flutter history

rebirth of the cool

In 2010 Liz Kerby inherited her families ‘Butterfly’ chair from their family bach. Frustrated that she could not buy a new cover or frame she set about reinventing the wheel. Inspired by the love of mid century design and the original BKF chair she set about redesigning a NZ classic.

With a background in interior design, Liz carefully went about changing the ergonomics of the old frame to make it more comfortable and using the latest outdoor colourful UV acrylic canvas...the Flutter Chair was born.

Working in collaboration with a local artist & using the cover as a canvas took the NZ made Flutter Chair to a new level. Later a customised leather cover option handmade in Buenos Aires especially for Flutter was intrduced.

The Flutter Chair as outdoor furniture with a variety of fashion block colours, stripes, tropical florals & mesh continue to delight lovers of classic design with personality and comfort.

Flutter Butterfly Chairs - Philippa Bentley Dragonfly series 2011

recent flutter milestones

We are incredibly proud of our NZ born & raised FLUTTER Designed Outdoor Living house brand FLUTTER DESIGN - fully customisable outdoor Flutter & Vintage Butterfly Chairs, replacement covers and ottomans. Founded in 2010 in Auckland.

2026 marks our 16th year in business & we continue to excite NZ customers, architects and designer from north to south offering quality, sustainable, enduring design led lifestyle products made for the outdoors.

2025 marks the exciting year that we rebranded FLUTTER DESIGN to become

FLUTTER Designed Outdoor Living

Our new brand reflects & reinforces the enduring style, quality and popularity of out NZ made Flutter & Vintage Butterfly Chair frames, covers and ottomans but broadens the brand to offer a wider variety of carefully selected top quality, stylish & unique furniture, house fittings & fixtures and homewares.

2023 marks the year we had an exciting step forward as we expanded to showcase
a wider range of NZ made products for kiwi outdoor living. This includes our top selling vintage style copper & brass outdoor shower kits.
We also relocated from the North Shore to coastal Snells Beach, Mahurangi East.
Just 8 min drive from Warkworth on beautiful Kawau Bay.

2022 marks the year we relocated our home and business from the AKL North Shore Auckland to Snells Beach, Mahurangi East on beautiful Kawau Bay.
Just 45 min north of the Habour Bridge and a leisurely 8 min drive from Warkworth.

2021 marks the year we became an official supporter of the official registered environmental charity Moths & Butterflies of New Zealand Trust. With every purchase of our outdoor Kiwiana Monarch Butterflies, you can feel good knowing that 100% of sales are donated directly to the trust, helping to make a positive impact on our natural world.

2020 marks the year we were awarded an official NZ MADE Certificate of License which grants us the use of the New Zealand Made trademark as a trusted mark of authenticity. This is reviewed and renewed annually.
Licence No. 807000

international history

Argentinean architects Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy, Juan Kurchan & Antonio Bonet first designed the metal framed ‘Hardoy’ or ‘BKF’ chair in 1938 for their own offices.

The designers took the chair to the USA where it was eventually manufactured under licence by Knoll International. During the 1950's as popularity grew world wide unlicensed copies flooded the market despite Knolls attempts to protect it.

Its organic shape & delicate steel frame later became iconic 1950's design & became generically know as the ‘Butterfly’ chair.

Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy

inspiration down-under

In NZ in the 1950's English born interior & furniture designer John Crichton produced his own version of the BKF chair and named it the ‘Hammock’ or ‘Safari’ chair. This chair was made in NZ and available as a black or white painted frame with a canvas slip cover.

Many of these old frames lay coverless & neglected in garages and bach's around NZ until in 2010 Flutter Design re popularised the Kiwi Vintage Butterfly Chair offering custom made new covers and new frames.