Once a staple of dorm rooms everywhere, butterfly chairs have evolved into a modern design classic. And given the hefty price tag of other design classics, it's nice there's one that's relatively inexpensive.
They're also versatile. Not only do they look good in just about every room, but you can easily change the cover to fit new decor schemes. Plus, they're ridiculously comfortable — another thing that can't be said of all design classics.
- A black chair and gold pendant light make for a dynamic duo in this bedroom from Mixr.
- A brown leather chair rounds out a cool and eclectic room from Designspiration SK.
- A pretty white version catches the sunlight in Diana's House Call.
- A pair of jet black chairs look fresh in a Hamptons estate from Elle Decor.
- Two chairs beneath a window create a serene and cozy place for chatting. Via At Home at Home.
MORE BUTTERFLY CHAIRS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Retrospect: The Butterfly Chair - Origins of a Modern Favorite
Images: 1. Mixr via EmmasDesignBlogg 2. Designspiration SK 3. Apartment Therapy 4. Joshua McHugh for Elle Decor 5. Laure Joliet for At Home At Home
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"The Butterfly Chair" also known as "The Ball Crusher" in my house.
I have wanted to sell mine for years but somehow it's never made it's way onto craigslist.
Does anyone know any sites that sell nice butterfly chair covers?
Actually those chairs' name is BKF, is an Argentinian creation; and a super lovely one!
This reminds me of a comment someone's mom made about their vintage, retro kitchen set that they were so proud of. The mom could only think of her cheap dinette set from her first apartment. Likewise, all I can think of when I see these chairs are the cheap versions everyone had in college, or at summer camp.
They can be styled well, like in the first two photos, but you gotta work hard to make me forget my college decor.
Any suggestions on where to buy one of these beauties (the kind that does not fold) without paying shipping equal to the price of the frame? No luck here, and I've wanted one for a long time. I am in the DC/Richmond VA area.
I have an old one from college that I've covered over because it is so work out. I too would love to find a nice company that sells just the covers, not the frame.
Perhaps I'm still too close to college age, but I can't help but hate them.
hey guys? I went to attempt to view Diana's housecall (not just the pics of her chairs, but the pics from the original housecall in 2007), and all the pics seem to have vanished. could you let us know if this is deliberate? or is there a way you could restore them? thanks!
Check amazon.com for replacement covers - there are lots shown there.
I have one of those chairs. The frame is from Crate & Barrel, but I had the seat/sling made for it out of leather. My mother was given half a cowhide left over from some project, and she turned it over to me. It is possibly the coolest piece of furniture I own and does not look like it stepped out of a dorm at all!
I have three vintage frames (sorry, @Reindeer, I'm in Phoenix) and have been experimenting with sewing my own covers--the frames are too large/wide for the typical dorm size. I found some helpful youtube videos on the process, but creating the pattern so the stress points are in the right places is difficult.
Yeah, I just can't stand these. They could be the most well-made, fanciest, expensive things, and they still just look like cheap crap that shouldn't have left the dorm to me. They also just remind me of camping chairs somehow, which is probably a big reason why I think they look like crap.
@firespitter
Went to look because you mentioned (sorry, I'm not anyone that can actually do anything about that); wow, 2007 is like an eternity ago for AT, maybe they just got lost. :( OTOH, were they really bitmaps? Aren't bitmaps HUGE LIEK XBOX?!?!?
I like these because they look (and are) very light. As long as they're clean, they don't give me the camping vibe, and maybe just sticking to black and/or white helps. I don't know why I don't have the dorm associations so many people do.
A site called Circa 50 sells (I think) wither the whole chair or just the cover:
http://www.circa50.com/butterflychairs.html
On the butterfly chairs: I don't find them comfy, because the edge (like the rest of it) isn't padded and depending on your weight you might feel the frame itself (or not, I haven't found reason to sit in one in recent memory).
Sitting in them can be comfy; I just can't figure out how to get back up gracefully.
@Reindermoss, you can get a nice leather one at CB2. (Disclaimer: currently work there) It's not cheap but it's very nicely done. Not sure about where to get canvas ones.
Trying to find a leather cover under 400 is murder - has anyone ever had luck having one made by an upholsterer? I have been patiently estate sale-ing for 10 years and finally found the largest size of the oldest steel rod type, but they only look good to me with leather covers.
I did not know one of the first three imported from Brazil was for Fallingwater - pretty cool.
I went to my drycleaners to ask about mine. He knew a guy. I already had the leather so it cost me maybe $150 to have it made. So if you're in Chicago, I can tell you where to go.
it's ridiculous how much these cost... although i would love me a leather one :(
Thank you Apartment Therapy and Big BKF Buenos Aires. I bought 2 chairs from Big BKF last month and they are high quality leather from Argentina. They arrived by fedex in just a few days and the brown and white cowhide one in my living room gets positive comments every time we have guests over.