The Tessa Armchair

A modern armchair that celebrates Italian craftsmanship and rural traditions.

When buying a piece of furniture, one usually needs to decide whether to go with a more traditional or a contemporary design. The Tessa lounge chair solves this issue in an elegant way. Woven in the fabric of its modernist style, age-old artisan methods celebrate both Italian craftsmanship and the country’s rural traditions. Designed by architect and designer Antonio Citterio for Flexform, the armchair features a woven backrest and seat that reference vintage straw and wicker chairs. Intentionally simple in design, the chair features a complex build that pays homage to the ancient Italian rural tradition of crafting wood and paper rush cord seating.

Tessa boasts a solid wood frame made of either ash wood or turned Canaletto walnut. Traditional joinery techniques enhance both the quality of the build and the beauty of the natural wood grain. The seat and backrest require just as much technical skill; they feature a delicate but sturdy woven paper rush cord completed by hand. For extra comfort, Flexform offers optional cushions with leather straps.

Customers can also select between various material and color options. Tessa comes in natural or stained Canaletto walnut; the ash options also include a natural finish or several types of stain treatments, from cherry to ebony. Other options include the cushion fabric and feet finish. Apart from the Tessa armchair, this elegant collection also includes an ottoman, a bench, and a coffee table with a marble top. Photographs© Flexform.