Waiting room armchairs Lepal by Arper at reception

A shell around a nest: how the Lepal armchair is actually built

Arper

Doshi Levien

Visitor chair
Lepal Visitor chair
£ 5,960

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Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Most armchairs are a single upholstered mass; Lepal is declared as two distinct things. The technical sheet describes a wraparound outer panel — polyurethane, in the technical blocks — and inner cushions nested within it. The panel draws the high curved back and holds the room at bay; the cushions do the welcoming. Both are upholstered — in the same material or in paired ones — and both covers separate cleanly, being fitted without glue. It is construction you can read: a shell around a nest.

Doshi Levien drew the architecture in 2024, on a slender angled base in powder-coated aluminium or solid wood, with height-adjustable glides under every version. The collection is FSC®-certified, and the declared settings run from waiting areas and reception — its natural home — to lounge, hospitality, contract and the reading corner at home. For UK projects, La Mercanti configures shell, nest and base room by room, with delivery times confirmed in writing at order confirmation.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Lepal, lounge armchair for waiting, reception and residential settings
Manufacturer: Arper (Monastier di Treviso, Italy)
Design: Doshi Levien, 2024
Declared character: a contrast between a shapely hard shell and soft, layered seating on a slender, angled base; high curved back for upright seating, repose and privacy
Type 1: powder-coated aluminium base with height-adjustable glides; wraparound outer panel and inner cushions upholstered in the same material (fabric, leather, coated fabric or customer's own material)
Type 2: powder-coated aluminium base; panel and cushions in different materials, in specially designed combinations
Type 3: solid wood base with height-adjustable glides; upholstery in the same material
Type 4: solid wood base; specially designed bi-material combinations
Construction: wraparound outer panel (polyurethane, per the technical blocks) and inner cushions; upholstery separable, applied without glue — the product is fully disassemblable, ready for recovery and reuse prior to end-of-life recycling
Certification: FSC®-certified collection (code FSC-C148360); metal base powder-coated
Declared care: fabrics vacuumed weekly at low suction, stains dabbed never rubbed, with the cleaning formulas stated in the sheet; wood with diluted neutral soap in circular movements, never stain removers; leather kept from direct sunlight and heat sources, spills blotted immediately with absorbent paper; when in doubt, test on a hidden area and wait 24 hours
Normative reference: EN 16139 (non-domestic seating) — Level L1 general use (offices, showrooms, public halls, restaurants, banks, bars), Level L2 extreme use
Precautions: periodically check the tightening of connecting fastenings
End of life: separate components by material type
Note: dimensional details are confirmed on the manufacturer's documentation at order stage

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Italy · +39 0735 753833 · info@lamercanti.com
Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across the UK and worldwide.

Documents and Catalogues

Arper Catalogue Arper News Catalogue Arper Office Catalogue Arper Arper for Hospitality Arper Arper for Education Arper Arper for Healthcare Arper Case Studies

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FAQ

Which bases can Lepal stand on?
Two declared options: powder-coated aluminium or solid wood — both slender, angled and fitted with height-adjustable glides, so the armchair sits level on the floor it actually meets.
How does the high back serve privacy?
The curved shell rises around the sitter, offering what the manufacturer calls sturdy yet light support for privacy — enough enclosure for a call, a read or a focused hour, without walling the room.
Can the upholstery be removed later?
Yes: covers on both components are applied without glue and separate cleanly — a declared choice that makes the armchair fully disassemblable.
What does the FSC certification cover?
The manufacturer declares the collection FSC®-certified under code FSC-C148360 — a verifiable chain-of-custody reference, stated in the official text alongside the powder-coated metal base.
What do the care instructions say about leather?
Away from direct sunlight and heat sources — both can alter the colour; dust with a soft dry cloth and blot spills immediately with absorbent paper, working from the edges to the centre.

How to plan the seating around your Lepal corner

Five steps to place armchairs where conversations actually happen — before a single order line is written.

Start from the scenarios
Solo visitor, pair in conversation, longer wait: each scenario has its own seat count — write them before counting chairs.
Give every armchair its zone
Pairs angled toward each other for dialogue, singles for those who prefer their own company: a waiting area is several rooms in one.
Keep sightlines to the entrance
People waiting want to see who arrives: seats face the door or the desk, never the wall.
Leave generous passage
A person should pass comfortably behind every backrest: a good plan is measured standing up, not just sitting down.
Draw the plan and keep it
One page with positions per scenario, kept with the room — so order returns after every rearrangement.

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