A Beautiful, Perfect and Comfortable Seat
One of the great joys of the holiday period is a lovely, quiet time on a comfy chair, whether it be falling asleep during a film after a little too much to eat or having a quiet time with a wonderful book, or ‘plotted’ whilst having a wonderful conversation with loved ones. The time may be precious, but the ‘sitting vehicle’ is probably taken for granted. Yet it may be lesser known that chairs started as thrones, so they would not have been common for most people. Having existed since Ancient Egypt, they have been widespread in the Western world since the Greeks and Romans. They were in common use in China from the twelfth century and were used by the Aztecs. Surviving examples of chairs from medieval Europe are often ornate works associated with royalty and nobility. During the Renaissance, chairs came into more common use, their design reflecting the changing costumes and furnishings of the period. Distinctive designs were developed in France and England, and advanced into the 20th century into pared-back modernist designs. Many of us may be lucky enough to have a favourite one at home, but if not, find a few classics to choose from in A Beautiful, Perfect and Comfortable Seat.
The Clam Chair, an original, available here
Designed in 1944 in Copenhagen by Danish upholsterer Arnold Madsen. In 1945, Arnold founded the furniture company Madsen & Schubell together with cabinetmaker Henry Schubell in order to produce this unique chair that became known in Denmark as the ‘Muslingstol’ (Clam Chair), due to its unique shape. It had a rounded seat upholstered in modern versions all over with tactile, curly sheepskin and was supported by four oak or walnut legs.
Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman available here
The original Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman, designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1956 for Herman Miller (Vitra in Europe), is an iconic mid-century modern design featuring moulded plywood shells (rosewood/palisander originally), luxurious leather (like goose down-filled cushions), and a cast aluminium base, embodying comfort with the look of a well-used baseball mitt. Authenticity is key, with specific labels/stamps marking different eras, and licensed versions (Vitra/Herman Miller) replicate the original’s premium quality, comfort, and timeless style for discerning collectors and interiors.
Barcelona Chair Mies van der Rohe, 1929
The Barcelona Chair was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (with Lilly Reich) for the 1929 International Exposition (a World’s Fair) in Barcelona. A minimalist, elegant design with clean lines and a focus on form and function, a hallmark of modernism. Made of a polished stainless steel (or chrome-plated steel) frame with hand-stitched, individually panelled leather cushions. Each cushion is made from multiple leather panels (around 40 for the chair, 16 for the stool) cut, hand-welted, and tufted from a single hide. It features a distinctive crisscross frame, with leather straps supporting the seat and back cushions, attached with steel pins.
Wassily Chair (B3) Marcel Breuer, 1925-26
The first chair, made from bent tubular steel, inspired by bicycle frames, symbolises modern industrial materials. The model for this chair is the traditional overstuffed club chair, but all that remains is its mere outline, an elegant composition traced in gleaming steel. The canvas seat, back, and arms seem to float in space; the body of the sitter does not touch the steel framework. Breuer spoke of the chair as his “most extreme work, the least artistic, the most logical, the least ‘cosy’ and the most mechanical.” It was also his most influential piece of design, taking furniture in a radical new direction. Breuer had designed an earlier version in 1925, while teaching at the Bauhaus, the influential German school of modern art, architecture, and design in Dessau, and within a year, designers everywhere were experimenting with tubular steel.
Corona Chair Poul M. Volther, 1964. A distinctive design of elliptical cushions, symbolising material efficiency post-WWII.
This now iconic chair was designed so that the user could relax in a wide range of different positions, and rose to fame through its use in music videos, films and fashion shoots. Its high-quality brushed steel frame provides a skeleton that supports the chair’s uniquely designed and positioned cushions. The design and positioning of these oval cushions come from Volther’s viewing of time lapse photographs of a solar eclipse, from which he created this stunning floating design. The Corona Chair is still available in a wide variety of different leathers and fabrics.
Egg Chair Design inspired by Arne Jacobsen, available here
The Egg chair was a pivotal element in Arne Jacobsen’s elaborate interior design of the SAS Royal Hotel, and today the chair holds the same iconic status as the famous hotel itself. With its organic, sculptural form, the Egg is recognised as an iconic furniture design both in Denmark and around the world, with many considering it Arne Jacobsen’s principal design.
The development of the chairs was based on a new technological approach. Instead of a steel frame and wood, the chairs were shaped in a hard foam material that was subsequently padded and upholstered. Furniture manufacturer Fritz Hansen secured the rights for this method in the mid 1950s, and Arne Jacobsen was the first designer to realise its full potential. In his development of the Ant during the early 1950s, Arne Jacobsen had begun to use plaster and clay in an experimental design process. Like a sculptor, he used these malleable materials to work out the characteristic shape of the Egg, creating a design with a harmonious sculptural expression that immediately earned it a central place in design history.
LC4 Chaise Longue Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, 1928, an original available here
Known as the “relaxing machine,” the LC4 Chaise Longue was originally designed for ultimate comfort and relaxation. Its adjustable frame allowed for various reclining positions, making it an iconic piece of modernist furniture. With a frame made from tubular steel, and a base that allowed for adjustments.
Whether you are not intending to leave your favourite chair for the whole of the holiday season or you are just getting a quick ten-minute break, make sure the best chair engulfs you into a place of utter happiness.
If you enjoyed reading A Beautiful, Perfect and Comfortable Seat, then why not read The Best Female Anti Hero in literature here
.Cent Magazine London. Luxury Mindset
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