Create an ideabook for your next remodeling project!
Browse more than 1,500,000 photos from top designers and save your favorites
Modern Icons: The Swan Chair
Take Arne Jacobsen's 1958 Curvalicious Design for a Spin
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
The Swan Chair was designed by Arne Jacobson in 1958, originally for the lounge, lobby and suites in the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Jacobsen partnered with Fritz Hansen for manufacturing, and they still produce the chair in Denmark today. This curvy chair envelops the body and swivels on a chrome base so you can spin around until you are dizzy. Yes, Jacobsen had people spinning around in hotel lobbies long before Ian Schrager burst onto the hotel scene!
As a bonus for those who want more Swan: A two-seat non-spinning version is available in the Swan Sofa.
As a bonus for those who want more Swan: A two-seat non-spinning version is available in the Swan Sofa.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Are you having deja vu? It's probably because we talked about Jacobsen's Egg Chair a few weeks back which has a very similar history, right down to its use in the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
This chair comes in a wide array of colors, as well as fabric and leather. It's very popular as an occasional chair, taking up less space than a typical armchair. It also throws its amoebic shape into the mix.
by FORMA Design
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
This is a great example of how the scale of the Swan Chair makes it the right occasional chair in a room that already has enough large upholstered pieces.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Here's another good example of the Swan Chair in action as the perfect occasional chair. Its scale also makes it just the right amount of accent color, in this case, a robin's egg blue that picks up on a throw pillow across the room. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
Red Swans gracefully dot this white atrium. This image looks a bit like one of those Dexter-inspired showhouses that Showtime sponsors.
Here a brown leather Swan chair adds vintage modern style to a home office.
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
This bright green Swan Chair is part of a modern ensemble, including a pair of Bubble Chairs.
| The Swan Chair is so adaptable that this designer used it as an accent piece in a bathroom. |
by FORMA Design
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
In peachy orange, this chair adds some curves and color to this urbane and otherwise neutral room.
Swan Chairs are a talented interior photographer's dream. Look at how David Churchill has used its curves in the bottom left foreground to compose a stellar shot!
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| Here is the sofa version of the Swan. It doesn't swivel, but it is nice and cozy for two. |
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
In the U.S., you can find the Swan at licensed retailers like Design Within Reach and Hivemodern.com.
Comments
cre8tive I really love the orange chair! And I especially love the leather two-seater sofa. But here's the million dollar question....are they comfortable? :-) I think they could make cute home office chairs for me.
2 years ago · Like
Becky Harris I've never had the privilege of sitting in one, though I do know that Jacobsen was very into ergonomics and comfort. Perhaps it's a good excuse to journey to Copenhagen to try one out. Or the DWR store?
2 years ago · Like
Sherri Mathers Well that's a fun chair...I love the red ones in the astrium. They look like flowers growing out of the floor. http://twotulipstalking.blogspot.com/
2 years ago · Like
Jennifer Johnson Houzz is totally educating me as far as the names of all these iconic furniture pieces. Very interesting ideabook.
2 years ago · Like
Sandy Rubinfeld Arne Jacobsen's 'Swan Chair' has long been one of my all-time favourite mid-century chairs! I don't own one... but look forward to the day when I *will* own one.
17 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Dec. 28, 2010.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
