BEST ART: Welcome Back Lucite!

Lucite furniture has officially made a come-back in contemporary interior design since it’s heyday in the 60’s and 70’s. After all, who hasn’t seen one of Philippe Starck’s Ghost Chairs featured in one of the latest design magazines lately?

Philippe Starck's "Ghost" chair.

Not only can Lucite furniture be a more economical substitute for glass or even wood pieces, it instantly adds a touch of glamor to any interior. Vintage Lucite furniture, in particular, is in high demand by interior designers and collectors alike, so if your family has one of these fabulously hip, futuristic pieces hidden away in storage from their earlier days, it may be time to brush the dust off!

Plexiglas ball chair by Christian Daninos, 1968.

The term “Lucite” is the official DuPont trademark for “methyl methacrylate” - also known as, “Plexiglas” or “Altuglas”. Methyl methacrylate was actually discovered on accident by the Rohm and Hass Chemical Company in 1924. It was first used as a glass substitute for industrial purposes like boat windshields and aircraft windows in the late 1930's, but later found a niche in residential and commercial architecture in the 1940’s.

By the late 1950’s and on up through the 1970’s, “Plexiglas”, or “Lucite”, had made its mark in modern furniture design. Crystal clear or tinted, lightweight yet ultra resistant, this new form of plastic was a miracle product, easily shaped into any form and so versatile it was used for everything from fashion accessories like jewelry and handbags to sculpture, furniture and light fixtures.

Contemporary version of Verner Panton's S chair.

Acrylic furniture manufacturers started to pop up worldwide in the 1960's and architects and designers alike, such as Charles Hollis Jones and Verner Panton pioneered the trend for modern acrylic furniture. Their work was well received in Hollywood amongst celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and Johnny Carson, and is still in vogue today as Madonna will attest in a recent ad for Versace.