In a world often distracted by the loud and the disposable, it’s rare to encounter an object that earns its place quietly through purpose, proportion,
and enduring presence. Charlotte Perriand’s Méribel Stool is one such object. Understated, exacting, and deeply human in its construction,
it represents a point of origin for much of what we admire in design today and much of what we aim to reflect in our work at Neutra.
Perriand, a Paris-born designer who began her career in the 1920s, was a woman of many firsts. She collaborated with Le Corbusier at a time when few women were granted a voice in architectural studios. She explored the boundaries between modernism and regional craftsmanship long before the term “human-centered design” entered the lexicon. But perhaps most importantly, she made objects that continue to speak clearly - and modestly - about how we live and how we might live better.
The Méribel Stool, named after the French Alpine village where Perriand spent considerable time, is one of those deceptively simple pieces. Tapered legs meet a gently curved seat, carved from solid wood, its form echoing both rustic vernacular furniture and the disciplined minimalism of Japanese joinery. There’s a humility to the piece…No screws in sight, no embellishments for the sake of flair. And yet, the longer you live with it, the more it reveals balance, clarity, and tactile honesty.
When we selected the Méribel stool for our latest Neutra lookbook, it wasn’t simply for its design credentials though those are considerable. It was because it embodied the values we hold highest: longevity, integrity, and a quiet kind of elegance that doesn’t age out. Perriand’s legacy isn’t just about form; it’s about forging a relationship with materials, process, and place. That dialogue - between designer and maker, object and user - is something we aspire to in everything we do.
In a sense, the Méribel acts as both anchor and compass: grounding us in a rich tradition of European modernism, while pointing us toward a future built on sustainability, craftsmanship, and clarity of intent. It’s a call to slow down, to notice, and to care. There’s a modern temptation to treat furniture as fashion: seasonal, fast, replaceable. But the Méribel stool stands against that drift. It’s a reminder that good design isn’t about spectacle; it’s about substance. Perriand once said, “The extension of the art of dwelling is the art of living.” We couldn’t agree more.
As we continue to craft pieces meant to accompany people for a lifetime - rather than a season - we often return to designs like the Méribel. Not to emulate, but to be reminded: beauty lies in restraint, quality lies in intent, and the future of design may very well lie in its past.
