Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Petit Rond Series
Anyone who has ever held their breath as they squeezed their way through a cramped coffee shop or wine bar will surely appreciate the ultra-slim profile of the Petit Rond chair series. After all, less space taken up by seating means more room for open circulation — especially since any Petit Rond chairs that are not in use can be easily stacked away. Of course, there is more to the small circular chair than just its diminutive footprint. This design may be pared back, but it has personality to spare.
Architect Troels Grum-Schwensen originally envisioned the seat for a friend’s gallery and café inside an old sugar factory on a Danish island. Its clean steel fabrication emerged as a welcome counterpoint to the industrial space’s otherwise raw environment. But what made the material choice even more appropriate is the fact that the gallery owner, Allan, also works as a blacksmith. Sure enough, he fabricated the initial production run all by himself.
While this backstory already gives Petit Rond a lot of soul, the chair’s design adds to its humanistic identity. Reduced to essential geometric elements, it almost resembles a cartoon stick figure — one with a plump body supported by a series of simple lines. The result is a friendly companion that fits right into busy social environments.
Danish manufacturer FRAMA agreed. After discovering the chair at Grum-Schwensen’s studio, it worked with the designer to develop a commercial version. The collection includes six seats total: three chair varieties, plus three stool configurations. Along with all-steel versions, both are offered with a natural leather seat or, for an extra hit of charm, one upholstered in a bold zebra-print fabric. When the morning rush hits and the café becomes a zoo, Petit Rond is here to help herd the masses.
