It’s wonderful when something old is new again—that is, if it was worthwhile the first time around. When manufacturers re-issue classic furniture, everyone reaps the rewards. Such is the current case with the “new” Jacques Guillon Cord Chair, which was originally designed in 1953 (in Canada, of all places). This simple chair hides a subtle complication: dualistic in material, the Cord Chair juxtaposes lightness and weight with its lacquer and 8-stranded braided corded back.

Cord Chair. Designed by Jacques Guillon, re-issued by Avenue Road.

Offered by Avenue Road, the chair acknowledges its double nature: “At first glance, the ultra-light minimalist design seems contradictory to the overwhelming strength and comfort of the piece.” The chair comes in clear lacquer over a walnut veneer or black lacquer over a maple veneer, with the backrest cords in white or black. They look great as a singular piece or in groups. You can combine the crisp, pristine white with the dramatic, rich black—or stick to one or the other for a forceful minimalism. Arrange six of the black Cord Chairs at a glass or acrylic dining table for an elegant look.

Keep a white Cord Chair in your bedroom (I shouldn’t say it, but we all are guilty of using our bedroom chairs for throwing off our clothes after a late night out, although the Jacques Guillon Cord Chair deserves to be naked so that its signature lines remain visible). Use them exclusively or combine them with different chairs—or chairs that are different (you know what I mean with this un-clever clever word play; I mean a one-of-a-kind chair). If mixed with other chairs, take advantage of the Cord Chair’s “near perfect balance of fragility and strength.”