Award-winning furniture designer and nominee for a Luxist Readers' Choice Award for Decor, Vladimir Kagan, has collaborated with mannequin artist and sculptor Ralph Pucci, on a limited edition fiberglass chair that is both functional and a work of art.

The endeavor initiated during a simple conversation between Kagan and Pucci who were examining sketches of Kagan's 1950's era designs. Though never produced, the sketches were of pieces in a variety of materials, including fiberglass.

Kagan had long wanted to create a plastic chair, as his designs were so ideally suited for the medium. When Pucci saw Kagan's sketches, his realized his sculptor and mannequin workshop was equipped to produce the concept. Pucci also felt the project was very current because of an exhibit of noted Israeli designer Ron Arad's carbon fiber armchairs at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Kagan designed a new chair and produced a miniature clay model of it. Shortly thereafter, he and Pucci started to build a full-scale mockup in clay.

For Kagan, working with a pliable material was a totally liberating experience. For Pucci, it made common sense to utilize the facilities of his mannequin workroom and create something new and different, all in keeping with his thoughts of moving forward.

The result is the fiberglass collection in a limited edition of 100 now on view at the Ralph Pucci Showroom in New York, the Los Angeles Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Ca., and the J. Bachelor DCOTA Design Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The chairs have been produced in foundry black, foundry grey and white ($9,000 each) as well as clear ($15,000 each).

The successful collaboration gave birth to a new collection of limited edition sculptures by Kagan which were produced and sculptured by Pucci at the Ralph Pucci workroom. The sculptures will be introduced at the Ralph Pucci showroom in New York in December. The chairs will also be on display following a lecture by Pucci and Kagan at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum at 2 East 91st Street in New York on October 29, 2009.

I'm somebody who loves to switch things up pretty regularly, but with most furniture there's only so much you can do, like put it on the left side of the room or the right, under the window or across from it, etc. The swiTCh Table & Chair by Ellen Ectors, however, opens up a whole new world of function and design possibilities. Created to serve the multi-purpose needs of today's modern consumer, swiTCh can be a table, a chair, or a table and a chair at the same time. It combines cube and sphere with hard and soft to be a truly versatile and interesting addition to a room. Each set is 100% Belgian, 100% handmade, and numbered to be 100% individual.

Via cut 'n' paste weblog

I appreciate art just as much as the next person, sometimes even more so than average I think, and although these "Him" and "Her" chairs by Fabio Novembre are definitely interesting, there's just something about them that make me think eeeew. Maybe it's the idea of a naked person sitting on a chair? They kind of remind of this creation by Pharrell Williams.

Anyway, they're available in black, red, and white, and if you've got the right place to put a set they'll be sure to get a second look (and a third even) plus it might be fun to mix and match colors and make an even deeper statement?

The Vermelha Chair would certainly be a unique addition to your home as it looks like a strange mess of string that happened to land in the form of a seat. It starts as a steel-framed wrap-around armchair form, which is then covered meticulously by hand with 500 yards of a special rope. The rope has an acrylic center and a cotton surface, and it's woven intentionally to look haphazard. It looks like the Vermelha Chair only comes in this one shade of bright pink though, so fitting it into your home's decor may be a bit of a challenge. $6320

Via Wists

The Moz Octagon is a furniture system that can be whatever you want but its bright colors, soft surfaces and low profile make it particularly appealing for children. It can be a game table, play area or whatever you wish. The covers of the pieces zip off for easy cleaning. The Octagon is available in a variety of bright colors and sells for $715.

The Mummy Chair! It sounds a little scary but it isn't really -- it actually looks quite comfy. Nothing like taking the hard edges off what looks to be a fairly standard dining chair. Designed by Peter Tragg in 2005, it's created by covering a beech-wood chair and polyurethane foam with polyester ribbon. There are 5 different "Mummies" in the collection and aside from the black and gray they all have a decidedly whimsical feel because of the bright colors. Made in Italy, $1010.

The Water Lily dining chair is perfect for people who enjoy contemporary decorating but want to keep a taste of the traditional mixed in. Handcrafted by New Leaf Furniture, the chair backs are steam bent American Black Walnut planks (you can also get them in other sustainable woods if you prefer) that provide both ergonomic comfort and unique beauty. Wood planks also form the legs, which hold up a firm but comfortable padded seat cushion in a happy modern print. Designed to complement the Water Lily dining table, these Water Lily dining chairs will also work well with many other table designs. $1482

Although these chairs don't look outrageously comfortable for lounging around in on a lazy Sunday afternoon, they more than make up for it in bold artistic style. And they're not completely devoid of creature comforts, designed for a natural reclining position and treated to prevent heat retention on those sizzling summer days. As part of a three-piece set including a table, a chair, and a chaise, the Horchow Contemporary Outdoor Furniture collection will create an outdoor atmosphere all on its own with few to no other accessories needed. Made of metal and fiberglass, the pieces will develop a patina over time, giving them even more character. $1849-$3099 each piece.

From Dedon comes the Yin Yang Signature Collection outdoor lounge set. The chairs can be positioned separately or nested together to create a classic vision of the symbol for which they are named, fitting to form a perfect circle with contrasting cushions creating the "eyes" on each side -- the arrangement of the seats encouraging communication without being too intimate. Made of a weather resistant fiber material in a balance of platinum and bronze shades, I think they bring a somewhat indoor quality to typical outdoor patio furniture. But I've said it before and I'll say it again...how comfortable are they? They look a little stiff.

This pair of French Bergere Arm Chairs from Pieces strikes me as a strange mix of understated and bold. Newly upholstered and freshly painted to look a bit worn, you can bring a bit of history and 1950s culture into a room as well as a dose of mood brightening color.

The pair isn't mass produced so you take the mandarin color as is or you don't take it at all. I'm not usually one for orange, but if it could always be in lighting like this then I might change my mind -- that chair is totally glowing! Get the pair for $3,360.

Photographer turned furniture designer Hedi Slimane's newest endeavor into the world of office furniture is a structured and geographical one. Using ebonized stainless steel, his creations include desks, chairs, and shelves that use a pattern of angles, squares, and thin lines to create a modern minimalist appearance. Although sleek and beautiful to look at, and sure to make a statement as part of a decorating scheme, I can't say they look comfortable at all to actually sit on or use. But then, that's obviously not the point.

I've written about Vermont Woods Studios before but I had to show you these adorable chairs designed by Steve Holman, The thing about these Valentine chairs that makes them amazing is all the little details like the way the heart on the chairback is broken so that is slightly curves in to support your back and the darling little red shoes on the end of the chair legs. The chairs are made of sturdy maple with soft velvety red upholstery. The chair sells for $2950 but is as much of an heirloom as any piece of jewelry.

Made by Moooi and designed by Marcel Wanders, the V.I.P. Chair really puts users up on a pedestal. It features flared legs (the "chair with flares") that offer maximum support to the user, while at the same time allowing for some flexibility that a completely solid base would not. It has a steel frame with a soft, upholstered finish and is shaped to offer the maximum comfort to anyone who sits in it. The designer seems to suggest that the chair could work equally well in a conference room at the office or in a home dining room. It measures 31"H x 24 ½"W x 21"D. Price: $1,680.

Exclusively available at Design Within Reach, this 20-06 Chair has a bit of appeal added to its minimalists functional by the fact that it is limited edition and only 500 chairs were produced. Each one is made from 80% recycled aluminum and is numbered (2/500, 3/500, etc) on the back. The seamless chairs weigh only 5.5 pounds each and, although slim, are "three times stronger than steel" (tensile strength of 45,000 p.s.i.). They are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Price: $400.