# Minimalist L-Shaped Chairs The Maarten Sherpenisse Chair Takes Seating to Its Most Basic Level By Meghan Young | Published 2009-09-27 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/maarten-scherpenisse-chair References: [yankodesign](http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/09/25/absolutely-basic-chair/) If the designer questions the reality of his own creation, as with the Maarten Scherpenisse chair, does it truly even exist? It’s hard to say. I mean, even though the gallery is proof that ‘Chair?’ does in fact exist, it is so [breathtakingly beautiful in its simplicity](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/john-pawson-and-herman-miller) that it can’t possibly be real. Looking more like some kind of [luxury workman tool](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fold-chair) rather than an actual seat, the Maarten Scherpenisse chair brings into question the most fundamental issues between [form and function](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atypical-chair). And Maarten Scherpenisse himself questions, “Is there any more basic chair than this?” ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 11% | Activity: 47% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/furniture) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Minimalist Furniture Design:** There is potential for the development of more minimalist furniture that questions the traditional balance between form and function. - **Functional Art:** Designers may explore the intersection of practicality and aesthetic beauty by creating functional art pieces like the Maarten Sherpenisse chair. - **Simplicity in Industrial Design:** Industrial designers can pursue a trend towards simplicity, making products that balance function and form while emphasizing a minimalist aesthetic. ### Who This Affects Most - **Furniture Design:** The Maarten Sherpenisse chair illustrates how furniture designers can challenge the norms and create unique pieces that blur the line between art and function. - **Home Decor:** The minimalist trend in furniture design can extend to home decor, inspiring retailers to source and promote simple, understated products. - **Industrial Design:** Designers in the industrial design field can seek to create more elegant and efficient products that challenge traditional forms and processes. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Minimal Geometric Chair Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/euclid-chair.md) - [Simplistically Shaped Geometric Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sitter-chair.md) - [Plywood Sculptural Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mt-chair.md) - [Luxurious Minimal Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxurious-minimal-chair.md) - [Circular Modernist Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zerogravity-chair.md) - [Scissor-Inspired Minimal Wooden Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kainchee-chair.md) - [Chic Single-Piece Plywood Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/void-lounge-chair.md) - [Stone Vein-Inspired Seating](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ana-chair.md) - [Structurally Complex Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-arch-chair.md)