bean bag

You may have lost your chance to send a great gift in time for Mother's Day, but you can still honor mom with this flippant tribute to maternity, the Adrenalina Mum seat (inquire for price). This beanbag of sorts, filled with feathers and polystyrene micro-balls and topped with a silicone nipple for good measure, says, "the turkey's done," in the most unusual way. Pick up a breast sideboard and a vajayjay sofa to match and your home will be a vision of motherhood. Just don't invite Mom over to see it, I think she'd prefer a card . . .

You're probably thinking the phrase "chic bean bags" is an oxymoron, right? Well, considering how far the bean bag industry has come since the days of Lillian Vernon monogramming, I have to disagree. The slouchy seat, in many cases, has abandoned its deflated globe-like shape in favor of cringe-free forms less synonymous with bachelor pad and nine-year-old decorating. Marimekko and Dwell have chimed in with their hip, bold patterns, and Stéphanie Marin cooked up Livingstones, the modern anti-bean bag alternative. No more sticky vinyl to peel your face off of when you wake up to Super Mario Brothers tunes and a fistful of Gushers melting in your hand. Bean bags have done gone and graduated; there's no reason to be ashamed anymore.

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The Octopus Chair (price unlisted), fashioned from pairs of recycled jeans and polystyrene balls, is a multi-shape beanbag and a cross "between a chair and a lounge sculpture," allowing you "to adapt your seating to your interior." In some cases of weird furniture, I am willing to suspend my inclination towards normalcy in favor of something that is "weird" yet still cool and "artsy." But dear Mr. Octopus, I do not like you, find you cool or artsy, or care that you can transform into multi-shapes. You simply aren't good-looking enough to pass my test with swimming colors or to ever sea my living room. I hope this news doesn't break your third heart.

I never imagined myself describing a bean-bag chair as crave worthy. This Verzelloni Zoe Chair (price unlisted), the traditional bean bag's older, cooler sister, is an exception though. Not only does the chair look extremely comfortable, (and filled with polystyrene pearls, how could it not be?) but its relaxed, '60s look and shape is elegant enough to show off. Just don't put it anywhere near my office, or I won't get a stitch of work done . . .

Bean bag chairs are a staple of rec rooms and college dorms. They're comfy, versatile, and even available in sports motifs to match your favorite team (please, just don't). But rarely has anyone accused a bean bag chair — particularly one shaped like a football — of being chic.

That's why I'm itching to sink down into one of these high-design interpretations of the good ol' vinyl bean bag. These three bags would sit attractively in the corner of any well-decorated room, ready to make an appearance anytime you needed some extra seating for guests.

The Fatboy Original ($229) would be great for movie-watching. It's basically a great big pillow that multi-tasks as a chair, a recliner, or a cushion. Available in 15 colors or three Marimekko patterns for $299.

Two more better-than-average bean bags, so read more