Spot the Icon: The Best Design Furniture Making Cameos in Music Videos
Music videos are full of surprises. Beyond the catchy tunes, dazzling dance moves, and eye-popping costumes, sometimes the real stars hiding in plain sight are pieces of furniture. Yes, you read that right. Those chairs, desks, and shelves you barely notice? Some are actual design icons with stories worth knowing, even if you’re not a hardcore design fan.
Did you know that your favourite singer might have actually used your own Poliform sideboard in a music video? Chances are, you might not even know that! So next time you binge-watch a music video, keep an eye on what’s around the artists. You might just discover a hidden piece of design history… and maybe even a new favorite chair to Google. Plus, once you start noticing these design cameos, watching music videos becomes a whole new game.
- 2 Fauteuil Grand Confort Armchair by Cassina in Yungblud’s “Lovesick Lullaby”
In this intense and theatrical video, Yungblud stages much of the drama around a black leather version of the Grand Confort armchair. Designed by French designer Charlotte Perriand, these chairs are revolutionary since their original debut in 1928. With their cubic steel frames and plush leather cushions, they look like something out of a modern art gallery.
Yungblud doesn’t stop there. In his earlier video “Strawberry Lipstick,” he sprawls across the Bocca sofa by Gufram. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, think of the big red lip-shaped couch. It’s bold, playful, and a classic of Italian radical design. That same video also got fans buzzing about his real-life romance with Jesse Jo Stark.
- Cesca Chair by Marcel Breuer for Knoll in Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero”
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” is a visually rich video packed with symbolism and emotional layers. Nestled in the dining room scenes is a true Bauhaus classic: the Cesca chair, designed by Marcel Breuer in 1928. Combining a tubular steel frame with a woven cane seat and backrest, it’s one of the most iconic chairs of the 20th century.
The use of the Cesca here fits Swift’s understated yet stylized aesthetic. It’s a quiet, minimalistic detail that adds realism to the surreal drama unfolding on screen. The design’s mix of utility and elegance mirrors the way the video moves between the everyday and the theatrical.
- Bureau Boomerang Desk by Maurice Calka in Mr. Oizo’s “Flat Beat”
Remember Flat Eric? The yellow puppet bouncing to a lo-fi beat in Mr. Oizo’s viral late-90s hit “Flat Beat”? You might also remember the slick, sculptural desk sitting beside him. That’s the Bureau Boomerang, designed by Maurice Calka in the 1970s.
This desk is a statement piece. Made of molded fiberglass with smooth curves and a futuristic shape, it looks like something from a science fiction movie. It perfectly complements the video’s quirky tone and remains a cult favorite in the world of space-age design. Few desks have had such a weirdly perfect cameo in a music video.
- Umbo Modular Shelving Unit by Kay Leroy Ruggles in Post Malone’s “Cooped Up”
In the moody, slow-burning video for “Cooped Up,” Post Malone is surrounded by warm lights and retro furniture touches. Among them is the Umbo shelving unit, designed by Kay Leroy Ruggles in the 1970s. With its rounded corners and honeycomb-like configuration, it’s both functional and sculptural.
The shelving does more than store props. It acts like a visual rhythm section, giving structure and style to the space without overpowering it. This design, originally made from injection-molded plastic, captures a playful and modular aesthetic that fits the laid-back, nostalgic mood of the song.