Mid Century Caroma Utility Stool 1967 mustard yellow retro by Charles Rothauser and Bruce Thompson

This Caroma piece changes the story from a French design icon to an Australian design icon.

While it looks very similar to the French Tam Tam stool, the Caroma "Utility" Stool (also known as the Arcade stool) has a legacy all its own.

Designed in 1967 by Charles Rothauser and Bruce Thompson in Adelaide, this stool is a significant piece of Australian industrial history.

When it was released, it was likely the largest piece of injection-molded plastic ever produced in Australia. Its "hourglass" shape isn't just for style; the two identical halves lock together using a clever tongue-and-groove system, making it incredibly strong despite being lightweight.

The "Good Design" Label: It was so well-regarded that it received the Australian "Good Design" label the same year it was released.

Caroma is primarily a bathroom brand, and this was originally intended as a waterproof bathroom stool. However, it became so popular that it moved into kitchens, hospitals, and cafes across the country.

One of its best "hidden" features is that if you have multiple stools, the bottom half is designed so that it can slip over the top half of another for easy stacking/storage.

It’s a true mid-century classic that has remained in production (or been re-released) for decades because the design is practically perfect.