Among the Nychair X lineup, Nychair X 80 was introduced in 1980 as a chair designed to be lighter, more compact, and easier to sit down in and stand up from, thanks to its seat height. We have visited three creators and their households who have recently incorporated Nychair X 80 as a part of their interiors and daily lives. Each of them brings their own unique, expressive lifestyle, and the way Nychair X80 blends into those spaces shows three completely distinct styles of living. The chair has made their relaxation time feel freer and richer. 

“I have lots of chairs, but this is the first time I’ve chosen a true leisure chair like Nychair X. At first, honestly, I was unsure—after all, it’s just a single piece of fabric—so I wondered how comfortable it could really be. But once I sat in it, it was amazing. The tension of the fabric, and the way the armrests on Nychair X 80 fit and support your body, feel just right.” 

Says Aya Courvoisier, a ceramic artist. Born and raised in Japan to a Japanese mother and a French father, Aya moved to France to attend university. After starting a job in Paris she discovered the world of ceramics and that encounter reshaped her path: she started to work as a ceramist. Aya then returned to Japan and moved to Tokyo, where she lives for over five years now. 

“I have always liked everyday objects, and I used to collect them, so I wanted to take a shot at creating them myself. That moment came when a friend in Paris invited me to try ceramics. For a while I rented a studio of a ceramicist named Marie, even using her clay. Back then, I was working mostly with deep blacks and reddish tones. I think I was drawn to the wabi-sabi aesthetic—perhaps because I was living in Paris, away from Japan,” she recalls. “When I had returned to Japan, I was experimenting with different clays and glazes. At first, I didn’t really know what direction to take, so I decided to just stick with white and see where it led. That choice naturally evolved into the style I have now. At the time, I was living in a traditional Japanese house with tatami rooms—actually even more Japanese in feel than where I live now—and the white pieces just felt right in that space.” 

Today, Aya lives in a quiet residential neighborhood in Tokyo, in a house she recently moved into and shares with her partner and their cat. One of the latest additions she selected after moving to their new home is Nychair X 80 lounge chair with dark brown armrests and grey fabric.

“I hesitated over the color at first, but in the end, I felt this one suited the house best,” she says. “It’s in the living room now, but it would also look great upstairs in the tatami room or the guest bedroom. It pairs really well with traditional Japanese flooring. Even our cat seems to love it—on day one, we were already fighting over who gets the chair!” she laughs. “It’s the perfect spot for reading.” 

Originally built by an architect as his own residence, the house and garden have been lovingly maintained, complete with custom wood furniture, and a sunroom filled with light. Every detail seems designed with comfort and beauty in mind. Throughout the space, Aya has placed carefully chosen furniture and objects—some found in Japan, others in France or elsewhere—each piece a reflection of her distinct aesthetic and perspective.

“Almost everything in my home is old,” she says. “I rarely buy anything new. Things with a story behind them tend to hold my affection longer. Even if those items get passed on to someone else, I think they’ll continue to be used. This house is exactly like that. It was originally built by an architect for himself, and he loved itdearly.That’s why it felt important to honor his wish: I heard he wanted the next owner to continue to use the property and care for it, and carry it forward. Out of all the properties I visited, this was the one that truly called out to me.”

Even the smallest objects placed casually by the window reflect Aya’s eye for beauty and detail. When asked where she finds such uniquely charming pieces, she responds matter-of-factly: “This table? Ten euros at a flea market in France! And this lamp? I found it on a resale app.” It’s clear she has a knack for uncovering treasures—something that comes from exploring and experience. With such a practiced eye, it’s no surprise she’s managed to curate her home with great pieces. When asked to name one possession she’s especially attached to, Aya says “It’s hard to choose just one,” but then she recalls: 

“There’s an ottoman I found at a flea market in Lille, France. I originally bought it for my cat—I thought it was cute. The woman who sold it to me said it had belonged to her grandmother, and then her granddaughter used it for a while. When they no longer needed it, I happened to stumble upon it. It fit perfectly in my Paris apartment at the time, but it’s funny—it also suits my Japanese home really well. My cat’s the one who uses it now; I rarely get a chance to sit on it myself,” she laughs. “But it’s always there in my line of sight.” 

Aya taught me the beauty of an object lies not only in its form, but in thestories it holds—and the new stories it’s yet to gather. Her appreciation for vintage pieces is a reminder that embracing history is also a way of creating it. And just maybe, the ceramics she crafts today, or the Nychair X 80 she added to her living room, will someday become part of someone else’s cherished story too.

Aya Courvoisier 

Born in 1993 in Fukushima, Japan, Aya Courvoisier moved to France to attend university and later learn ceramic techniques in Paris. She worked in antiques and vintage buying, as well as in local coordination roles. In 2019, she returned to Japan and is now based in Tokyo, where she works as a ceramic artist. 

https://www.instagram.com/ayacourvoisier/