My 10 Most Winning Wing Chairs

Traditionally a wing back chair was an upholstered easy chair with large "wings" mounted to the armrests and enclosing the head or torso areas of the body. Such wing back chairs were originally designed to provide comfortable protection from drafts, and particularly to trap the heat from a fireplace in the area where the person would be sitting. Hence, they were most often used near a fireplace in historic times. So the wing back chair started out to function in rooms that were not centrally heated. We have come a long way since then and the wing back chair has morphed to fit the times and the style of the rooms we live in.

Please leave a comment at the end of this article and let me know which is your favourite wing back chair.

Big Chair by Jens Risom from Ralph Pucci International - Walnut Frame

Bergère Chair by Autoban for De La Espada,is available in Black walnut or White Oak with oiled finish.
The De La Espada factory is located near the Silver Coast in Portugal.

Gabriel Chair by Oly Studio is beautifully upholstered in leather with nail heads.

Sam Chair by Oly Studio a more casual look in cane and ebonized black frame.

Leo Chair by Oly Studio A stunning look in white leather and nail heads.

Regina Chair by Poltrona Frau with a molded frame, round grommets to simulate tufting and buttons
It is upholstered in Maserati leather.
Patricia Gray Inc. Photography Roger Brooks

 


Laura Kirar Cradle Wing Chair

B & B Italia designed by Antonio Citterio, an updated classical look by the famous Italian Architect Citterio.
Slip covered and very comfortable to sit in.

CH445 Wing Chair by Hans J. Wegner from Suite NY.
This chair was designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1960 and reintroduced in 2006.
A modern take on the Scandinavian look.

The Marks Lounge Chair by Michael Taylor Designs.
Designed in the 70's by the famous Californian designer Michael Taylor.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

The Divine Law of the Great Chair

The excerpt below is from a wonderful Blog by Carrie and Danielle. It totally ties into my love for chairs and also the spiritual aspect of surrounding yourself in your homes with things that you love. Carrie and Danielle are also authors of the best selling book: Style Statement: Live by your own Design

Here’s a radical notion: what if you really liked, even outright adored every material thing in your own life? What if the quality, shape, color, function, and feel of the things you owned gave you satisfaction, pride, and delight?

Enter, The Divine Law of The Great Chair.
When you let go of things you don’t love, you create space for things that you do love to show up. EVEN IF: it’s “useful”, it’s filling an “empty” place, it was a gift, it was inherited, expensive, imported, exotic, or you truly loved it once upon a time -– if you don’t like something in your space, it’s dragging you down. This isn’t about old, or new, or what you can afford – this is about how STUFF makes you FEEL.

THIS WEEK: Identify the “old chair(s)” in your life that you’re making do with, and get rid of it. You may have to sit on floor cushions for while, but you’ll be dwelling in possibility – instead of compromise and regret.

Photos
Top: Thomas Pheasant
Top Row: B & B Italia, Vicente Wolf, unknown
Second Row: Bertoria Chair, Andrew Martin, Ghost Chair
Third Row: Knoll Eero Saarinen Womb Chair, Knoll Brno Chair, Knoll Warren Platner Chair
Fourth Row: Barbara Barry, B & B Italia, Barbara Barry
Fifth Row: Madeline Stuart, Thomas Pheasant for Baker
Sixth Row: All Oly
Seventh Row: Oly, Blanchard UK, John Saladino
Eighth Row: Chapman Radcliff, Baker, Jayson Home
Excerpt above from Carrie and Danielle The Divine Law of the Great Chair

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design.
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Architectural Digest

I have recently been published in Architectural Digest magazine and have been getting quite a few inquiries about the chairs I used in this article. They are from Poltrona Frau designed by Paolo Rizzatto. They are an extremely modern design of the bergere chair: comfortable and welcoming, but with great visual simplicity. The seat and back are obtained from a single rigid shell which is covered with a new design of the capitonnee, where the buttons are replaced with special fastening rings of polished aluminum that create transparencies. The base is aluminum. The armchair can be reclined to find the ideal relaxing position. Upholstered in white Ferrari leather.

More photos from Architectural Digest December 2006

X Sculpture Martha Sturdy

Blissful Chairs

These watercolor renderings are done by Anne Harwell. She has a wonderful blog: Annchovie,
where she daily posts her paintings. Anne has a wonderful whimsical approach to capturing the essence of her subject matter. I love her technique and she also has a fetish for chairs as I do, so I feel we are kindred spirits. She takes commissions for paintings. I am commissioning her to do a painting of a home that I designed that was featured in Architectural Digest December 2006. Stay tuned I will post this painting of hers when it is completed. There is nothing like a hand painted and hand rendered piece of artwork. I think it is an art form that we need to support and encourage artists like Anne to continue. So please give her your support in whatever way you can. Art and artists are our life blood and they need to be supported and encouraged in their creativity.

Here are some of her whimsical painting of chairs.

"Artists help us to see and understand the world around us better." Patricia Gray

Chairs I Adore

Vincente Wolf updated slipper chair

John Saladino trademark quilted fabric

Thomas Pheasant for Baker updated slipper chair in the style of Elsie de Wolfe

House Beautiful Slipcovered Traditional English Roll Arm

Mariette Himes Gomez Notice the tassels on the arms

House Beautiful mixing several styles in one room

Antonia Hutt Klismos Chair dates from 5th Century BC Greece

Michael Taylor

Eames Management Chair Charles and Ray Eames 1958

Bikini Chair Charles and Ray Eames 1951- House Beautiful
Phillipe Starck Ghost Chair made of injected poly carbonate in the style of Louis XV

Ghost Chair (in foreground) photo BNO Design

Eero Saarinen 1948 Womb Chair - photo BNO Design

Womb Chair in rich saddle brown leather

Antonia Hutt love the purple velvet

Ruthie Sommers Vintage find that she reproduces

and sells on 1st Dibs