Windsor, Queen Anne, wing chair - so many were on the list but were cut for time! Once my videos go into 20+ minute territory, people don’t click as often. Maybe a part 2 in the future!?
I've been using two Cheska chairs in my kitchen daily for 30 years now, and I have no style whatsoever. I'm just frugal and never throw things out. Hooray!
Love this too. I studied fashion design and we had two semesters of the history of fashion. I loved those classes. I’m interested in interior design as well and I’m thoroughly enjoying the history of furniture.
I can relate to the “ugly, confusing, unrestful world” of the table and chair leg chaos. Having to look at it made me so unhappy that I got simple Parsons type chairs with linen slipcovers, and a round table with one leg in the center. What a relief it was. Some people are just highly sensitive to clutter and chaos.
I also opted for parsons chairs for my dining room. I prefer the look of a glass dining table, but didn't want to amplify the look of a centipede underneath. The parsons chairs give a really simple understated look.
I feel like an interesting - and potentially challenging - addition to this series about “timeless” furniture would be “timeless bed frames.” I’m in the midst of attempting to decorate a space that functions similarly to a studio apartment, and I’m having such a difficult time finding an appropriate bed frame.
I know your dilemma. I designed one years ago and had my husband make it for me. I’m on my second one now and my son made it. In both homes I needed convenient, accessible storage underneath also. Good luck finding something commercially available.
@@patriciatuite1522 Ikea has bedframes with underbed storage available. I got one for my son when he was a teenager. It was very simple for him to tidy his room by using one of the big rolling drawers. It was also a bug space saver!
My Dad was an artist in the 1940-50's and we had many of these designs in our house over the years. While they were beautiful, only a couple of them are comfortable to sit in for more than 15 minutes. The low back chairs for the dining room particularly uncomfortable as they hit the back in the wrong place unless you are a tiny person. The Barcelona was the most comfortable, but so many of these designs are so profunctory as you say, you find them in any office you go to, so has cheapened the looks for me. One thing for sure it is easy peasy to decorate with mid century furniture. Simple and to the point. The Eames chair is incredibly comfortable. We always had one in the family home in various degrees of wear. lol Thanks for the video. It was fun to see all the lovey chairs.
I never appreciated the tulip chair aesthetic but now learning that the designer saw 4 legs contributing to an "ugly, confusing, unrestful world," I get it! There really are so many legs all around my dining table lol. I won't see it the same again. BUT I am still a 4 leg gal.
We had a oblong tulip table and 6 bright yellow tulip chairs growing up but the base on ours had wheels. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother and we would spin each other as fast as we could until we fell out dizzy and couldn’t stand up straight. 😂 We had so much fun. Entertainment before technology consumed the world.
Oh wow I never heard anyone else bothered by legs of tables and chairs. I tool my dinner table apart and am storing it bc the legs on it and the chairs was overwhelming to me. I now have a love seat and couch and the whole room is so much better without the table and chairs. The cats miss the table. Sorry cats.
Granted, the Barcelona chair absolutely screams MCM, BUT, once you have seated yourself in one, the effortlessly cool chair, it is a gargantuan effort to get up out of the chair, it is comfy, it is cozy and purrrrrfect for curling up with a chunky throw and a warm mug, until you need to get out of it. Good Luck. I know, I have one.
Yay! You mentioned my ,,Louis XVI.- Chair" Yes! I love them....100 x better in real wood and upholstering with Cotton-Brokat, than the ,,Ghost- Chair".....and I got 4 of them second- hand at the price of 1 ,,Ghost"- knock-off!!! I allways enjoy Your programm!!! Your fun!!!
The Takashi chair is a dupe of the most popular Jeanneret Chandigarh chairs. I would stay away from most of the cheaper repros like these, ones that have this pre fab cane panel. They're pretty but super flimsy. IMO they're trendy because everything Axel Vervoordt is at the moment in a way. A number of designers and influencers have distilled elements from his style and made it more IG friendly: the rise of limewash, Zara Home's aesthetic, everyone incorrectly using "wabi sabi". But, I'd say the moment these are having has reached peak, thankfully. I always love when a trend passes on a timeless design like these.
