My Favorites - Please have a seat
Hardly more welcoming words can be heard, after walking miles and miles of the High Point Furniture Market, than “Please, have a seat.” This market I made sure to visit more of the side buildings to source some special vendor wares and I could certainly feel those extra steps! Of course, the showrooms were more than happy to seat us during our visits. There’s nothing better than taking the sit test to assist us in sharing their comfort stories.
Though petite in size, I love the Claude Chair from Ambella Home. It feels modern and fresh, while the design is based on an English parlor chair, from back in the day. Great for floating as an extra seat or paired at the foot of a bed. It supports the lumbar area in a lovely way.
I must admit, I have a thing for chairs. I think it’s hereditary because I tease my mother about being able to play musical chairs in her home. She’s a petite one, less than five feet, so I think it’s partly a comfort item as well as she loves the option of mixing styles. A great chair, (or two), can be akin to bringing a piece of art or architecture into your space. It can make it frillier, more tailored, more modern, more traditional . . . and so on.
One of my favorite showrooms, Thibaut and Anna French, offers a stunning array of side chairs and dining room seating. I like to think we find selections which extend an invitation to linger around the table. I'm in the process of letting go of some French antique chairs and I think their Stirling Chair is in the finals. Very comfortable and I love the Dorothy Draper-esque leaning. Dressy-casual is so me!
One of my favorite showrooms, Thibaut and Anna French, offers a stunning array of side chairs and dining room seating. I like to think we find selections which extend an invitation to linger around the table. I'm in the process of letting go of some French antique chairs and I think their Stirling Chair is in the finals. Very comfortable and I love the Dorothy Draper-esque leaning. Dressy-casual is so me!
Chairs can also be like shoes. They’ll have us oohing over their gorgeous style and then sighing with regret when misery sets in, especially when ill-fitted, in a short time. If you’re making selections for the long term, comfort comes first. It’s fine to have that one museum piece. We all have one, on occasion, but know the reason it will stay almost immaculate is that no one will want to sit in it, including you! (Like that pair of Valentino spike heels in the top of your closet.)
Gilding may not be for everyone but if you love it, this pairing of Theodore Alexander Gothic Library Settees would have had you at "hello". The marbled pattern covering and the restrained elegance, in blush, paired with the coffee-colored walls and the ebony and gilt bookcase . . . No, these are not meant for slouching. They are meant to be adored!
Conversely, there’s more to being cozily outfitted than having that old, baseball mitt-styled/security blanket chair commanding the wrong kind of attention just because someone in the house can’t let go of it. We know who they are and it's why there should be handsome options.
Sometimes you'll be totally surprised by appearances. This Lee chair might look to be a bit more rigid, because of the frame, but I can tell you it was super comfortable. Over 700 people on Instagram thought so, too.
This is the perfect example of upholstery morphing into sculpture. The new Atelier Chair, from Ambella, was a huge hit at the market. Art Deco is slipping back into design and I'll be sharing more in a future post. Notice how the back has become the support, without feet? It takes a skilled manufacturer to carry off this construction.
Of course we can't forget bar and counter seating. This new introduction, from Woodbridge Furniture, was also another surprise in the looks and comfy category. We can order this in a wide array of paint colors, too. Super sleek and fun!
There were so many options to be discovered and I think the lights may have been turned off on me, had I gotten to sit in everything or photograph it all. I have my tried-and-true, preselected lines to take away the guess work for my clients. In fact, I'm excited to share I'll be bringing in some pieces for their own sit tests. It will make the design studio pretty, too!
Who said style and comfort have to be mutually exclusive? Not I!
All my best! ~ Wanda
Tags Chairs, Comfortable Chairs, Stylish Chairs, Designer Chairs, Interior Design Tips, Interior Design Trends, High Point Furniture Market, Interior Design Inspiration, Union County NC Interior Design, Charlotte NC Interior Design