Mr. Chair by George Mulhauser for Plycraft
Paul R. Goldman founded Plycraft in 1953, first producing plywood furniture after World War II, taking a brief time-out to make fiberglass boats. Plycraft was in operation in Massachusetts until 1994 and despite auspicious beginnings (Goldman himself was referred to as one of the "new Horatio Algers of business" in a 1962 issue of TIME magazine, and the first chairs he produced were for Herman Miller), later knockoffs and design disputes sullied Plycraft's reputation.
Two Seattle homeowners remade a soggy midcentury home as a thoroughly modern masterpiece by punching up vintage numbers with bold color. A pair of vintage George Mulhauser for Plycraft chairs is complemented by a powder-coated orange fireplace, a coffee table by Alexander Girard for Knoll, and a pair of undated paintings by Arthur L. Kaye.
It's unfortunate, then, that the company isn't as recognized for its original commissions, like the Mr. Chair designed by George Mulhauser with a single-shell back, winged arms, and a tufted leather seat. You can find them on Ebay on occasion (try searching "Plycraft lounge" or "Mulhauser")—most often with white or black leather upholstery. Here, we've rounded up a few spotted in the wild and in the pages of Dwell.
Central to the living room of this Washington home is a pair of George Mulhauser for Plycraft chairs upholstered in sleek white leather. The adjacent dining room sports a Galaxy chandelier from Rejuvenation, a custom table, and Gideon Kramer Ion chairs.
New York interior designer Betsy Morgan included a pair of George Mulhauser for Plycraft lounge chairs, upholstered in white leather, in a Chelsea basement-turned-rec-room with a "relaxed, Moroccan vacation vibe." Photo by Costas Picadas via New York Magazine.
Textile designer Amy Butler lives in a post-and-beam midcentury house in Granville, Ohio, where she's paired her own fabrics and wallpaper with streamlined vintage pieces like a Mulhauser for Plycraft chair upholstered in brown leather. Photo via Dose of Happy.
Designer Amy Butler has paired a vintage Plycraft lounger with her own Lacework wallpaper in Moss in the living room of her Ohio home. Photo by David Butler via Apartment Therapy.
Green leather upholstery for a Plycraft lounger designed by George Mulhauser is a slightly rarer find on the vintage market, though not uncommon at the time of its production. Read more about Plycraft lounge chairs. Photo via Candi Mandi.
Published
Last Updated
Get the Dwell Newsletter
Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.