How would you describe your style? Is it Scandinavian, Mid-century, Transitional, Farmhouse, Contemporary or some hybrid of a bunch of styles? Many of us prefer a mix of styles and are not rigid in just one aesthetic and fusing objects from different styles into one cohesive design can be tricky. Luckily, there are a few pieces of chameleonic design that can help us meet this challenge. When I say “chameleonic design”, I’m referring to pieces of furniture that can morph into the style of its surroundings. This is a pretty neat trick to pull off because most furniture items have a predominant style and when you combine that style with that of another, it can easily look like a mess of ideas and not a unified statement. This brings me to an iconic piece of design that can pull a lot of weight in the area of fusing styles, the Hoffman Chair a.k.a. 811 Chair by Ton.

This is gold standard chameleonic design in my opinion. It looks equally Mid-century, Scandinavian, Farmhouse, Hamptons Coastal, Rustic, Transitional and even Industrial in context. Its classic lines, modern feel and natural cane seat and seat back come together in a sculptural form that works in almost any environment. Okay, so it doesn’t really work in a glitzy glam style but if we’re honest, you shouldn’t be doing that in your home anyway! Most people who try to get Glitzy-glam usually end up with tacky-overkill but I digress. For the majority of styles that the populous will pursue, the 811 chair will be beautiful and right on message. 

Designed by Austrian architect Josef Hoffman in collaboration with Josef Frank in 1925, the 811 chair is a modernist synchrony of the arts & crafts style influence and industrial age technology into a timeless piece of design. It is this chair’s incredible design adaptability that makes it a great investment. The trick to this chair is not only in its form but also it’s color or finish. Selecting the right finish for this chair can transform its style statement almost magically before your eyes. If your space changes, it changes and that’s the kind of chameleonic design that I think you need to know about.