A Study in Juxtaposition

It's always refreshing to work with a client who knows exactly what he wants. It can also be a challenge in ways one cannot always anticipate. Such was the case with a pair of very traditional chairs that a client brought to us. He wanted to infuse some contemporary energy into his home but didn't want to lose the synergy he established with his other furnishings. The chairs were sound, produced by a well known manufacturer but didn't grab one's attention. He wanted to punch up the color and presence these chairs had in his home.

These pieces were located in a room with a red oriental rug and a high gloss ebony grand piano. He knew he wanted them covered in an orange fabric but didn't want to replicate the current upholstery verbatim. We had the opportunity to play with these chairs and were eventually inspired to pin up the skirt. We discovered a very bold and contemporary frame hiding beneath a traditional skirt and suggested removing it and enhancing the legs. The client loved the idea.

Color, Space and Problem Resolution

Good design is about balance, relationship, manipulation of space and organization. These chairs possessed an over abundance of positive space. By removing the skirt, we introduced some negative space beneath the chair and they suddenly appeared taller and smaller than they did originally.

The client ordered a luxuriously plush burnt-orange velvet that was to arrive in a matter of weeks. We set about reviewing the frame and recommended larger springs to improve the chair's seating comfort. The client called stating that his fabric would be on back order for several months and asked if we could help him find something to replace his original order. After some looking, we located a marvelously exotic fabric that the client loved more than his original order.

The front legs were made of hickory wood and the back legs were mahogany. Both are excellent furniture woods but are not in the same color spectrum. Now that they were all visible, we needed to make them uniform in color. After deep sanding and careful toning with several stain colors, the legs received several layers of tinted varnish to further unify their color. The newly created negative space beneath these chairs is a perfect venue to showcase the intense color of these legs. They add sparkle to the room without distraction.

Exploring and Discovery

Quite often when working on furniture we run into something that was left behind or notice an obvious change of direction on the part of a previous craftsman -- whether it be an issue with the frame or the manner in which fabric was applied. It can be rather archeological at times where we interpret what we find as a means to understand what and why something had been done in a particular way. We look at clues to extrapolate their meaning. The client was very specific in instructing us to keep the back as plush and deeply tufted as the original. When working on this aspect of the project, we noticed that the manufacturer had marked the back to be tufted one way and then actually executed the tufting differently. Both chairs exhibited the same phenomenon. It was clear to see where they instigated the deviation from the original design and why they needed to do so.

A Study in Juxtaposition

There were many variables in this project; more than met the eye when these chairs came to us. Yet, loving challenges, we embraced this project and found fitting solutions to all the issues. Having a client with a definite vision helped tremendously in moving these pieces along. He was unwavering in his design concept yet remained flexible to suggestions. In the end, the rich influence of color in this fabric intensified the red in the oriental carpet upon which these chairs stand. The fabric itself is composed of two shades of red with pattern details outlined in a lustrous gold thread. The resulting jewel-tone is a shimmering burnt orange hue that simply pops against the deep red of the carpet. The glistening, intensely brown legs pair marvelously with the ebony of the piano. The room itself takes on a larger dimension now that the skirts have been removed and one can see space beneath the chairs. Color is well balanced, space is effectively managed, the pieces relate to their environment and a symphonic balance was achieved by paying strict attention to details.