Vintage Dining Chair Tapiovaara Domus 1950s

Ilmari Tapiovaara, ’Domus’ armchair, in birch and leather, Finland, 1953. The frame is made from solid birch. Back and seating from laminated plywood covered with patinated original leather. Tapiovaara created this chair with the idea of creating a comfortable chair that could be pulled close to a table. Called ’Finnchair’ in the United States, it has won the American Good Design Award and received the Gold Medal at the Milan Triennale in 1951. Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) was trained as an interior designer and at the beginning of his career, during World War II, Tapiovaara designed gear for the Finnish army, meaning that he got used to work to work with very common materials such as local woods and no nails or screws where available. Later in his career he founded his own practice with his wife and had many assignments for schools and universities.