Ok, I admit it, I have a fetish. Or addiction. Whichever, I love chairs! I have a hard time passing up an interesting chair when I see it. I have quite an assortment of classic chairs I live with and use both at home and my office. I believe that good classic furniture will last forever and recommend passing up "trendy" or cheap,unusual chairs that might be dated looking very quickly.

Currently, at my office I have two chairs in a sitting area. One is the ultimate classic by Mies van de Rohe designed by the architect in 1929 to furnish the German Pavilion at the World Expo in Barcelona, Spain. This is a chair that everyone knows and has seen even if you aren't aware of exactly the history. The other chair I have paired it with is a classic armless slipper chair made famous and popular by the Baltimore, MD designer Billy Baldwin. Often called the Dean of American Interior Design, he had a prolific and profound influence on design through the middle of the 2oth century. His slipper chair is a form that has been copied by almost every furniture company and used by every designer at some point. I love these two chairs together paying homage to two giants of architecture and design. My Barcelona chair is in classic black leather and the slipper chair is in equally classic camel linen velvet. I use a black lacquer console in between and a small square Paul McCobb designed ottoman in front with a top cushion in classic leopard velvet from Brunschwig & fils, a great fabric house.
Around the small round conference table I use three more classic chairs mixed together for an eclectic sense of style. First, a vintage 1950's Paul McCobb side chair in walnut with original fabric. Paul McCobb was a very important American designer who had some of the best selling and well known furniture in the 1950's. He really established the mass market look of furniture in that era. I also use a classic wicker tub chair at the table. That's right, wicker. I love mixing in something unexpected and this does the trick. This chair is a simple tub shape that can be found in variation in almost every furniture period from the 1700's on. I had this chair painted a glossy charcoal gray and then had the cushion done in camel linen velvet with charcoal cording. The third chair is a reproduction Louis XV french arm chair in walnut. Quite a mix, mid century, wicker and formal french! The Louis XV chair is another great, timeless piece that will always be in style. Mine is upholstered in black leather and I had the old brass nailhead trim removed and replaced with polished nickel modern nailheads to give it an edge. That is a great trick, take something old and classic and give it a modern twist without going cliche or weird.

At home, we have a real mix as well. Our dining table, which is polished nickel and glass, is surrounded by a 5' camel back Chippendale love seat in cream linen velvet on one end, 4 classic Chippendale faux bamboo fretwork side chairs on the two long sides and another Louis XV black leather armchair at the other end. The bamboo fretwork chairs are lacquered a deep aquamarine blue with graphic black and white chevron fabric on the seats. I love this arrangement of traditional seating around a modern table. I have another Paul McCobb lounge chair in the library and a fantastic Milo Braugham lounge chair in the living room. Milo Braugham, yet another influential American designer in the mid century, did some fantastic chairs using chrome and fabric with a real sculptural feel.

Anyway, as you can see, a chair is not just a chair. I love things with a history and a story to tell and good, classic designs will never go out of style. Trends may come and go, certain things may be more in vogue from time to time but these pieces will always have a place in the American home.