The Monk Armchair Gets a Decorative Awakening

"First designed in 1973 by Tobia Scarpa and his wife and design partner, Afra, the Monk armchair marked the beginning of a long-standing collaboration with . Celebrated for its refined construction and expressive use of materials, the chair has now been reissued as a special edition in collaboration with Cabana: the Molteni&C x Cabana Monk Armchair. Reinterpreting the Italian design through a decorative lens, Cabana introduces a new chapter in Molteni&C's Heritage Collection - one that balances history with poetic detail."

"The original Monk armchair was crafted with a leather seat and backrest stretched over a tubular steel frame and wooden legs - a thoughtful choice at a time when plastic furniture was increasingly prevalent. With Molteni&C's manufacturing expertise, the result was a quietly composed design that expressed the values of craftsmanship and natural materials through its considered construction. The leather seat and backrest gently cradled the body, creating a comfortable and enduring seating experience."

First designed in 1973 by Tobia Scarpa and his wife and design partner Afra, the Monk armchair marked the beginning of a long-standing collaboration with Molteni&C. The chair originally combined a leather seat and backrest stretched over a tubular steel frame with wooden legs, favoring craftsmanship and natural materials over emerging plastic furniture trends. Molteni&C's manufacturing expertise produced a quietly composed design that cradled the body for comfort and durability. The special edition preserves solid American walnut and the tubular metal frame while Cabana adds a laser-engraved motif on the leather backrest that reveals a vivid red panel, introducing color and texture respectfully within the original modernist language.

Read at Design Milk