Aptly named after what inspired its form, Melt, by Japanese design collective Nendo, is essentially a piece of structural metal. It has been designed in a black powder coated finish, that appears to 'melt' into the back, the arm rest and the legs of a chair while being supported by the seat. Presented at the 2012 Salone del Mobile, the chair was part of a series called K% black&black which is described as perfecting the balance between structure and function in furniture, without the unnecessary distraction of new materials, technique and colour.

It was a small but pleasant 'aha' moment when I first saw the chair without reading the brief. Clever and simple, its form has the modern sensibility to suit any contemporary interior, minimalist or not. And although this piece may not exactly exude comfort, it is an undeniably beautiful piece of design, or would it more suitably be described as art?