Manufacturer: Carl Hansen & Søn | Designer: Hans J. Wegner, 1963
A Chair That Earns Its Space
The CH07 Shell Chair has a triangular footprint and a presence that is hard to place from a single angle — which is precisely the point. Wegner designed it to be viewed from all sides, and it rewards that attention: the wing-like seat curves upward at the edges, the three tapered legs arch outward with a lightness that belies their strength, and the whole form seems to hover just above the floor. It is frequently placed where it can be seen in the round — alone in a corner, or in a loose group where each chair becomes part of a composition.
It is sometimes called The Smiling Chair. Once you see it, you cannot unsee it.
The Design Behind It
When Wegner unveiled the CH07 Shell Chair in 1963, critics admired its avant-garde form but the public was not ready for it. Mixed reviews, combined with the production limitations of the time, meant the chair was made in very limited numbers. It waited. Carl Hansen & Søn reintroduced it in 1998, and it won broad admiration almost immediately — a new generation recognised what the 1960s had not quite been able to embrace.
The seat and backrest are formed from upholstered pressure-moulded veneer, shaped to cradle the body with a generosity that the chair's slender silhouette does not suggest. The laminated legs are built from multiple veneer layers; the two front legs are formed from a single continuous element, giving the base its distinctive arched stability. Wegner believed a chair should have no back side — that it should be beautiful from every angle. The CH07 Shell Chair is the fullest expression of that conviction.
Craftsmanship & Finish
Available in Beech, Oak, and Walnut, each upholstered in your choice of fabric or leather across all groups, including cowhide. Contact our team for fabric samples and advice on grade selection.
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Dimensions — W92 × D83 × H74cm (seat height 35cm)
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Frame — Solid beech, oak, or walnut
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Shell — Upholstered pressure-moulded veneer
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Legs — Laminated veneer; two front legs formed from a single continuous element
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Seat — Foam with upholstery in all fabric and leather groups, including cowhide
Part of the Carl Hansen Lounge Chairs collection.
