This 65-Year-Old Piece Is About to Be the Next Big Vintage Furniture Trend
Twentieth-century design icons — like the Eames chair and Saarinen tulip table — have always been trend-proof, but every so often it seems like a new vintage piece resurfaces and dominates the zeitgeist (I’m looking at you, Mario Bellini couch).
That’s probably thanks to the current mid-century modern-obsessed decorating landscape, plus more brands continuing to revive formerly archived styles. So which lesser-known piece is bound to blow up and be the next, say, Wassily chair? I’m no trend forecaster, but there are signs, and I’m hedging my bets on the Carimate dining chair.
Originally created by designer Vico Magistretti for the Carimate Golf Club in Italy, the 1959 Carimate chair touts a sizable straw seat with a wood base and armrests — which you’ll typically find in a red, green, or black lacquered finish. It’s relatively low to the ground, too, with the seat just shy of 18 inches high (though the whole chair stands at about 30 inches tall). According to 1stDibs, the Carimate chair is ultimately “inspired by the tradition of countryside furniture and simple materials.”
TBH, I’d never even heard of this chair until a few months ago, when I started exploring the unexpected red theory trend, and then the Carimate appeared all over my Pinterest feed. Now, I can’t unsee it: I’m noticing versions of this as a background prop for advertising campaigns (including renter-friendly lighting brand Tulip), and I discovered Fritz Hansen even rereleased this piece in 2020 to honor its Italian designer’s legacy.
You may very well start having Carimate chair spottings, too — though originals are still somewhat of a collector’s item, usually sold in pairs on resale sites like Chairish and 1stDibs for several thousand dollars. That said, some Etsy sellers offer this mid-century modern fixture for less than $1,000, and I even managed to find one for my own apartment (pictured above) on Facebook Marketplace for $400. Plus, if this piece continues to gain traction, you can likely count on affordable replicas hitting the market, like France & Son’s $700 Carimate-inspired chair (just know that you probably won’t be guaranteed the same quality and craftsmanship as authentic originals).
You also don’t have to invest in a full set or limit these to just dining chairs: Even a single Carimate chair plays well as a living room accent chair or a special desk chair, whether you go for red, green, black, or Fritz Hansen’s more minimalist untreated beech version. Each of these finishes lend a modern feel to any space, too, while the simple silhouette skews traditional and timeless.
Keep your eyes peeled for this 65-year-old vintage statement piece. Mark my words: I’m confident it’s poised to make a massive 21st century comeback!
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
