If you're searching for a wood and leather chair that goes beyond the ordinary, the Nook chair is worth your full attention. Designed by Brazilian designer Rafael Oliva and crafted in Portugal, it represents a rare convergence of two design traditions united by a shared reverence for natural materials.

What Makes a Great Wood and Leather Chair?

When people look for a wood and leather chair, they're usually seeking the same things: durability, warmth, beauty that improves with age, and a sense of authenticity that mass-produced furniture simply cannot replicate. The best pieces in this category share a deliberate material honesty.

The Nook Chair was designed with exactly this philosophy in mind.

Introducing the Nook Chair: A New Approach to an Ancient Form

Rather than treating the chair as a single unified object, designer Rafael Oliva deconstructed it into two essential elements: structure and support. Each is given its own material identity.

The solid wood base forms the backbone of the piece, robust, grounded, and built to last decades. Available in a range of wood options from Wewood's renowned selection, it provides the architectural rigidity the design demands.

Against this, a suspended natural leather seat introduces lightness and warmth. The leather yields gently to the body as it settles in, creating a dialogue between firmness and give that defines the chair's character.

Binding both worlds together is a brass ring, a detail that is at once functional and ceremonial. It is the point where craft becomes visible, where beauty is not concealed but celebrated.

Natural Materials That Improve With Age

One of the most compelling qualities of wood and leather chairs — when made with integrity — is how they evolve over time. The Nook Chair is explicitly designed with this in mind:

The brass ring will develop a rich patina
The leather will soften and shape itself to the body of its owner
The solid wood will deepen in tone

This is not furniture that depreciates. It is furniture that becomes more beautiful with use.

The Story Behind the Design

The Nook Chair emerged from a creative dialogue across two continents: the inventive energy of Brazilian design meeting the rigour and refinement of Portuguese craftsmanship.

Rafael Oliva's career spans work at Philips, Estúdio Campana, and Instituto Campana, where he taught artisanal practices to young people in São Paulo. In 2019 he founded LABMOBILI, and the Nook chair represents one of his most resolved works to date.

The name itself holds the key to the piece's spirit. Inspired by the bird's nest, nature's most elemental act of making shelter — Nook invites the user into an experience of quiet belonging. Much like a nest that moulds itself around its inhabitant, the chair adapts to each body over time, offering a comfort that is personal and earned.

Wood and Leather Chair Buying Guide: What to Look For

If the Nook Chair has caught your attention, here are the qualities that distinguish exceptional wood and leather chairs from mediocre ones:

1. Solid wood, not veneer. Veneered frames chip and peel. Solid wood develops character. Always verify the construction before buying.

2. Full-grain or saddle leather. Top-grain and full-grain leathers age gracefully. Bonded or corrected-grain leathers crack and peel within years. The Nook Chair uses saddle leather — one of the most durable and beautiful options available.

3. Hardware that lasts. Brass, steel, and solid metal fittings are signs of a piece built for the long term. Avoid plastic joints and cheap zinc alloys.

4. Craftsmanship provenance. Knowing who made a piece and how matters. Wewood's factory is in Rebordosa, Portugal, and their joinery tradition is embedded in every product.

5. A design philosophy, not just aesthetics. The best chairs have a reason for every decision. The Nook Chair's brass ring, for example, is not decorative whimsy — it is the load-bearing point that holds the leather in tension against the wood frame.

Where to Buy the Nook Chair

The Nook chair is available directly through our website. You can request information and pricing here.

Wewood ship internationally and work with trade clients, interior designers, and private buyers. You can also get it at our Lisbon store.

Final Verdict: The Nook Chair for Those Who Take Materials Seriously

If you are searching for a solid wood and leather dining chair, a designer leather chair with wooden frame, or simply the best expression of what natural materials can achieve in contemporary seating, the Nook Chair belongs on your shortlist.

It is not the cheapest option. But for a piece that will outlast every trend and improve with every passing year, it is one of the most considered investments in the category.

The Best Wood and Leather Chairs of 2026: Why the Nook Chair Stands Apart