Plexi making a prominent return to furniture design
Every couple of years there are trends that develop in the furniture industry that can’t be ignored. Sometimes it’s a theme such as Shabby chic, Tuscan Country or French Provincial. Other times the trend is in the accessories world, such as zebra covered anything, red corals and — who doesn’t remember — the monkey trend. Monkeys were literally on everything — on fabrics, lamps and dishes. Lately there is hardly a furniture catalog or decorating magazine that doesn’t feature polyacrylic furniture and accessories.
In 2002, Phillipe Stark was credited with the revival of plexi. His ghost chair was a Louis-style chair, which transparently followed the outline of the classic chair. In 2007, Alexandra Von Furstenberg designs a series of consoles in candy colored lucite which marks the return of this material to the forefront of the furniture market.
Those of you that were around during the 1970s and 80s remember the clear plastic also known as lucite, Perspex or plexiglass and their use in interior design during the golden and glamorous days of disco. This age of sparkling opulence saw sleek designers such as Charles Hollis Jones, Vladimir Kagan, Karl Springer, Gaetano Scioleri and Gabriella Crespi designing masterworks using plexiglass in their furniture and accessories that today are considered highly collectible.
This polyacrylic is nearly 80 years old. Originally this material was widely used in aviation and for military uses in windshields and airplane parts. Throughout the 1930s, plexiglass was used in fashion for buttons, handbags, and costume jewelry.
During the Art Deco period, lucite was widely used throughout Europe and developed in the United States by the Hungarian interior decorator and stage designer Ladisla Medgyes. Medgyes uncovered the product while developing containers for the Helena Rubenstein’s cosmetic line, and was so intrigued by it that he designed many pieces of furniture for Rubenstein’s residence. Chairs, head- boards, tables were all custom designed on this clear material.
Clearly speaking the benefits of using these lucite pieces of furniture is that because of their see through nature, they seemingly take up less space in a floor plan, and no matter whether 80 years ago or today have a futuristic sexy appeal. Remember Barbarella? Light also travels well through these signature design pieces.
There is hardly a piece of furniture that hasn’t been attempted in a plexiglass version.
As technology has advanced the production of lucite furniture has been able to approach more complex designs, some which even present themselves with turns and tufting. Bars, tables, lamps, chandeliers, and yes, even wingback chairs. The fascination is to use them for whimsy and tonguein-chic style. While we associate them with what is new and now, it is hard to believe that this material is older than some grandmothers.
Regardless of more precious materials available, lucite furniture is here to stay. From the streamline designs of the 1930s to the modern projections of mid-century plexiglass, the sure thing is that they have become endeared to our hearts and have become design classics that mix well with the most precious of antiques.