Discarded chairs molt into ‘Hybreeds’

An industrial designer in London, England, admits to having close personal relationships with chairs. “Not every chair speaks to me,” says Charlotte Kingsnorth. “There are special characters. Sometimes I will find beautiful chairs just dumped on the side of the road with a missing spindle or worn upholstery. I can’t resist bringing them back to my studio.” Kingsnorth sketches the chair, fleshing it out with biomorphic growths that envelop the frame. Then she goes to work with foam and fabric, developing a functional and comfortable chair that resembles a living thing in mid-morph.

Kingsnorth wraps foam directly around the chair frame, adding and subtracting material until the form she intends takes shape. She then creates a pattern, cuts the chosen fabric, pins the material and hand stitches the pieces together. Each chair is unique, as is each fabric choice. The various Hybreeds have been upholstered in quilted emerald green, reflective black, purple plush and a fabric that looks like fake fur. Kingsnorth most recently displayed her Hybreeds in April 2013 at Ventura Lambrate, Milan, Italy, during the Milan Furniture Fair. For more information, see Charlotte’s website.