It’s DWR’s fizz-bang Champagne Chair Contest: pop a cork to design a mini seat

With the end-of-year season of merriment almost upon us, we’ve found an extra good reason to open a bottle or two. Design Within Reach has announced a call for entries to its 19th Annual Champagne Chair Contest, where participants are invited to submit original designs or miniature models of chairs in DWR’s product offering, made only using the foil, cap, cage and cork of a bottle of champagne. 

The contest is conducted in partnership with Champagne Pommery, and submissions must be made from the components of no more than two champagne bottles. Bottles of sparkling wine and sparkling cider will also be accepted.

This year, the MillerKnoll Foundation will donate $50 for each valid entry (up to the amount of $25,000) to Slow Factory, a climate innovation non-profit that works at the intersections of climate and culture to advocate for environmental justice and social equity. If that wasn’t motivation enough, participants also stand to win one of four top prizes, worth up to $1,000 to spend at Design Within Reach. 

A panel of six judges will award the entries based on best likeness, most original and more. Any entry made using a Champagne Pommery cork will automatically be entered to win the Pommery Prize as well, which holds a grand prize of a $1,000 DWR gift card and a Pommery gift set for good measure. Additionally, DWR will select a favourite from the entries made with recycled, recovered, or found plastic in additions to the materials from a maximum of 2 bottles of champagne (exclusing glass). The winner will receive an Eames Molded Plastic Armchair.

The call for entries is now open for all US residents and runs until 6 January 2023. 

dwr.com/champagnechair