Modern Icons: The George Nelson Coconut Chair
The Coconut Chair is a stylish slice of contemporary cushiness. It was designed by George Nelson in 1955. A prolific architect, furniture designer and critic, Nelson served as the director of design in Herman Miller from 1945 to 1972.
Nelson did not really have any expertise designing furniture if he was hired in Herman Miller, but that soon changed. He cranked out one home-furnishing hit after another, such as legendary mid-century contemporary pendant lights, clocks and chairs. The listing of other mid-century all-stars who worked under Nelson includes Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and Harry Bertoia — and their connections are why so many of their pieces still work so well together now.
In 1955 Nelson designed the Coconut Chair”to provide couch chairs relaxation, together with fantastic freedom of motion.” Here’s a closer look in this chair.
Herman Miller
Nelson Coconut Chair | Herman Miller – $3,999
The Coconut Chair includes a plastic base covered with one piece of thick foam rubber. The very best tip extends somewhat farther than the sides for maximum comfort. The base is stainless steel.
Baltis Architects
Upholstered in electric blue, the chair is the perfect seat for appreciating some glowing Pop Art inside this gallery-like space.
Peter Rose Architecture + Interiors Inc..
While the upholstery can be found in a variety of colors, black leather offers the strongest contrast to the white casing base and highlights the chair’s pleasing geometry.
Laidlaw Schultz architects
The bent steel base helps this chair fit right in with other mid-century contemporary iconic pieces, like the Bertoia cable stool (found here), the Eames Shell Chair using Eiffel base or the Eames Elliptical Table.
Laidlaw Schultz architects
As one with his eye on the transformative structure of his time, Nelson took particular notice of his peer reviewed Eero Saarinen’s Kresge Auditorium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Along with a tropical fruit, it motivated the design of this chair.
NAUTILUS Architects
I adore the way the Coconut Chair at the space plays off the strong angle made by this island and the coordinating angle onto the ceiling. This picture says a thousand words about hiring a professional photographer and inside stylist when shooting interiors.
FORMA Design
The chair has the ideal profile for a minimalist modern bedroom. Its shape adds a few subtle curves at a really streamlined way.
Gary Hutton Design
Here it is again wrapped in hot brown leather.
More:
When MoMA Is The Next-Door Neighbor
18 Great Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Modern Icons: The Eames Wire Base Table