Colin Selig’s Dalí-Esque Sofas Are Made from Recycled Propane Tanks

Pat yourself on the back for having a good eye if the sofa above reminds you of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_West_Lips_Sofa">this famous seat</a> by artist Salvador Dalí. Designed by <a href="http://colinselig.com/">Colin Selig</a>, the curvaceous piece pays homage to the surrealist master's Mae West lips sofa but is actually made of recycled propane tanks! We came across Selig's booth at ICFF 2013 this weekend, and were intrigued by his ability to transform such an industrial-looking waste material into something that is both comfortable and artistic.

"It began with this junk propane tank on my property" Selig explains <a href="http://colinselig.com/genesis.html">on his website</a>.

"A lot of energy had been used to form the thick steel into this shape and it seemed a shame to let it go to waste."

The chairs, sofa and loveseats are made by cutting out chunks of the tanks and then welding them together.

Selig is able to make four pieces out of each tank and at the end, only 1% is leftover.

Some of the recycled sofas even retain their original safety warning stickers, paying tribute to their past lives. And despite their rather hard look, they've been crafted to be comfortable. "Nearly everyone who sits in these seats is surprised by their comfort," says Selig.

So if you're in the market for some really unique pieces that are also sustainable, these fun and functional seats definitely fit the bill. They also meet standards for <a href="http://www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/credit-categories">LEED material credits</a> since they are made of 99% post-consumer recycled content, making them an ideal choice for buildings and interiors aiming for certification.