7 Ways the Butterfly Chair Can Complement Your Design Style

See why this midcentury-modern archetype is captivating a new generation of design fans.

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February 05, 2018

By: Megan Sadler

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Photo By: Drew Kelly

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Photo By: Amy Bartlam

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Origins of the Butterfly Chair

The mid-century modern trend isn't going anywhere fast and the butterfly chair is here to help you put that style on full display. The chair started sweeping the nation after the design was inducted into the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art back in the 1940s. Since then, it has become a symbol of the mid-mod revolution.

Rustic Attic Bedroom With Butterfly Chair

Designer Jorge Ferrari Hardoy created a chair that was intended to be easily folded and moved. Its effortless functionality makes it the perfect piece to include in a rustic setting.

From: Antonio Martins

Rawhide Butterfly Chairs Add Texture in Rustic Living Room

Rawhide butterfly chairs provide the perfect accent to a rustic space by complimenting the texture of the live edge mantle and dark leather sofa. The chairs add the air of weightless versatility butterfly chairs have become known for.

Outdoor Sitting Area With Fire Pit and Butterfly Chairs

“It’s an impossibly improper chair,” Bruce Hannah, a chair designer and professor of industrial design at Pratt Institute, says in a New York Times interview. Its easy-going structure and versatility allows it to work even in an outdoor space.

From: Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

The Butterfly Chair Has West Coast Roots

The chair was originally designed in Buenos Aires, but made its American debut on the West Coast where it became synonymous with breezy California style.

From: Natalie Myers

Neutral Modern Studio With Vintage Furniture

Vintage European furniture creates a stylish, uncluttered look in this mid-century modern studio with white walls, ambient light and a hardwood floor. This butterfly chair's sleek design makes the perfect addition to a mid-mod space.

From: Luis Caicedo

Open Living Area With Bright Accent Chair

The design versalility of the butterfly chair makes it an ideal accent piece. Seen here in bright red, the chair has also become a hit among Swedish designers where it is made from materials ranging from leather to wool and everything in between.