Having a moment: the Acapulco chair. The symbol of laid-back, midcentury resort style looks as comfortable today as in the 1950s when (legend has it) a French traveler borrowed from the design of a woven Mayan rope hammock to make an open-air lounger to capture the Acapulco breezes.
The iconic style harkens to an earlier era of celebrity chic—when Liz Taylor married Mike Todd in Acapulco, Rock Hudson caught a monster fish while honeymooning, and Orson Welles stepped ashore from a private yacht.
The chair's simple, geometric lines make it an easy fit with other outdoor furniture styles. Available these days with choice of a classic bowl seat, an updated barrel back, or an elongated egg shape, the Acapulco chair is on our list of summer must-haves.
Here are 10 of our favorite Acapulco chairs:
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Above: A Copacabana Chair made of braided resin and metal is available in several colors and as a rocking chair. It's €69.99 from Maisons Du Monde.
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Above: A green Acapulco Lounge Chair is handwoven in rainbow colors; the chair has a powder coated steel frame and is $219 from CB2.
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Above: Inspired by the woven designs of Mayan hammocks, an Acapulco Chair is made of "flexible yet durable vinyl cord" and has a metal frame. It measures a comfortable 35 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 33 inches deep, dimensions likely to provoke "an instant siesta." Available in a rainbow of colors and with a choice of black or white metal frame, it is $435 from Innit Designs.
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Above: Garden designer Julie Kameon's modern Hoop Chair from her Plain Air collection updates the idea of the Acapulco chair. For information and pricing, see Plain Air.
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Above: Made in Mexico, exported to Australia, an Acapulco Chair made of UV-filtered PVC cording with a galvanized metal frame is $495 AU from Acapulco Chair, which describes itself as "the only place to buy real Mexican Acapulco chairs in Australia."
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Above: With the same pear shape as the original 1950s Acapulco chair, a Blue Lagoon Chair from Mexican designers León León mixes handcraft with artistic techniques; $419. For more styles from León León, see A Lounge Chair Inspired by a Cocktail.
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Above: Danish label OK Design imports Mexican-made Acapulco Chairs with triangular powder coated steel frames for sale in Europe; available in four colors including (as shown, L to R): Petrol, Yellow, and Light Blue. A chair is €399.
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Above: From Danish designers House Doctor, a barrel silhouette and simple metal frame call to mind an Acapulco chair. A woven rattan Rotan Chair is €365 from Living and Company. For more see Gardenista 100: The Best Scandinavian Rattan Chairs.
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Above: With a powder coated steel frame and plastic cording, a round Acapulco Chair by Harmonia Living comes in eight colors and finishes; $249.99 from All Modern.
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Above: From Roost, an Ellipse Acapulco Chair "updates a vintage classic: with cotton cord and a dark iron base. It is available in three colors (Shown L to R: Indigo, Chocolate, and Natural) and is $319 from Modish.
For more, see:
- 10 Easy Pieces: Outdoor Lounge Chairs in Color.
- Hotel Visit: A Midcentury Classic is Reborn in Acapulco.
- Furniture: Acapulco Chair in Indoor Settings.
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