In M’s apartment in Casino Royale, the furniture does a good deal of the talking. Daniel Craig’s Bond waits in a low, leather-upholstered chair on a crossed chrome frame, and when M arrives she takes the other. The Knoll Barcelona chair is a design from 1929, yet it sits in that room as if it had been chosen yesterday by someone who knew exactly what they wanted. It is, in our view, the right chair for a man who owns very few and means all of them.
In the film
In Casino Royale (2006), Bond and Judi Dench’s M sit on Barcelona chairs in M’s own apartment, where Bond waits for her before the two of them talk. Our records identify them as Knoll Barcelona chairs. The exact leather colour on screen is not documented, so we make no claim of a match on upholstery; the design is the point.
The details of the Knoll Barcelona chair
A frame with a long pedigree. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich designed the chair for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona. Its crossed, scissor-shaped frame descends from the curule seat, a form that dates back to 1500 BC, but Mies placed the axis at the sides, which produces a highly cantilevered seat.
Polished chrome, finished by hand. Knoll buffs and finishes the chrome structure by hand to a mirror finish. It is a bright frame, and we think it reads best against a quiet room: oak floor, plaster walls, not much else.
Forty panels, one hide. The cushions are cut from a single hide as 40 individual panels, then hand-welted and hand-tufted, and they adapt to the curve of the frame. The leather straps that carry the seat have their sides and edges dyed to match the upholstery. It is the detail to look at closely.
Standard or relaxed. Knoll makes the chair with standard cushions, in resilient polyurethane foam with a Dacron fibrefill, or relaxed ones in a softer foam with an extra Dacron layer, which look more supple and casual. Leather and fabric are both available, as are polished chrome, stainless steel and an ultra-matte onyx frame on Knoll’s US site.
A maker’s mark. The KnollStudio logo and Mies van der Rohe’s signature are stamped into the base of each chair. It matters because the design is widely copied; Knoll has held federal trade dress protection on it since 2004.
Proportion. At 75cm wide, 77cm deep and 77cm high, with a seat height of 43cm, it is a low, generous chair, so allow it floor space.
Living with it now
M’s apartment shows the right way to use it: in a room with space around it. Give it room to be seen from the side, where we think the frame is at its best, rather than pushing it against a wall. A pair, angled loosely towards each other with a low table between, is the arrangement we would choose.
Leather or fabric? We would choose leather. It is the version seen in the film, and it takes on character as it is used. Dark leather suits a library or study; a lighter hide suits a bright living room. Knoll lists leather and fabric as separate versions on its shop.
Standard or relaxed? Standard cushions keep the crisp, upholstered line. Choose relaxed only if the chair will be used for long sitting rather than for looking at.
Care. Chrome is simple: a soft, dry cloth keeps it bright. Keep leather out of direct sun and away from radiators.
Authentic or not. Buy from Knoll or an authorised dealer, and look for the KnollStudio stamp and Mies signature on the base. A pre-owned vintage chair can be worth considering, but check its provenance carefully.
Specifications
| Designer | Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1929 (Knoll has held manufacturing and sales rights since 1953) |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 75cm W x 77cm D x 77cm H; seat height 43cm |
| Frame | Polished chrome, hand-buffed to a mirror finish |
| Upholstery | Spinneybeck leather; 40 hand-welted, hand-tufted panels cut from a single hide; leather straps edge-dyed to match |
| Cushions | Standard or relaxed |
| Maker’s marks | KnollStudio logo and Mies van der Rohe signature stamped into the base |
| Award | Museum of Modern Art Award, 1977 |
| RRP | RRP at the time of writing, October 2026: US$6,828 for the fabric version in Fancy Twill, Nightfall, with a polished chrome frame. Pricing varies by upholstery; check Knoll for leather. |
Full details are on Knoll’s own page for the Barcelona chair.
Questions
Is this the chair Bond sits on in Casino Royale?
It is the same design. In Casino Royale, Bond and M sit on Barcelona chairs in M’s apartment, and our records identify them as Knoll. The exact leather colour on screen is not documented.
Who designed the Barcelona chair?
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, working with Lilly Reich, designed it for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona. Knoll has held the manufacturing and sales rights since 1953.
How much does a Knoll Barcelona chair cost?
It depends on upholstery and frame. RRP at the time of writing, October 2026, for Knoll’s US fabric version in Fancy Twill, Nightfall, with a polished chrome frame is US$6,828. Leather is listed separately on Knoll’s site.
How can you tell a genuine Barcelona chair?
Look for the KnollStudio logo and Mies van der Rohe’s signature stamped into the base. Then look at the upholstery, which is where copies tend to fall short: a genuine chair has 40 individually cut panels, hand-welted and hand-tufted from a single hide.
More pieces for a considered room are in our Home & Interiors collection, and the rooms they come from are in the Casino Royale film guide and the guide to Daniel Craig’s Bond.
