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I’ve always had a thing for considered statement chairs – the kind of pieces that instantly catch your eye, but don’t overwhelm the space they’re in. Carl Hansen & Søn has been responsible for many of my favourites over the years (the CH25, the ‘Wishbone’, the ‘Shell’) and now they’ve done it again with the ‘Plico’ chair – one of the latest additions to their growing collection of classic and contemporary Scandinavian designs.
First presented back in 1964, when it won the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Furniture Prize, the ‘Plico’ is the work of Danish design duo Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm. They sought to create a chair that takes up as little space as possible when not in use, without compromising on comfort or aesthetics. The result, which is named after the Latin word for ‘fold’, consists of a solid oak frame with linen cushions and saddle-leather straps, and comes in both high- and low-back versions (the FK10 and FK11 respectively).
Although simple in its overall expression, the chair reveals some beautiful details as you look more closely. Fabricius and Kastholm wanted to highlight things that other designers often seek to hide and so there are visible joints, fittings and screws, all crafted from brass to offset the rich grain of the wood. There are also some very clever features, including a tilting backrest whose angle can be altered using pin holes in the straps, and a range of buckle positions to allow for the leather stretching over time. The high-back version even comes with a rounded neck cushion that attaches to the frame via more straps and whose height can be adjusted by another set of pins.
I borrowed a high-back ‘Plico’ chair to test out for myself, and I was very impressed with both the level of comfort and its flexibility. First of all I tried it out by the fireplace in our living room, and the gently curved back rest and soft upholstery meant it made the perfect place to kick back with a book and a coffee. Despite its distinctive appearance, it’s undoubtedly a timeless piece and I was surprised by how well it integrated with the Victorian architecture of our home.
The neutral linen cushions and tan leather mean the chair also lends itself well to more rustic set-ups, and I thought it looked just as striking paired with a hewn-oak side table, a matt stoneware vase and a few foraged branches. Simple styling like this really shows off the natural texture of the wood and the origami-like stitching on the cushions, and I can easily see the ‘Plico’ in a rural cabin or a Mediterranean villa.
All in all, the ‘Plico’ is just what you need in a lounge chair – elegant yet relaxed, and incredibly comfortable. What’s more, as it folds down near flat and reassembles in minutes, it’s extremely versatile – the kind of thing you can adapt and move as your needs and home change. And that, at the end of the day, is what makes for truly great design.
The ‘Plico’ chair is available to buy now, with prices starting at €2,325 / £1,970 for the low-back version and €2,625 / £2,225 for the high-back one. You can find details of Carl Hansen & Søn flagship stores and stockists worldwide here.
All photography by Abi Dare
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