A few weeks ago I was invited to participate in an online project hosted by Kartell Los Angeles, thanks to the kind referral by that lover of gelato, Alissa Walker. The Ghost Project was conceived as a way for Los Angeles based writers and bloggers to share their thoughts about the design and comfort of a modern design classic. Philippe Starck’s design is now nearing a decade since it appeared on the design radar, the Louis XV armchair-inspired design an established classic and desired occasional chair or dining chair option. Participation? Yes, please.

Although our time with the chair was brief – a mere dalliance between its transparent form and my more visible backside (less than a week before it was shipped off to the next invited Ghost Project participant) – the chair impressed me with a reminder why the design has attained an iconic popularity throughout the years. One knows a design has struck a nerve with the public when lesser priced knockoffs appear to meet demand.

Starck’s chair adapted itself wherever it was placed, dining, occasional, task, or bedside, a silent decorative apparition of near invisible nature, and notably worked well within the confines of our small apartment.

Like some of my fellow esteemed participants noted, the beauty of the chair and its fleeting presence can be summed up by the farewell thought: “Damn, wish we got to keep it!”

The Ghost Chair’s transparency proved especially beneficial in smaller space rooms like our own apartment living room. Our cat Eero seems to hardly noticed our temporary guest. All photos: Gregory Han