The Wishbone Chair is a great reinterpretation of the classic Chinese Ming Chair. Its simple yet evergreen design allows it to slip into any home setting, whether you are going for simple earthy interiors, or vibrant colourful spaces.
Image: Space Furniture
Why we love it
The Wishbone Chair is the most famous among the series of chairs designed by furniture designer Hans Wegner, who was inspired by the portraits of Danish merchants sitting in Ming Chairs.
Despite its forthright appearance, the Wishbone Chair is constructed quite meticulously, as the steam-bent solid wood frames require profound knowledge on wood joinery. The seat itself also requires hours of weaving. The beautiful blend of the chair’s sleek, flawless lines and timeless look makes it versatile and appropriate for any setting.
Who designed it
Hans Wegner is one of the leading figures in modern Danish design. He first developed what is called “organic functionalism”, which provided minimalism with an organic and natural softness. As a master carpenter, Wegner integrated high-quality craftsmanship with practical design to create perfectly finished joints, and finely detailed forms. Throughout his life, Wegner designed more than 500 chairs, over 100 of which were sent into mass production by manufacturers such as Carl Hansen & Son and PP Mobler.
Image: Space Furniture
What it inspired
The Wishbone Chair has come a long way since its creation in 1949, now with a spectrum of vibrant colours to choose from. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Carl Hanson & Son even released three new series of colours, namely Blue, Citrus (green), and Energy (purple). For this special series, the seats come in crisp white paper cord instead of the classic natural tone.
Wegner always had an affinity for natural materials such as wood. Like the Wishbone, the Easy Chair is also made from paper cord – more than 1,300m of cord is used for each chair’s seat and back. The PP68 chair also sports a plaited seat, with solid-wood legs similar to that of the Wishbone’s.
The Wishbone Chair is available at Space Furniture.