Simple style: minimal grey armchair from Out & Out Original [AD]

This is a paid partnership written in collaboration with Out & Out Original. The featured armchair was borrowed for the purposes of the shoot

Have you heard of Out & Out Original I wonder? They’re a UK-based online furniture store that supplies beautiful, functional, ethically sourced and produced designs from across the world – a name to have on your source list if you have a thing for simple, minimal homeware like I do.

Born out of his love of fine furniture and his passion for travel, the company was founded by Leeds-born Daniel Fairburn with a belief that good design shouldn’t cost the earth. Daniel’s journey started when he emigrated to Saigon in Vietnam to work as a furniture designer for a Danish company for eight years. He went on to work for big names such as IKEA and Habitat before setting up on his own in 2013 (you can read an interview I did with him in 2015, here).

Out & Out Original have curated a range of unique designs at affordable prices, from clean, contemporary, Scandinavian-inspired sofas and industrial-style dining tables to rattan garden chairs and reclaimed teak tables. I’ve just been having a browse myself and spotted some lovely, simple concrete planters that I’ve got my eye on. But when I was tasked with styling one of their designs in my own home, I fell for the charm of the Wingman – a minimal grey armchair that I featured before in my post about the best Scandinavian-style armchairs for under £500 (see it here).

If you’re looking to buy a designer armchair from one of many well-known Scandinavian brands you’ll be looking to shell out anything from £800 to £2,000. The Wingman in comparison comes in at £399 – an appealing price tag for a design that doesn’t compromise on style.

The comfy, curvaceous design is made from a hardwood frame upholstered in a soft grey polyester fabric, attached to slender black metal legs. If you saw my blog post about Milan Design Week this year, you’ll know that thin black frames are everywhere at the moment, giving furniture a lightweight appeal and a smart contemporary look – a simple update from chunky wooden legs and mid-century styles.

The Wingman minimal grey armchair makes a bold statement with chunky armrests and a deep, inviting seat. Out & Out Original also offer a narrower take on the design in the form of the Bestman, with a rounder shape and slender armrests. Both have a Scandinavian appeal in their simplicity.

The texture of the marl-like fabric is soft and appealing, and if I hadn’t known it was polyester I would have thought it was wool such is its expensive look.

The Wingman fits elegantly into this corner of my living room. Inspired by it’s minimal form, I went for a simple, pared-back styling to help focus the eye on the chair’s smooth lines. I actually moved half the room around to get a nice, clean backdrop, usually this is where my bar trolley and book shelf lives.

Drawing on the neutral tones of my Liza Giles painting, I combined the rich grey of the chair with light beige tones for a calm, natural look. I can imagine curling up in the Wingman’s arms, with a cosy blanket and book next to the wood burner. What could be more peaceful!

If you’re looking for a minimal grey armchair yourself, the Wingman just might be the one. What’s not to love – good design at an affordable price? But what do you think? Were you familiar with Out & Out Original before?

All images Cate St Hill