The Tate Chair: A Design Classic in Its Third Life
Cultivated Tate Chairs at The Commons, Martin Place. Interiors by DesignOffice. Photography by Tom Ross
We believe the best designs don’t just stand the test of time, they evolve with it.
The Tate Chair designed by Jasper Morrison in collaboration with Italian brand Cappellini, is one such example. Originally created for the restaurant spaces within London’s Tate Modern, Morrison’s design was as functional as it was refined. The stackable form, with its sculptural shell and structured stainless-steel base, was conceived to suit the dynamic needs of the museum while maintaining a timeless, modern aesthetic.
Catalina Restaurant
In the early 2010s, Sydney’s Catalina Restaurant in Rose Bay purchased a collection of Tate Chairs for their dining space. Nearly a decade later, in 2019 Cultivated was engaged to refurbish them. The chairs were reupholstered, their bases re-polished, and they began their second life at Catalina.
The Tate Chair in its second life, Catalina Restaurant Rose Bay, Sydney
The Tate Chair in its second life, Catalina Restaurant Rose Bay, Sydney
A New Look, A New Chapter
Fast forward to 2025, Catalina refreshed its interiors as part of wider building refurbishments. A new furniture direction was chosen, and the Tate Chairs were sold back to Cultivated in exchange for a store credit — which went towards new Fritz Hansen Series 7 Chairs from Cult Design.
Third Life at The Commons
Now in their third life cycle, the Tate Chairs have been reupholstered once more, this time in Sustainable Living Fabrics Persuade, Influence — a sustainable GECA certificed textile made from 100% Australian Eco wool. These restored chairs have found a new home at The Commons Martin Place, with interiors by DesignOffice, where they continue to embody durability, sustainability, and timeless design. Featured along side the Tate Chair are the Bene Club Chairs designed by Pearson Lloyd, picked up in Bella Vista, Sydney in 2022 and reuholstered for The Commons project.
Cultivated Tate Chairs and Bene Club Chairs at The Commons, Martin Place. Interiors by DesignOffice. Photography by Tom Ross
A Story in Three Stages
The Tate Chair may be a simple chair, but its story is layered — from its origins in one of the world’s leading art institutions, to fine dining in Sydney, and now as part of a dynamic shared workspace. Each chapter reflects not only the chair’s longevity but also the sustainable cycle that drives Cultivated’s ethos: restoring, reusing, and reimagining design classics for generations to come.
