Tuesday, January 4, 2011

All About Chairs: Modern Classic Stylish Chairs.

Modern Classic chairs: will they ever go out of style, I am sure they will not. Designed by the mid-  century modern era gods of furniture designs, these chairs were the epitome of innovation when they were first conceived and still top the charts today as the greatest for their resilience and timeless design.
These classic designer chairs have a unique way of transforming a boring and ordinary room into something extraordinary: adds drama to a space which had nothing to really speak about.
But the trick is to use them correctly.
The Classic Egg Chair: was designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the interior design of the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Germany.

Its steel frame, high curved back and rounded bottom gives it great volume and works well in open modern spaces with high ceilings, like a loft or a library. It also looks good in a room like this.

Swan Chair: It a cousin of the Egg chair conceived by the same designer for the same hotel in 1958. It is the most influential of its time for its seamless curvature and has defined the Retro style which remains popular even till today.
The Swan chair with its vintage swagger has wide arms and a low back which sits perfectly as marvelous side or lounge chair. You even have the Swan Sofa, the perfect solution for stylish living rooms or hallways.

The Ball Chair- Eero Aarnio
Designed in 1963, this Retro Modern Ball Chair also known as the Globe Chair still looks like something out of the future! Eero Aarnio created the prototype for what would be the most unconventional chair of its time which started a new line of fiber glass seating. Originally, the chair was geared towards industrial design and today these reproductions also function as home furniture all over the globe.
The chair works well in any open living space or lounge space to create a playfully relaxing atmosphere.
Another version of this chair created by the same designer is the bubble chair. Take a look, they are all simply gorgeous!

It looks so cozy and stylish at the same time!

The see through swing and the Barcelona chair in the  background: lovely...
Note the use of clear fiber glass to let the light in from all angles for a weightless effect.

The Tulip Chair- Saarinen
This sexy Tulip Chair is famous for its curvaceous impression it made way back in1956. It made history with its pedestal base as the first one legged chair. It is a pure expression of modernism.
The Tulip Chair looks beautiful as dining chair with minimal modern furnishings and a table that is subtle enough to let the chair do all the talking. Well I like the figurines and the candles at the center of the table too.

 Barcelona Chair- Mies van der Rohe (German Chair)
If you think your bum is worthy of a seat fit for the king, you might consider parking it in a Barcelona Chair. This chair caused a sensation which lasted for nearly 8 decades. Today it is still a "must have"
piece  in the homes of wealthy aficionados, as well as architects and designers. This chair was even honoured with the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977.

This beautiful red Barcelona chair belongs to my daughter( I am sure it must have cost her a lot).
 Originally designed before the advent of stainless steel and seamless ground welding, the frame was designed to be bolted together. However in 1950, with development of stainless steel van der Rohe redesigned the chair with a seamless metal frame. Cowhide replaced the expensive pigskin used in the original chair. But other than that, the Barcelona chair manufactured today are exactly as they were in 1929. Modern. Timeless. In a word perfect.

There are so many classic modern chairs, my favorites are the Swan chair, the Ball chair and  the Barcelona chair. Which is your favorite chair?
Let me know.


19 comments:

  1. A lot of chairs! A lot of information about them.

    Is it comfortable to use a ball chair?

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  2. All incredible furniture designers....Jacobsen, Saarinen, Van Der Rohe, I love them all! Would give anything to lay my hands on one of these! Favorite? The Barcelona chair.

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  3. Wow!! I love the Swan and Barcelona chairs! Look at you with all of your knowledge on this :) I know who I'll be asking for decorating advice. Thanks for teaching me something new, Rama. Hope that you are having a wonderful New Year.

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  4. This is so informative and such a deviation from your usual blog posts. Very nice, rama!

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  5. Saumaya, something I came across while reading, inspired me to look into these classic, yet modern chairs, such interesting information, I thought I would share at least some of them in my blog.
    These chairs have always been there, but seen mostly in some garish movie sets, looking pretty tacky, but placed in the right place they are a thing of beauty.
    I think if I move into a smaller apartment, I might like to have a few of them.

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  6. wow
    beautiful collection of chairs

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  7. The swan chair looks gorgeous! And hey, that's some neat info on chairs, something that we csn sit down and read :)

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  8. Informative post. My favorite is the Barcelona chair.

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  9. Lot of info about chairs.I like swan chair and your daughter's:)

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  10. A very informative post: who'd have thought chairs could be so interesting?

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  11. Rama thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave your 'calling card.'
    I find the chair designs very interesting but wonder about their comfort?

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  12. Nona, Chez: These are the most comfortable chairs. No wonder they are still around and greatly loved by people even after more than 50 years.

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  13. I am mid century design addict...you floored me with your post!

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  14. now i know the importance of the term 'Kissa Kursi Ka'!

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  15. I love your modern classic stylish chair! You did a great job and I must bring this to my home.Great information.You really did a great job on posting.

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  16. I love your modern classic stylish chair! I must bring this to my home.Great information.You really did a great job on posting.

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