Sure, your coffee table could stand to lose a few pounds, but that extra weight is not such a bad thing. A far cry from the slender metals of minimalism yore, “fat” furnishings have plopped themselves in many an upscale residence this year, characterized by a pudgy silhouette, curved edges and tubular appendages. Who’s to thank for the big new trend? Faye Toogood and her “Roly-Poly” chair (2014) for one, and Pierre Yovanovitch’s “Papa Bear” armchair (2017) for another—both of which have witnessed overwhelming success since their sketchings.
Fine and great for a showcase or two, but how in blazes does one place these in a living room without risking comparison to Pee-wee’s Playhouse? Funnily enough, aesthetic nirvana hinges on a happy marriage with minimalist work, and Justin Donnelly of design duo Jumbo cautions against filling the entire room with “bright, overstuffed, glossy” items. “I pair sculptural furniture with thin-diameter steel pieces in my own home,” he says. “They play really well in the sandbox together.” Here, a few of our chunkier favorites—consider clipping one or two for your next redesign, rather than all five at once.
OOO Floor Lamp by Eny Lee Parker
Photo: Courtesy of Eny Lee Parker
With a reputation for bending ceramic into Seussian shapes, OOO floor lamp reimagines what lighting can look like. Rather than slender and inconspicuous, OOO makes a boisterous, forest-green statement—its lumps and bumps indicative of Parker’s hands-on approach to clay.
Set No. 5 Cocktail Table by Müsing-Sellés
Photo: Courtesy of Müsing-Sellés
A design collaboration between two architects, ‘ cocktail table fastens elephantine legs to the conventional side table. Made of plywood and finished with a gradient gloss, the moody colors serve as a welcome antithesis to the piece’s chunky, lighthearted design.
Blue Red Blowing Armchair 3 by Seungjin Yang
Photo: Courtesy of The Future Perfect
Yes, this chair is made of real balloons. wanted to make the party favorite sculptural, so the Korean artist covered a batch in multiple coats of resin, rendering them both solid and suitable for sitting. The treatment also made this chair glossy; the balloons’ naturally bulbous shapes gives it some built-in heft.
Tube Chair by Objects of Common Interest
Photography by Charlie Schuck
Objects of Common Interest’s tube chair is the only bean bag-adjacent furniture you’ll ever need. The Athens-based studio created an oversized foam and fabric seat with room for two. And yes, it is as comfy as it looks.
Dito Rosso Armchair by Ayala Serfaty
Photography by Elad Sarig
armchair isn’t as overtly chunky as the rest, but its rolls and rounded façade earn it a spot on this list regardless. Inspired by sear rocks and coral, the silk wool seat is a sumptuous piece of furniture-turned-artwork.
