Real Good Chair Manufacturer: Blu Dot (American, founded 1997)

designed 2006

American Decorative Arts

Blu Dot was founded by three young architects in Minneapolis who realized there was little affordable, well-designed furniture on the market. Their goal was to create furniture that "filled a gap between budget-conscious Ikea and label-conscious Philippe Starck." One of their central inspirations was the type of affordable, avant-garde furniture made in America following World War II. The work of Ray and Charles Eames was a particular inspiration and references to the Eames's chairs and case pieces resurface in many of Blu Dot's designs, including the overall form of the Real Good Chair, with its separate back and seat elements that hover above tubular metal legs. Affordability and mobility are at the heart of the Real Good Chair. It is constructed of four pieces of metal using CAD software. The chair ships flat; simple instructions show the user how to bend the back and assemble the pieces. This allows for lower inventory storage costs and lower shipping costs. The simplicity of the design belies the sophisticated logic of folds and angles. The spry profile and bold colors—ivory, aqua, satin black, or glossy red—give the Real Good Chair a lighthearted feel.

Medium

Powder-coated steel, carbon steel, plastic and rubber

Dimensions

33 × 18 1/2 × 18 1/2 in. (83.82 × 46.99 × 46.99 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of John Stuart Gordon in honor of Kevin Adkisson, B.A. 2012

Accession Number

2011.218.1

Culture
Period

21st century

Classification
Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance

Provenance

Purchased from the manufacuter, Blu Dot, by the donor in November 2011.
Bibliography
  • "Acquisitions," Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: Online Supplement (accessed December 21, 2012), 14, 15, ill
Object copyright
Additional information

Object/Work type

chairs

Technical metadata and APIs

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Open in Mirador

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