Toronto retailer Kate Eisen (INabstracto) and art dealer Duncan Farnan have teamed up to revive a Canadian design classic, the Solair chair. Designed in Montreal in 1972 by Fabio Fabiano and Michelange Panzini, the Solair became an iconic fixture in front of motels up and down the North American East Coast and beyond. Toronto’s Beach Motel, one of two surviving lakeshore motels, still has yellow Solairs outside every room, above.
Lightweight and extremely comfortable, the chairs are easy to disassemble and stack. “And people look great sitting in them,” says Eisen, “which is a very important consideration with chairs.”
Three Toronto dealers are selling the revived Solair: Eisen’s INabstracto (1160 Queen Street West, 416.533.6362), EyeSpy (1100 Queen Street East) and SMASH (2880 Dundas Street West). The chairs retail for $120 each and come in a range of original and new colours — tropical orange, tan, white, aquamarine, lime green, hot pink and yellow.
On June 17 Eisen and Farnan are throwing a comeback party for Solair at the Gladstone Hotel (7 – 11 pm). The Solair is well-positioned to be the chair of the summer.
June 16th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Cool chairs man I bought mine at
Pazo
781 Queen East.
http://www.studiopazo.com
They were on sale $100 each. Great deal.
August 13th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
New on the West Coast!!! IEL sales representative now located on Vancouver Island. New stock arriving in August. Cool colors for indoor/outdoor use. Possibility of quick pick-up or delivery. Just contact me at claire@iel-lachance.com for more details.
April 5th, 2011 at 11:34 am
I have an original turquoise one which I found at Value Village as well as an original Sunflower chair – exactly the same shape but with tiny concentric holes – in yellow.
Priceless
May 14th, 2011 at 11:51 am
As of June 1st, 2011, the Beach Motel will cease to exist. The family has decided to sell to developers under pressure from the city. Their property taxes were arbitrarily assessed this year at rates that were determined as if they were a lakefront condo complex [with no luck at appeal], and soared from $80,000 to $380,000…!
So, while we may wistfully look at this mid-20C gem as we drive by, feeling its pull as a symbol of a culture that is quietly being shown the door… and while we would have loved the idea of staying there to soak up something of that nostalgic appeal, and enjoying these chairs in their natural habitat, the possibility of The Beach being resurrected as a truly delightful boutique experience has been lost to the force majeure of the almighty buck.
This is how the twentieth-century will be dismantled: piece-by-piece; quietly; with no lament.
May 30th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
I would like to know if we can purchase the baskets, without the frames?
If so, how much. Also is their a phone number where we can reach you at.
June 6th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Hi Nancy,
I have a basket with no base. It is yellow, but somewhat faded from the sun. Depends on the look you’re looking for…
Interested?
July 7th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
If anyone in the Hamilton area is looking for the Solair chair we carry them at Lofty Ambitions at 1045 King St W in Westdale Village. We have a green and white on display to try out and I can order whatever colour you’re interested in – should only take about a week to arrive. They’re priced at $125. Call us at 289-389-5465.