OW149 Colonial Chair

Ole Wanscher designed the OW149 Colonial Chair in 1959, drawing on his deep study of historical furniture traditions, particularly those of ancient Egypt and eighteenth-century English cabinetry. Rather than imitate, he distilled. The result is a form that carries the memory of classical proportion without quoting it directly.

The silhouette is immediately legible: slender oak members, slightly curved armrests that rise to a point before descending in a quiet, deliberate arc. That curve is not ornamental. It distributes tension across the frame and gives the chair its characteristic poise. For a piece of such spare dimensions, the Colonial Chair is notably stable, a quality achieved through the geometry of its bracing rather than added mass.

Wanscher described himself as a minimalist with a preference for the slim and refined, yet he never confused economy of form with coldness. The leather or TERRA upholstered seat and cushioned back introduce warmth and give the chair its dual identity: architectural in structure, hospitable in presence.

• Designed by Ole Wanscher, 1959
• Frame in solid oak with oil or lacquer finish options
• Available in leather or TERRA fabric upholstery
• Part of the Colonial Series, produced by Carl Hansen and Son

The Colonial Chair remains Wanscher's most recognized work, and its continued production by Carl Hansen and Son speaks to the integrity of its original conception.