When I first saw the Bloemenwerf armchair by Belgian artist and designer Henry van de Velde over at Bonluxat, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. At first glance, it looks like an armchair that’s stacked on top of another – or at least part of another. It was a bit disorienting, until I looked longer and closer at the details and realized that the wooden parts making up the arms and legs were joined in such a way as to create this illusion.

It seems van de Velde gained (in)famy back in the day in his homeland precisely because of his unconventional designs. His first demonstration of his so-called New Style was his own residence, the Bloemenwerf House located in a suburb in Brussels. But he had the last laugh; much of the rest of Europe was attracted to his creations. They were ready for something new, something bold and exciting and they found it in van de Velde’s handiwork.

But make no mistake, this Belgian designer’s furniture isn’t just all flash. The unconventional appearance and avant-garde looks did not in any way overshadow the core of his design philosophy: reason. Everything he created was fully functional; it was just in the presentation that he took such a radically different path from those taken by many of his contemporaries.

Many of van de Velde’s furniture are now housed in numerous museums in Europe. The Bloemenwerf armchair, though, or rather, reproductions of it, are available today via manufacturer ADELTA. Restaurant owners and managers who want to something a bit quirky yet functional adorning their establishments would probably want to consider getting some to use as café area chairs. The chair is made of solid beechwood that has been stained, and is upholstered in leather and fabric.