This surprisingly well-constructed reproduction of Norman Cherner’s mid-century modern classic will save you beaucoup bucks compared with an original.
Why it’s great
You don’t have to spend a fortune on high design. The Interior Icons Norman is a near-mirror of the Cherner Stool, an iconic mid-century modern seat that designer Sandra Diaz-Valesco said adapts unusually well to many styles. An original Cherner Stool costs more than $1,000, but this strikingly similar option from Interior Icons is well built and far less expensive. (I’m bracing for angry emails from design purists.)
It’s much more comfortable than it looks. My first impression of the Norman is Danny Zuko’s hourglass figure gesture in Grease, due to the tiny corset-style waist that connects the back to the seat. At first blush it seems like it wouldn’t be all that comfortable to sit in, but the wide seat and upper back support broad shoulders and hips alike.
We were pleasantly surprised with the Norman’s sturdiness. Long-term testing will tell, but so far we haven’t noticed anything in the construction to give us pause about its longevity.
Flaws but not dealbreakers.
The black version is almost too slick. Interior Icons offers three colors for the Norman. We tried out its black version, and the molded plywood is coated with an ultra-smooth and shiny varnish that caused some testers to feel as though they were slipping off. Wood options like oak or walnut are also available, but we haven’t tested those.
You might feel some pressure below the shoulder blades. I’m 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds, and the back of the seat curves towards the front ever so slightly, right below each of my shoulder blades. It’s not super obvious, but depending on your height and/or torso length, you might need to lean forward from time to time to alleviate pressure.
Your shipment might be delayed. Unless you’ve selected a “ready to ship” option, it’s possible your furniture order will take a long time to arrive. At the time of publication, the Norman is marked as ready to ship in two days. I don’t recall a similar notice when we ordered ours to test, and it took around five weeks to arrive.
Key specs
- Seat height: bar (29.5 inches) or counter (25.5 inches)
- Material: oak-laminated plywood, walnut-laminated plywood, and black-painted ash plywood
- Colors: oak, walnut, or black
- Suggested weight maximum: 220 pounds
- Return policy and warranty: return within a year for a refund in the 48 contiguous United States, minus a 25% return shipping fee and the outbound shipping fee; 10-year warranty; the return policy is excessive, but this is one of the best warranty and return policies we found)
