A furniture piece is way different than art pieces in our house, especially a chair. Unlike wall paintings, a chair demands to be touched and relied upon, acting as a conversation between materials and humans. A sentiment, the 2026 edition of Melbourne Design Week conveyed through its 100 Chairs exhibition.
Curated by Friends & Associates, the 100 Chairs exhibition silences the noise of the world to introduce us to the tactile brilliance of purely Australian-designed furniture. Among the rows and rows of raw experimentation and clever problem-solving, these five chairs not only captured our attention but asked us to pause and look through the eyes of the designer. Let’s explore the five best and quirky picks from the 100 Chairs exhibition from the 2026 Melbourne Design Week.
rest(less) Chair
The rest(less) chair is an experimental, sculptural furniture piece by Australian ceramicist and designer Bridget Saville. Made from extruded clay, the chair design was inspired by a period of physical and mental health challenges Saville was navigating at the time of creation. It marks a bolder, larger expansion in her ongoing design series. Stepping away from conventional furniture restraints, the chair captures a sense of freedom through an experimental, bold, and larger-scale approach to ceramics.
For rest[less], I was interested in the contrast between a form that appears restless and animated, while simultaneously being held within a static structure that, in turn, provides a place for rest
– Bridget Saville
E63rd Sofa
The E63rd Sofa is a celebrated, custom-built modular piece created by Australian designer Nicholas Johnston. Known for reimagining the classic conversation pit, it features an integrated table system that allows for versatile configurations. The furniture balances sculptural elegance with utility, adapting seamlessly into sophisticated residential and contemporary interiors.
ReStitch chair
The ReStitch Low Chair by renowned Australian industrial designer Adam Goodrum is an innovative furniture piece that debuted at Melbourne Design Week 2026. It is a direct, refined evolution of his iconic, award-winning Stitch Chair, which originally made its debut in 1998. The original Stitch Chair gained global acclaim for joining pieces of 2mm metal with an intricate series of 12 integrated piano hinges. With this year’s launch of the ReStitch series, Goodrum has pushed the limits of precision engineering.
By further refining the structural capacity of the internal hinges, he has scaled up the mechanisms to support much larger, lounge-oriented dimensions, making a substantial low chair profile possible for the first time. The ReStitch Low chair utilizes meticulously laser-cut and formed stainless steel pieces for seamless compact folding.
Pleased to Meet You Chair
The chair’s full title is “Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name,” a direct nod to the opening lyrics of the Rolling Stones’ iconic 1968 track, Sympathy for the Devil. The design represents a dialogue between the dark and gentle sides of humanity. The chair sits in an intentional in-between space: it is simultaneously hard and soft, harsh and gentle.
It is hand-carved from Oregon timber, with tufts of recycled Icelandic sheepskin and a finely crafted brass rose. Bemelen believes that the horned piece alludes to the devil, articulating that we are all a blend of good and evil.
Elba Dine Chair
The Elba Dine Chair is a limited-edition chair that creates a moment of pause while inviting people to connect and experience through touch. Made in collaboration with the local Australian designers, the chair sits at the core of what the studio Zenn Design represents.
It features a single double-frame architecture and sets a fully upholstered, plush cushion seamlessly inside a minimal lightweight outer frame to achieve a clean, floating aesthetic without sacrificing comfort.
The 100 Chairs feels like less of an exhibition and more of how we decide to fill our surroundings. The five highlighted pieces also reflect on how design is much more than just a canvas; they invite us not just to sit, but to belong.
