The Eu/phoria chair is designed around the material Woodstock®, an inexpensive material that is used in the automobile industry. The material is 50% polypropylene and 50% reclaimed material from woodworking. Woodstock® is produced in thermoformable sheets, which are extremely flexible, hard warning and easily customizable. Customization happens in the moulding phase, where different fabrics can be integrated to produce wildly different aesthetic results.

The Eu/phoria Collection. Designed by Paola Navone. Manufactured by Eumenes.

The hard shell sits atop a thin frame made from painted metal which is offered in a variety of colors. In essence, the Eu/phoria chair is a blank canvas for the owner’s imagination, with the numerous fabric and color options combined with the frame, a personalized chair can result each time. I am surprised and impressed by how the attitude of the Eu/phoria chair can change depending on the fabric. The paid and striped chairs have a picnic, inexpensive feeling, whereas the solids are modern and funky. The Vichy checks or finer plaids are classy and stylish and would look appropriate in a board room or upscale seating area. Such versatility is uncommon in a chair, where chameleon like qualities are desired but not typically achieved.

“The Eu/phoria chairs are shells supported by a slender frame. They are part chair and part armchair. They can be adorned with intense colours, in lively Vichy checks or country stripes, in more sober houndstooth, or in supple Alcantara. Changing the fabric changes their appearance completely. They have an industrial spirit and feminine grace, and they are eco-friendly, because the manufacture of the shell uses material left over from woodworking. They are chameleons that can adapt to any surroundings. In the all-black version, they are perfect in any office, they look great in a bar when covered with Chinese material, and there are several cheery and delicate multicolour versions for the home. They are nomadic and imaginative; youthful and revolutionary. ”

About the Designer: Paola Navone graduated from Turin Polytechnic with a degree in Architecture in 1973. As a designer, she has worked on projects for Poliform, Mondo, Armani Casa, and many more. Navone worked as the Art Director for Abet Laminati, a well respect laminate manufacturer. She has also worked as an interior designer on houses and restaurants around the world. In 1983, she was awarded the first ever International Design Award in Osaka. Her work seeks to revitalize the past and be a true citizen of the world.