Utter the words “rocking chair,” and minds jump to grandma figures. Edvard Munch’s Aunt Karen in the Rocking Chair perhaps. Or maybe you connect the phrase with President Kennedy, who rocked to alleviate back pain. Early American rockers were quite traditional, fusty even, with high spindled backs. Michael Thonet’s 1880 bentwood rocker had a bit more flourish, while a quarter of a century later, Mission and Adirondack styles felt rather stiff. As midcentury modern style emerged, Charles and Ray Eames added rockers to their fiberglass shell. After that, furniture designers got creative: Think Ron Arad’s neotenic polyethylene chair sculptures and Frank Gehry’s cardboard Contour.
These recently issued rocking chairs have contemporary silhouettes that blend seamlessly into easy-living outdoor tableaus. Cane-line’s Peacock, made from all-weather wicker, channels the clean, curved lines of Danish design. Gervasoni’s Hashi finds its form from Japanese aesthetics, complete with tatami-like waterproof seat, and Roberti’s Charme exudes a dash of Italian sexiness that would feel right at home on Miami Beach or the Riviera.
-
Charme, Roberti
Image Credit: Courtesy of Roberti The crisscross netting back of Roberti’s Charme rocking armchair provides comfy support without blocking breezes. The weather-resistant cording, called Flat Trendyrope by the northeast-Italian company, which got its start in wicker, comes in a fashion-forward sage-y green and an easy-to-live-with taupe; the frame is powder-coated steel and the runners iroko wood. Designed by Antonio De Marco, the nest-like piece adds a playful presence in a compact footprint perfect for urban patios or contemporary poolsides. $3,995
-
Peacock, Cane-line
Image Credit: Courtesy of Cane-line The fan-shaped back and woven wicker-like construction of Cane-line’s Peacock rocking chair takes cues from the iconic wicker throne that reigned in the mid-20th century, albeit in a measurably less flamboyant manner. This pared-down Peacock—conceived in collaboration with Danish furniture designer Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen—is also quite cozy, as it’s made from Cane-line’s Soft Rope, a durable, fade-resistant, and, yes, soft polypropylene. The rockers themselves are crafted from responsibly harvested teak. For extra comfort, top your Peacock with quick-dry cushions; the radial pattern of the vertically channel-tufted seat back recalls the chair’s avian namesake. $3,930
-
Hashi, Gervasoni
Image Credit: Courtesy of Gervasoni Italian designer Federica Biasi drew from Japanese traditions in devising the Hashi rocker. Although hashi means “chopsticks” in Japanese, the chair is not particularly leggy. The rounded, dowel-like components that comprise the iroko structure feel almost Shaker in origin, as does the waterproof woven-fabric seat. Gervasoni describes the lightweight technical fabric as a jacquard; it also emits tatami vibes. Biasi herself notes she is swayed by Asian and Nordic lines. No matter—at the end of a day on the patio, the simple, strong, timeless design speaks for itself. From $2,837
-
Low-back Post and Rung, Dawson Moore
Image Credit: Courtesy of Dawson Moore Dawson Moore is very much about showcasing materials. The celebration starts early, as the craftsman sources his wood from his own property—a sixth-generation tree farm in Harbor Springs, Mich.—and the surrounding area. Call his method log-to-chair, if you will. Moore carves, bends, and joins each component by hand using simple tools that keep him closely connected to the wood. Each work of art is made to order. To ensure your Low-back Post and Rung rocker can fully withstand the outdoors, specify it in red oak with a paracord seat. $4,800
-
Palmera, Pavilion
Image Credit: Courtesy of Pavilion Kevin Stark, Lauren Stark, and Phillip Scott, the trio behind Stark Scott Studio, studied Caribbean hammock making as a precursor to developing the Palmera, an outdoor rocking chair from the Miami-based contemporary-outdoor-furniture company Pavilion. While inspired by the embrace of a hammock and the lines of a palm frond, the Palmera is more a wire-frame sculpture than a flimsy piece of fabric. Twenty-seven curved powder-coated steel rods are welded in 138 places to form the rocker’s frame. That said, topped with a cushion, the breezy piece, available in 13 neutral colors, feels like a hug. From $2,550
