# Financial Crisis Furnishings The Recession Chair Symbolizes the Unsteady World Market By Michael Hines | Published 2011-11-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recession-chair References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2011/11/09/recession-chair-by-tjep/) & [tjep](http://www.tjep.com/) Very few furnishings capture the current state of the world economy like the Recession Chair. The Recession Chair is a standard piece of [IKEA](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nytillverkad) furniture that was sanded until there was nearly nothing left of one side. The fragile chair is meant to symbolize the impact of the economic crisis that is threatening to pull all world markets under. The Recession Chair was designed by Dutch design group Tjep. Tjep designed the chair in response to what they deemed a lack of designs that represented the current world state of affairs at the recent Dutch Design Week. While nobody wants to be reminded that the world is going through a recession, a design like the Recession Chair is a helpful reminder that things aren’t as great as other people may make them out to seem. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 38% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Economic Crisis Symbolism:** Designing symbolic products that reflect the impact of economic crises can create a meaningful connection with consumers. - **Minimalistic Design:** Exploring minimalistic design concepts can provide innovative solutions that cater to changing consumer preferences. - **Provocative Design:** Using provocative designs to spark conversations and engage consumers can create disruptive opportunities in the market. ### Who This Affects Most - **Furniture Manufacturing:** The furniture manufacturing industry can explore introducing symbolic designs that resonate with consumers during economic downturns. - **Design and Architecture:** The design and architecture industry can embrace minimalistic approaches to create innovative products reflecting the state of the global economy. - **Marketing and Advertising:** The marketing and advertising industry can leverage provocative designs like the Recession Chair to grab attention and communicate messages effectively. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Suspenseful Statement Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/edgeofyr.md) - [Waste-Incorporated Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/knoll-chairs.md) - [Essay-Integrated Dynamic Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pax-new-yorkea.md) - [Sustainably Minded Seating Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/conscious-chair.md) - [Post-Modern Experimental Chair Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/experiment-chair.md) - [Artfully Balanced Chair Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/halfway-serious.md) - [Unexpected Boundary-Pushing Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atypical-chair.md) - [Mindful Wooden Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tanuvi-hegde.md) - [Leftover Textile Lounge Chairs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sugar-lounge-chair.md)