Moooi The Golden Chair

The Moooi Golden Chair came out in 2011 when Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc looked at basic school chairs and thought "what if we made this ridiculously glamorous?" She took that utilitarian classroom seating everyone remembers - steel tube frame, simple upholstered seat and back - and dipped the whole thing in gold. Not gold-colored paint, actual gold plating on the steel frame legs and structure. The seat and backrest get wrapped in synthetic leather with a high-gloss gold finish, so the entire chair becomes this shimmering statement piece that's completely over-the-top in the best way. The proportions stay true to those retro school chairs, so it's actually comfortable for sitting and eating instead of just being a sculpture you perch on awkwardly. Comes in glossy gold if you want maximum shine, or matte gold with a higher Martindale rub count (200,000 versus 20,000) for contract or high-traffic situations. Since 2018 you can also get it with a black frame if full gold feels like too much commitment.

What makes this work instead of just looking tacky is how Zupanc keeps the form restrained while going all-in on the finish. The chair shape itself is straightforward and ergonomic - curved backrest, properly-sized seat, angled legs for stability - so the gold treatment elevates something familiar rather than trying to make a weird sculpture functional. The synthetic leather holds up better than real leather would against the constant friction of people sitting down and getting up, and the gold plating on the metal frame doesn't chip or wear off like painted finishes do after a few months. At 18-inch seat height it works with standard dining tables, and the backrest angle supports your spine without forcing you upright like actual school chairs did. The frame stays stable without wobbling, and the overall weight distribution means it doesn't tip when you lean back slightly. Works solo as a desk chair or dressing table seat, or you can do a whole set around a dining table if you're into that level of drama.

Moooi's been backing bold designers like Nika Zupanc since Marcel Wanders and Casper Vissers founded the company in 2001, and The Golden Chair fits their approach of making furniture with personality instead of safe neutral pieces. Zupanc graduated from Ljubljana's Fine Arts Academy and built her reputation on designs that pull from fashion, film, and club culture rather than minimalist industrial aesthetics - she won ICFF and EDIDA awards for work that's unapologetically feminine and theatrical. The Golden Chair came from her thinking about childhood daydreams during boring classes, staring out windows hoping for something magical to happen. Made in the Netherlands with Moooi's manufacturing standards, available in over 460 fabric options if you want to customize the upholstery beyond standard gold synthetic leather.