to be honest I never like the Chescha or Tulip chairs . The chescha remind me of the late 80's early 90s tacky cheap sun rooms and the tulip chairs are uncomfortable for long periods of time and are hard to push back/. i do have a soft spot for the LCW Chair although I find it too low for my long legs
What I love about “the chair” in general is that it instantly speaks of a particular time. Yes, as Nick mentions, some designs are so beautiful that they become classics and popular beyond their time, but the form, detail, construction all point to their origin. Because a side/dining chair especially is the most used piece in a home, it endures a lot of wear and tear. It wears out more quickly , is less expensive than larger furniture, and is more often replaced. That in itself drives a faster style evolution than most furniture. If you are into vintage and classic pieces, you can count on finding an oddball single chair for about nothing, so they are great “first pieces” when starting a home or a collection. P.S. - Have to add the Windsor chair to the list of icons.
I agree..👏👏👏 I have a tan colour egg chair that I got from my grands that I still love & so do my friends that call in for coffee.. It also has the "button back" effect of the Barcelona chair..such a comfortable chair for reading or watching TV..
@@olga138 - They're still so popular because unlike so many modern chairs, people over 55 can actually get into them and then get back out again with dignity intact. If I parked myself in a coconut chair I'd need a crane to get back up. But seriously, there's NO chance I could do it without at least two people to help me. All these low sofas with low arms and armless chairs may be lovely design, but a person who is not young & spry looks at them and cringes. It's so thoughtless to invite over your parents, grandparents, great aunt, etc. and then offer them a chair 1/2 the height they need to rise unassisted. Design should take human needs into consideration. At the very least have a mix and if you're the host, shoo the kids out of the chairs that work best for your older visitors.
Favorite topic! Just had a tulip table reproduction with marble top delivered after wanting one forever. Saarinen also designed the terminal at JFK Airport. Also the Barcelona chair became super popular in the 70s. Oh no! No Wassily chair or Corbisier LC4 lounge!
Imo a true Windsor Chair is the most timeless chair you can get. It has history, natural look of wood, and is extremely comfortable for a wooden chair.
Like you, I love the Scandi/ mid century ish vibe. We are planning a move where we’re mostly starting over as far as design and furniture goes. I love those first few you showed. I’m keeping notes… 😁
the "Louis" chairs never go out of style. you can make them pop....leopard pattern cover and the wood painted chinese red - or zebra cover with black laquer wood!
l am a lover of timeless chairs and lamps. l have a leather and Walnut Eames reproduction chair that l love love love. l also have two Rattan Cocoon chairs that l love that l have on my deck. l also like the S chairs are wicker/ rattan more so than the plastic version.
I'm liking this 'timeless' series. How about timeless window treatments? Is there such a thing? Blinds (vertical vs horizontal, wooden vs rattan/grasses etc.) Curtains vs drapes. No window treatments at all! 😄
I really, REALLY like the super-modernized versions of the Louis XIV XV XVI Chair & the Queen Anne Chair. Jimmie Martin comes to mind. Seems like those chairs can literally go with ANY design style since they can be upholstered and have the frame repainted & still look good. The Egg Chair follows right behind them for me.
Agreed! I came looking for this comment. I've seen some incredibly fun Louis chairs that have been recovered with mordern fabrics, colors, and patterns.
Absolutely love the Eames lounge chair. So comfortable. It's on my wish list. Also love the simplicity of the Elbow chairs too! Thanks for such an informative video.
I'm maybe a decade older than you but I grew up with the Cesca chair being made so cheaply and being so ubiquitous that I can't see it as anything other than a re-trend from the 80s, sparse and unsturdy. Visible seams in the metal. I'm pretty sure you can still go into an inner city furniture shop and get another poor quality one for $30, if not less. The Barcelona chair is lovely but the lean on the seat makes it a terrible choice for offices with different levels of physical ability. My aunt would be trapped in it. Maybe your accountant doesn't have disabled clients but there's a reason straight back and horizontal seats are used in waiting rooms. The Louis chairs are the only ones that actually seem timeless. Many of them are so statement and ugly that they can't possibly be considered timeless and the Takashi chair goes in and out of style. There is really nothing timeless. The next generation will hate it and their grandkids will wish their parents had kept it to reupholster it. So many of these chairs are a nightmare of ugly. Twenty years ago mid century modern was hated so much that my wealthier friends basically destroyed their mid century house to try to force it into arts & crafts. I just accept my house was built by poor people in 1917 and put the colors and style I like in it. Maybe your audience is rich.
