Classic rustic looks meet advanced ergonomics
Having reintroduced the world to Rainer Daumiller’s iconic 1970s armchair in 2022, GUBI and the revered designer have joined forces once more, expanding the collection with an ingenious new side chair design. Combining the timeless rustic looks for which Daumiller’s work is known with advanced ergonomic features, the Daumiller Side Chair offers a blend of comfort, functionality, and sculptural aesthetics, embodying both tradition and modern practicality.
In step with broader cultural and lifestyle currents, which celebrate country living and connection to nature, interiors today are increasingly emphasizing a grounded farmhouse aesthetic. This shift embraces natural materials, earthy color palettes, and a sense of authenticity that reflects a simpler, more harmonious way of life. In this context, the Daumiller Side Chair, with its timeless design and tactile timber materiality, is the perfect addition.
Rooted in concepts for side chairs that Daumiller developed in the 1970s, including his ideas for a woven-seat design that never previously made it to production, the chair is a true collaboration. The design brings together Daumiller’s signature approach to materiality and form with GUBI’s production expertise, resulting in a chair that is both a homage to Daumiller’s legacy and a forward-looking design achievement.
The Daumiller Side Chair shares a design language with the Daumiller Armchair, being elegant yet robust and reassuringly solid in form, and featuring a similarly curved backrest. True to Daumiller’s design philosophy, the chair’s aesthetic transcends any specific era, making it as relevant today as ever. Beneath its classic expression lies a forward-thinking innovation: a backrest that moves naturally with the body’s movements, offering a gentle tilt for flexible sitting positions, and providing support and comfort.
Chunky in appearance but light in weight, the chair’s frame is crafted from FSC®-certified solid pine (FSC®-C176589) from replanted forests, chosen for its faster growth rate and CO2-storage potential, and other controlled materials. The Daumiller Side Chair is available in either golden pine or with a brown/black-stained finish. While the golden edition emphasizes the natural pattern of the wood, imbuing the chair with a rustic farmhouse feel, the brown/black stain gives the chair a stronger silhouette and a cleaner-lined, more graphical expression, without compromising materiality.
The chair is meticulously assembled using wooden dowels for a seamless, sturdy construction, with the backrest CNC-milled for precision and finished by hand. The backrest is fitted with a smooth, friction-free pivot mechanism that ensures durability and effortless movement.
The seat, supported by sturdy wooden bars to balance comfort and stability, is made from handwoven natural rush, lending it a rich texture and a rustic appeal that complements the visible grain of the pine. The intricate weaving process demands a high level of craftsmanship to maintain the symmetry of the pattern while accommodating the seat’s varying width between the front and rear legs, showcasing precision and artistry.
The result is an inventively modern take on a classic Scandinavian chair, elegantly embodying Daumiller’s lifelong priorities as a designer: rustic simplicity, considered ergonomics, and a deep and sincere respect for nature. The Daumiller Side Chair not only honors tradition but also elevates it, offering a piece that is both timeless and contemporary.
