People don't usually equate seat belts with style and comfort, but Thai designer Nuttapong Charoenkitivarakorn has created chic and comfortable chairs made almost entirely out of seat belts, and we recently got our hands on one.
Now offered by Phillips Collection, the seat belt chair debuted in 2005 and is available in several different models and colors. Among the different models are club chairs, indoor dining chairs, outdoor dining chairs, and rocking chairs. Constructed with cotton seat belt material latticed over a frame in a crisscross pattern for derriere and back support, seat belt chairs come in black, gray, red, beige, green, orange, and purple, or combinations of these color options.
Despite their unique look, you may already be familiar with seat belt chairs, having seen them in the 2012 blockbuster "The Hunger Games." In the film, the story's heroine, Katniss Everdeen, is brought from her poor rural village to the greedy and decadent Capital city to participate in a deadly reality show. When she's first shown to her penthouse suite in a Capital skyscraper, the camera lingers on the unusual interior design elements of the room, with a set of neon-green seat belt dining chairs being featured prominently among the evocative décor.
House Tipster recently got its own piece of Hollywood and acquired a seat belt indoor dining chair just like the ones seen in the movie, except ours is green and black. And I have to say, despite the seat belt chair being made out of something that's normally associated with discomfort, I positively melted into its vehicle restraints. Although it is lightweight, this chair is quite sturdy, and I can vouch for the great lumbar support provided by the latticework of crisscrossing seat belts.
The unique look of these chairs makes for a great conversation starter, but they’re not just some novelty set piece from the movies. Seat belt chairs are fully functional furniture despite their rare form and can put a bold accent on almost any interior design, especially if you're going for a modern or industrial look in your home décor.
I highly recommend these chairs to anyone who is unafraid of making a daring design decision.
Feeling adventurous? Interested in bringing a seat belt chair into your own home? Check out the wide assortment of seat belt chair models and colors available on Phillips Collection's website.
