Let’s talk about love at first sight. Not the romantic kind—I’m talking about that moment when you see a piece of furniture that stops you in your tracks. That’s what happened when one of Chicago’s top restaurateurs showed me a photo of a European chair that had captured their imagination.
But this isn’t just another story about copying European design. It’s about taking inspiration and making it uniquely American. It’s about solving the puzzle of domestic manufacturing while keeping prices accessible. And yes, it’s about creating something beautiful.
The Design Challenge
Here’s what keeps me up at night: How do you honor a classic while making it entirely your own?
The original chair was straightforward enough—welded steel base, molded plywood seat. Simple, right? But simple isn’t the same as easy. Every curve, every connection, every material choice needed to serve both form and function. I wanted to create something that could match the durability restaurants demand while offering the flexibility to customize both the steel finish and veneer to match each space’s unique character.
I spent countless hours at my drawing board, asking myself: What if we could create something that looked this good, felt this comfortable, and could be made right here at Dock 6 Collective? What if we could make it better?
Meeting Our Client’s Vision
When our client Boqueria approached us about seating for their expanding collection of Spanish tapas establishments, they needed something special. Not just any chair would do—they wanted seating that could capture the essence of European dining while standing up to the demands of busy service. From Chicago to Boston, from Nashville to Hartford, each location needed to feel both authentic and fresh.
The Humboldt Chair answered that call. Its refined silhouette pays homage to the schoolhouse chairs you might find in a Barcelona café, while its engineering speaks to modern durability. The molded plywood seat and back provide that perfect balance of comfort and support that keeps diners lingering over their patatas bravas and pan con tomate. Meanwhile, the steel base offers the kind of stability that bustling restaurants require.
Engineering for Commercial Use
Let me tell you about the moment everything clicked. We had found a supplier who could deliver the perfect molded plywood seat and back—the kind that makes you want to linger over dinner. But the real engineering challenge? Creating a steel base that would match that quality while being produced right here in our shop.
We started with laser-cut legs, brake-formed to splay out from a single crossbar. It’s a detail you might miss at first glance, but it’s crucial to the chair’s stability. Then we added a bent wire back support—half-inch wire that provides just the right amount of spring when you lean back. It’s strong enough to handle the daily demands of restaurant service but has enough give to keep guests comfortable through a long evening of tapas and conversation.
Balancing Aesthetics with Durability
The true beauty of the Humboldt Chair lies in what you don’t see. Every weld, every curve, every connection point has been thoughtfully engineered to withstand the rigors of commercial use while maintaining its elegant profile. Whether it’s being pulled across a floor dozens of times a day or supporting guests through countless meals, this chair proves that durability doesn’t have to come at the expense of design.
Customization and Versatility
Every restaurant space tells its own story, which is why we made the Humboldt Chair adaptable to different visions. The steel base can be powder-coated in virtually any color—from subtle blacks and grays to bold statement hues. The molded plywood seat and back come in a range of wood species and finishes, allowing each venue to create its own unique aesthetic.
What makes this particularly special is how the chair’s clean lines work in any setting. We’ve seen it elevate casual bistros and complement fine dining establishments equally well. The proportions are carefully calculated to work with both standard dining tables and bar-height surfaces, making it a versatile choice for mixed-use spaces.
Quality in the Details
Here’s something that might surprise you: we test every chair before it leaves our shop. Not just a quick sit-test, but a thorough examination of every weld, every joint, every connection point. That half-inch wire back support I mentioned earlier? It’s not just strong—it provides exactly the right amount of flex when someone leans back, making those long dinner conversations more comfortable.
Production Process and Innovation
Drawing from both videos, I can see how our journey with chair design has evolved. While the Franklin Chair showcases our mastery of wood joinery with its patented bifurcated leg design, the Humboldt Chair represents our venture into combining materials. Each chair tells its own story of innovation.
The Art of Engineering
What fascinates me most about the Humboldt Chair is how we’ve managed to create something that feels both familiar and entirely new. The laser-cut legs, splaying gracefully from that single crossbar, create a visual lightness that belies their strength. When we were developing this chair, we knew we needed something that could be produced efficiently without sacrificing an ounce of quality.
A Symphony of Materials
The marriage of molded plywood and steel isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating harmony between materials. The half-inch wire back support, for instance, provides what I like to call the “just right” factor: strong enough to support years of use, but with enough give to make every seat comfortable. It’s these thoughtful details that transform a simple chair into an experience.
The Evolution of Design
There’s something magical about the moment when inspiration meets engineering. The Humboldt Chair emerged from countless conversations with restaurateurs, chefs, and designers who all shared a common challenge: finding seating that could be both beautiful and bulletproof. We knew we had to create something different—something that would redefine what commercial furniture could be.
A Tale of Two Materials
What I love about this chair is how it bridges two worlds. The molded plywood seat and back bring organic warmth to the design, while the engineered steel base adds an architectural element that’s both striking and purposeful. Each component plays its part in a larger story—the laser-cut legs creating visual lightness, the brake-formed crossbar providing stability, and that thoughtfully designed wire back support offering just the right amount of give.
Beyond the Workshop
Every chair that leaves our shop carries with it countless hours of problem-solving and refinement. We’ve taken inspiration and transformed it through engineering and craftsmanship. The result isn’t just a chair—it’s a solution that works as hard as the spaces it inhabits. Whether it’s supporting a couple lingering over dessert or weathering the rush of a busy Saturday night, the Humboldt Chair proves that commercial furniture can be both hardworking and refined.
A Legacy of Innovation
In the end, the Humboldt Chair represents more than just seating—it’s a testament to what happens when you refuse to compromise. By combining time-honored craftsmanship with modern engineering, we’ve created something that will stand the test of time, both in durability and design. It’s furniture that tells a story, creates memories, and proves that the best solutions come from truly understanding the challenges they need to solve.