Great follow up to the timeless lighting video. Sadly, my favorite, the womb chair only received a mention....or more. Talk about a comfortable chair ,the womb chair is the bomb.
Okay.... and thanks for throwing in a quick reference to the French "Louis" styles, but with respect to traditional styles, the English Chippendale chair is probably #1 on the list of "classics." It pretty much goes with anything!
Love this video! I would also love to learn about different types of furniture for every design :) Kinda like this but - I would like to learn what kind of chair looks good on a japandi style, mid century, etc…so that I would know how to decide for a certain space and make it more cohesive. :)
Ah man, what an excellent selection. I love all those chairs so much! I used to have some of them in fact (tulip+table, elbow, egg) but had to sell half of them when I downsized and the rest got damaged in the move. Heartbreaking. I looked into buying them again but they go at a shockingly high price now, while they were so cheap back when I lived in Sweden. Sigh. Another type of iconic chairs I really like are vintage school canteen/refectory chairs, with those metal tubular structures and that curved laminate wood. I have these as my dining chairs now. They're so cute and remind me of my school days hehe.
This was such an interesting show. Would you please do another on chairs? I really enjoyed learning about the designs and materials used to achieve the look. So nice to see pictures of the designers and learn about them too. Thank you😊
Great video. All gorgeous chairs, even though they’re not all my style, they all look amazing in their own “environments” if that makes sense. Can’t wait for part 2. To me, a good chair must not only look good but be comfortable as well. That’s why I would definitely pass on the beautiful wishbone chair. You called it “comfortable” but that’s one thing it’s not: no back support. Lean against the back of the chair and you have the bar pressing into your back. Not a pleasant feeling. 😖
I’m in the market for Counter stools for my kitchen island can you do a video on those please I definitely don’t want white but want a coastal vibe not sure what to get
Looking for a Barcelona chair with an ottoman; great design. Would look great in my office area. Changed my mind: Just saw the Emes lounge chair; now I want that!
I’m fortunate and have two of the Eames LCW chairs. They are beautiful and incredibly comfortable. I also have the lounge chair and ottoman. I love it for its look however it’s not as comfortable as I would have wanted. Still an excellent chair and a beautiful design.
You are such a fine resource for ideas! Your overview of chair design inspires me! I am too old to create another house, but I can create the furnishings for my final house! I know you are (justifyabley) cautious about DIYers, but some of us are good, and value inspiration. Thank you!
OMG Nick ... thank you, I want to change my dining room table and chairs and can't decide what style to go for. I also do like mixing like a settee and then chairs, but not sure. Also, please do a video if you can about the cream colors on the wall like your white walls ... you're the best!
I only found out about "iconic chairs" a few years ago and it changed my perspective towards interior design. Like I'm pretty sure it was the catalyst. The chair that started it all was the Eames Lounge chair. I was just confused why a chair can be "branded" and uber expensive. Now, I want one. I'll probably settle for a dupe, but man finding a real vintage one in an estate sale is my white whale. I actually use a Charles & Ray Eames padded leather chair for my home office, it's gorgeous with my wood desk.
the Louis' are always a good thing to throw out when you're discussing design, 14th vs 16th, Rustic elegance vs Refined Understood, not understated. LOL as lovely as all these chair are, being a Bigg Person 6'3'' , the chairs are more sculptures than actual furniture. LOL Collapsing a Chair is a ''Greatest Fear'' since I've already done it.
Definitely would like to see a part 2! I love so many of these styles and it'll be so helpful as I'm furnishing my first apartment to know the terms to search for. Would also love too see a video for tables since, lol 😅, I don't have a dining room table set yet.
Hey Nick - I’m with you on the Wegners and the Cesca. I’d take Barcelona chaise longue over the chair, though (that craftsmanship *swoon*). I have a Ming chair - for me, it’s purely an art piece so no one sits on it. Beautifully crafted. Good video!
As someone who grew up with a Barcelona Chair in the house, there is a reason you find them in waiting rooms as they are not really great for sitting on for extended periods of time.
Loved this video. The Barcelona and the Eames Chairs are soooooo comfortable. I live with 4 big men, and they love them. They also love my generously sized Queen Ann dining chairs, which I like so much more than the Louis'.
