A Chair for the Lair

Super villains need furniture too. In fact, the chair, the desk  or lounge chair they choose can do a lot to help assert their evil authority on minions, and intimidate  good guys (not to mention compensate for any possible shortcomings).

Evil doctor, uniform dresser and cat lover Ernst Stavro Bloefeld is one of the most memorable Bond bad guys. With wings masking his face as Bloefeld slowly pets his white Turkish angora, and a built-in swivel for dramatic effect when he decides to reveal his scared face, Moroso’s ‘Take-a-line-for-a-walk’ (in the tight leather finish) is the perfect chair to plot world domination in.

In space lightness is key, which is why the carbon fiber ‘Surface’ table by Established and Sons has the force with it, and is an obvious choice for the Death Star. With plenty of the ‘high-tech’ cred necessary for a futuristic evil space ship, it is as black as the surrounding galaxy and Darth Vader’s heart. 

A long ago, a neutral Moroso chair fell into a vat of radioactive goop in an altercation with a bent-wood Alvar Aalto piece, and came out a whole different mutation. In a bright green finish, the ‘Shadowy’ has a certain throne-like gravitas with a light funky side, not unlike The Joker’s famous sudden mood jumps. 

Modern on the outside, traditional on the inside, the ‘Dessous Chic’ table by Zanotta is the opposite of the Cardinal de Richelieu, nemesis of Dartagnan and the three Musketeers. Meaning ‘chic underthings’, it has the Cardinal’s crimson color and hidden perversion and would fit seamlessly in a Louis XIII interior.

 Just an arm in a steel glove and chintzy punk jewelry, Dr Claw remains forever hidden by a chair arm and back. A sleek update could be Flexform’s ‘Boss chair’, the arms of which would perfectly support Dr Claw’s visible limb.

Comic super villain ‘The Dictator’ portrayed by Charlie Chaplin is out to take over the world with is associates, Herr Garbage and Herr Herring. As the Dictator tries to be intimidating but often ends up clumsy, The ‘Heart Cone’ chair grand presence yet playful heart shape befitting to the character.

A despicable yet fragile Swiss villain, ‘Le Chiffre’ likes luxury and enjoys comfort. A good place to take a break and have a refreshing drink and pshitt of inhaler, the ‘Grand Tour’ by Zanotta and Maserati helps an evil mastermind relax in style.

Glas Italia’s ‘Merci Bob’ is as beautiful and uncomfortable as Narnia’s Ice Queen. It has the feeling you would get if she peered straight at you, completely stiff and see-through.

by Claire Toussaint Abbiyesuku

Eric's Salone 2013 Top 10

Fresh off the plane from Milan, Dzine’s head of furniture Eric Zimmerman shares his impressions on his top 10 picks from the most anticipated design event of the year. 

1. The ‘Mikado’cupboard, one of Front Design’s latest pieces for Porro, has a light wood slat structure that lets you catch a glimpse of what is stored inside. The slanting and staggering of the wood slats gives the cupboard an exotic yet playful feel, adding a little flair to any austere modern interior.

2. The ‘Helen’ lounge by Flexform is simply a beautifully crafted chaise. The seat is made of woven leather braided around Flexform’s trademark sleek nickel-satin frame.  

3. ‘Stelle Filanti’ by Venini comprises of a glass pendant light held in place by a cage-like leather harness. It’s strange beauty makes it more akin to an artwork than a light fixture.

4. Another Front Design design, the ‘Doodle’ sofa for Moroso has an intricate pattern quilted in the leather, giving it a quirky yet luxurious effect.

5. Nendo’s ‘Deep Sea’ shelving for Glasitalia features glass shelves in deeper and deeper gradations of blue, creating the effect of looking down into a large body of water. This piece really captures Nendo’s quintessentially Japanese minimalist beauty. 

6. Modeled on the ‘Quattroporte’ by the famous Italian car manufacturer, the ‘Maserati’ chair by Zanotta breathes comfort and luxury. 

7. ‘Mate’ by A+B for Living Divani is a versatile chair cum ladder cum clothes valet, which could find its place in any interior with its discreet but distinct personality. 

8. ‘Aim’, by the Bouroullec brothers for Flos, is an adjustable pendant light which can be tilted in all different directions. An interesting piece on its own, it looks particularly animated in groups. 

9. A highlight of the fair year after year, Paola Lenti’s presentation of their outdoor furniture collection with a palazzo backdrop is a sight for sore eyes. Their vibrant rope finishes create fields of color in all kinds of comfortable looking variations.

10. The real showstopper of this year’s Milan fair however was undoubtedly the Moooi presentation on via Savona. A juxtaposition of vignettes, each one more lavish than the next, the space was filled with quirky out-of-scale accessories, dripping with gold and delicate pendant lights and adorned with wall-covering photos by Erwin Olaf.

by Claire Toussaint