Design we love: the Solair chair

We were quite taken—or, I suppose, more accurately, re-taken—by the sight of two of these venerable chairs on the sidewalk outside of INabstracto, on Queen Street West, just a couple of blocks from the Art Condos building.

What was intriguing was the eternally retro-yet-visionary feeling the chairs exuded—a not inappropriate aura for an acknowledged design classic.

INabstracto owner, Kate Eisen, told us all about the chair and its history: about how it is actually called the Solair chair, but is also widely known as the Motel chair; and about how it was designed way back in 1972, in Montreal, by Fabio Fabiano and Michelange Panzini.

Eisen pointed out that the chair is made of tubular steel and plastic and, in fact, represents the first use of plastic injection molding in Canada.  It can be used both indoors and outdoors (it’s great for condo balconies), and is available in nine colours: yellow, blue, red, white, green, black, gray, orange and tan.

The Solair chair costs $130.00, and is available at INabstracto: Mid Century Modern Furniture & Design at 1160 Queen Street West.

Inabstracto.com
416-533-6362
Blog: Inabstracto.Wordpress.com