When planning furniture layouts, I love the challenge that the “living room” presents. Like most of us, I grew up in a household where my parents furnished the living room with the “good” furniture, which ultimately meant that the living room was off limits to pretty much all Homo sapiens.
I think living rooms should be designated as lounges. While a good sofa provides a spot to sprawl out on, a chair offers a place to relax in isolation, maybe read the paper or surf on a laptop. Man recognized this need and thus invented the lounge chair. This is where I think Archie Bunker was really on to something. Now I’m not talking about that Naugahyde recliner that home theater seating manufacturers insisting on copying to this day. No, I’m talking about a cool chair that not only feels good, but also looks awesome.
A lounge chair can add that extra bit of sophisticated cool to a room and here are a few of my faves:
Egg Chair
Designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, this chair has become an icon of Danish design. It has a tilt mechanism, which can be adjusted to the weight of the individual.
128 Lounge Chair
Designed by De La Espada, this lounger is not yet a classic, but I put it on the list because it has a fantastic no-nonsense simplicity combined with attention to detail. The chair is available in white oak or walnut with black or brown leather strapping.
CH445 Lounge Chair
This classic lounge chair has a more traditional look and was designed by Danish designer Hans Wegner who based the shape on being able to easily change positions in the chair. Manufactured by Fritz Hansen, the chair looks best in a felt fabric.
Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman (picture at top)
First produced in 1956, this chair by design duo Charles and Ray Eames, combines the best of technology and handcraftsmanship. The chair has a permanent 15” tilt, which distributes body weight for the perfect lounging position. For me a glass of Lagavulin and a nice thick Cohiba are the perfect accessories for this icon.
I also wanted to let readers know that if they have design questions, please email me at [email protected] and I will do my best to address them in future blogs.
