Just like Goldie Locks who found some beds too hard and soft, or too big and small, we are in search for the perfect chair. For our purpose we aren't looking for your standard chair to pull up to a desk or table, but that special chair that offers us the space to let go and relax; a uniquely relaxing piece of furniture for our afternoon power nap or to while away a Sunday afternoon in our slippers and with a good book.

The search has yielded three very different chairs for different individuals all boasting novel concepts, clever designs and all based around blissful relaxation.

Our first chair is by young New York based  New Zealand furniture designer Richard Clarkson. We love the way it cradles the sitter (or sleeper) like a private capsule into their own blissful world.

 

It's pretty striking from the outside too with it's panels of wood bent into a sphere. Clarkson's work blurs the lines between art and design, but he also grounds his pieces in maintaining the hand-made and carpentry elements. For his Cradle Chair he sourced materials like cold-bent plywood from  in his home country, New Zealand.

We really like the way the futon-like cushions fit together vertically but can also be pulled apart to cradle the individual. It's perfect for a big warehouse style space or for indoor to outdoor terrace rooms and will take up a floor space of a 1.27 metres.

Richard Clarkson set up his New York Studio after studying furniture design at The School of Visual Arts in New York (following up from a furniture design degree in Wellington). He also has a fascinating range of lighting innovations.

Clarkson Studio produce furniture on a commission basis and the Cradle Chair can be shipped to most of the world. weighing in at around 45 kilograms.

Sleepy Chair

The designer Daisuke Motogi calls this a 'blanket chair', and you can see why. 

It's quite tall at nearly a metre when fluffed up but the rest of its measurements are demure at 70cm  by 1.100m. It's perfect for those with small living and work areas seeking a spot for serenity and comfort.

If this one conjures up a bedtime story it's the Princess and the Pea, and her hundred mattresses. We could see this one by a sunny window on a Sunday afternoon with a book, and not much reading getting done. Once again the futon pillows can be arranged to suit the sitter or sleeper.

At the moment the chair is just a prototype by Japanese designer Daisuke Motogi of DM Architecture. His work has been featured in architectural magazine around the world and we really hope he starts taking orders for the chair. You can also check out Motogi work at his Facebook page. 

836 Canapo

This twist on grandpa's old favourite is by the late Italian designer Franco Albini (1905-1977) for Cassina and produced again in Italy. The slightly nautical look with the gentle rock of the motion of the ocean just might help you float right away in to another world when you close your eyes.

This relaxing rocking chair is essentially a chaise longue on a wooden arc.  It comes in a solid ashwood supporting frame in either natural slate or mahogany stained walnut colours. The supporting fabric in ecru is attached with cords that produce a graphic motif along the sides. 

The cushioning comes in a range of fabrics and colours, or leather. Each set of cushions for a chair can be divided into modules and folded over itself. 

It's not as soft as the other chairs, but supportive for those who find they need to keep their back and neck straight to wake up feeling crisp. This is our pick for the modern executive office, when the business person just needs to crash, power nap and then let the ideas flow again. 

So which chair is your choice, the round Cradle Chair, the high Sleepy Chair or the Rocking Chair?


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