We’re nearing the end—that being the season two finale of Severance—and we’re doing, as Mark would sarcastically put it, Oh my God, so good. Right now, there’s no telling how long we’ll have to wait for a potential third installment. It’s quite possible we’ll spend the next few years ceaselessly dissecting season two. As we try to enjoy every last moment of our first-time viewing equally, we can’t help but continue to specifically study the sets like every other design-loving fan out there. So we did the mysterious and important work of collecting a handful of the iconic furnishings and decor in the latest episodes.
With production design by Jeremy Hindle and set decoration by David Schlesinger, season two is packed with many midcentury, retro-futuristic pieces that may not stand out to the untrained eye but are certainly worthy of your innie and outie’s brain space.
Nimrod Chair by Marc Newson
The Nimrod Chair designed by Marc Newson has a futuristic, childlike quality to it, making it an excellent seating choice for the break room (basically a timeout zone) and family visitation space where Dylan is essentially reintroduced to his wife. The chair is produced in Italy “using the process of blow-moulding, a mass-production technology traditionally used for products like plastic water bottles,” as it’s described on the Marc Newson website.
Fardos Lounge Chair by Ricardo Fasanello
In a corner of Mr. Milchick’s office sits a cushy seat that likely no one ever sits in: the Fardos Lounge Chair. Designed in 1971 by Ricardo Fasanello, the chair is made up of three large foam rolls held together by straps. The piece was first introduced at furniture exhibitions in Paris and Berlin in the early ’70s and continues to be produced by the Ricardo Fasanello Atelier in Brazil today.
Dansk Pepper Mills by Jens Quistgaard
At Burt and Fields’s home, it’s impossible to not notice all of the chess-piece-like salt-and-pepper shakers displayed atop their kitchen cabinetry. Fans suspect those are pepper mills from Dansk Designs by Jens Quistgaard. Made of teak, the grinders put a compelling spin on common household objects—and now we need a pair of our own.
620 Chair by Dieter Rams
Gemma may be trapped at Lumon, but she’s surrounded by some iconic furnishings. One such piece on her floor is the 620 Chair Programme, which Dieter Rams (yes, Dieter!) designed for Vitsoe in 1962. It’s easy to see why the unfussy seat was chosen: The hard shell feels fitting for a doctor’s office, but the comfy seat gives more of a worn-in look.
Universale Chair by Joe Colombo
Gemma doesn’t have a lot of means to escape. So when she tries to make a run for it, she uses a chair to knock out one of her Lumon captors. That seat is the Universale Chair, designed by Joe Colombo in 1967. Made of plastic, the solid, stackable piece is known for its durability. Old advertisements stated, “It won’t age or break, you can throw it out the window, leave it outside, put it under water, take it to the North Pole or the desert: It will always be like new,” according to the Museum of Modern Art. We can now update that to include “can be used as a tool for getting out of upsetting situations.”
Stilnovo Triedro Pendant by Joe Colombo
The Universale chair isn’t the only piece by Columbo featured in the series. Another, in Gemma’s room, is the Triedro pendant, which he designed for the Milan-based lighting company Stilnovo in 1970. Fixed to a black cable, the pendant features a glossy white powder-coated reflector, almost in a trio of diamond shapes, for downward illumination.
Poltrona Frau Dilly Dally Vanity by Luigi Massoni
Getting ready to go to different rooms isn’t exactly exciting for Gemma, but at least she gets to use the Dilly Dally vanity by Luigi Massoni to do so. Made in the 1960s for Poltrona Frau, the table and chair are the epitome of space-saving design. The storage for makeup and other essentials can easily be hidden by pulling the mirror down, and the chair fits snugly under the table to minimize use of floor space. Plus, the whole thing is rollable, so it’s easy to position wherever you want.
Braun Stereo System by Dieter Rams
On the wall in Gemma’s room is a highly sought-after music system first created in 1964 by Dieter Rams for the German electronics company Braun. The design combines two speakers, a tape recorder, and a control unit. Several versions of the system were made following the first, according to The Economist, but they all share the same functional yet artistic look.
Notos Light No. 1 by Ben & Aja Blanc
We need to talk about the light above Burt and Fields’s dining table. While not a vintage piece, the pendant is extraordinary. Known as the Notos Light No. 1 by Ben & Aja Blanc, the black steel light features a tube-shaped shade made of black-and-blonde, hand-woven horsehair. Inside are two LED bulbs, which are compatible with dimmers. In real life, the piece can be customized with different metal finishes and horsehair colors—and the distinctive, atmospheric light starts at a base price of $12,800.
