wide. Price upon request; (212) 777-7592.
Above: The high-gloss, chrome-plated Nisse chair adds a splash of bright yellow that’s suitable for the holidays any beyond. The hole in the backrest allows the folding chair to be hung from a hook in the wall to clear floor space. It’s $13 in IKEA stores (not online).
Above: Designed by Takeshi Nii in 1958, the steel-and-canvass Ny lounge chair — part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection — has a timeless modern feel. It weighs only 14.5 pounds and spans just 5.5 inches when folded. It’s $500 from Design Within Reach.
Above: The design studio Wurk offers a witty hommage to an iconic chair designed by Dutch modernist Gerrit Rietveld about 90 years ago. This folding version is handcrafted from beech and plywood, the same materials employed in the original. The complicated planes of the Rietveld design fold flat in a single motion. Price on request.
Above: A folding chair with handcrafted appeal, Resource Furniture’s Ciak has a leather seat and solid cherry frame made using wood joinery, so no screws are used in the construction. It’s $895.
Above: The Dutch design collective Moooi came out with Clip, a curvaceous chair that cleverly folds flat. Made of solid beech, it’s available in black, wenge or white through the Los Angeles store Twentieth. Price: $815.
Above: Designed for a restaurant of the same name, the Bon chair by Philippe Starck combines the practicality of a folding chair with the sturdy construction of more substantial furniture. Manufactured by XO, the piece has a durable wood lacquer frame and a leather seat. It’s $1,250 from Unica Home.
-- Katherine E. Nelson
Photo credits: Ralph Pucci International, Anthropologie, Kartell, Poltrona Frau, IKEA, Design Within Reach, Designstudio Wurk, Resource Furniture, Twentieth and XO.