Simply Elegant, Brigger Chairs Relax Your Body & Mind
For the full line of Klein furniture the term “design” is both about the style of the pieces and the fact that clients can design the look of their purchases.
The line’s style is best described as German Bauhaus and Scandinavian Design in that it is open, light, organic in its shapes, often of natural woods with daubs of fabric color and of a formal style innovation when seen from the standpoint of design, new materials, and innovative production techniques.
See the Wikipedia entry on “Modern Furniture”
The name, derived from building and furniture styles popular in the 1950s through 1970s, is often represented in popular culture by Danish modern or Scandinavian and most currently is revived in the long-running series “Mad Men” which reprises the style in its production sets.
The Klein Design line also represents the functional style, another 20th century design form in that it is designed for functionality in a piece, rejecting imitation of mainline forms that veer sharply away from functionality. Instead the Klein Design strip away the extraneous and design for comfort in use and durability. By design the furniture is modular and can be altered during constructed to fit an individual’s measurements and sitting preferences.
Functionality, as always a culturally determined condition, in the urbanized environment is enhanced by the fact that all this furniture can be disassembled for easy moving in the often nomadic existence we follow.
Finally it embodies the democratizing spirit of the Bauhaus movement as well, combining a functional design ethos, handcraft and machine production techniques and material sourcing that allows the furniture to be accessibly priced.
The outward form of the chairs is not the only thing that has been designed.
The construction process itself has been designed so that the chairs are customizable to the body configuration of the individual. See the “Fitting Room” to see what measurements the buyer can specify in their own seating piece. And along with ergonomic customization to make the chair more functional, the appearance of the chairs is also fitted to the individual. Buyers can specify a wide range of natural and synthetic upholstery and a variety of wood stain shades.”
Brigger furniture is designed to be simple and elegant. We have traveled across the US and Europe to assemble a rich and varied collection of fabrics. We use only the finest native hardwoods harvested sustainably from the northeastern United States. Become your own interior designer!
The Brigger Story
More than 50 years ago, BRIGitte and GERhart Klein created the first BRIGGER chair for themselves. Inspired by a Scandinavian metal frame seat and combined with a butcher-block base of New England wood, their design brought together two distinct traditions. A patent for the unique connection between frame and base was issued in 1978.
From the beginning, comfort was the focus of the Klein Design effort. The challenge was to create a metal frame covered in fabric and shaped to support the body, while allowing it to rest securely in a wood base without any hardware penetrating the frame or fabric.
In 1986, a new patent introduced a plastic strap that held the frame in compression, creating a rigid yet flexible seat. This innovation made it possible to support the seat with molded plywood arms and a crossbar for strength. Slots in the arms held the seat firmly in place, reducing weight, simplifying shipping, and allowing easy assembly.
When molded plywood became unavailable due to the shift of U.S. furniture manufacturing overseas, a new idea emerged. The design featured on this website continues that evolution, offering active comfort through the use of domestic resources to create distinctive BRIGGER designs.
The metal frame, bent from EMT steel tubing and reinforced by the patented strap, forms the foundation of ergonomic comfort. When covered with a tailored fabric sleeve and paired with an upholstered cushion, it creates the signature BRIGGER seat. Its precise shape, refined over decades, ensures lasting body support.
The seat cover plays a vital role in comfort and durability. Reinforced with a heavy-duty synthetic lining, it provides stability and allows the use of a wide range of upholstery materials.
Each BRIGGER chair combines bent solid wood arms with a simple triangular support structure and a seat held by grooves in the wood. The result is a unique blend of comfort, visual clarity, and strength.
Our newest BRIGGER models represent the most refined expression of this design heritage. Crafted from domestically sourced hardwood, the arms are bent to shape in Vermont and assembled into solid chairs in Massachusetts. The standard upholstery is a linen-cotton blend produced in the USA.
BRIGGER chairs—rooted in Scandinavian and Bauhaus traditions—are proudly made in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
