Tag Archives: Pretty Stores

July 7, 2011 · 6:31 am

My Barcelona Chair

Have I mentioned how much I like Mid-Century Modern furniture? Yeah, I know I have. I recently bought a reproduction Tulip Table and Panton S Chairs to match. Until now, I haven’t written about my reproduction Barcelona Chair. Piece by piece, my place is getting Modernized.

The Barcelona chair was designed in 1929 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German architect. He created the chair for the International Expo being held in Spain that year. It’s still every bit as modern now as it was then. Pure designing genius. Mies van der Rohe eventually sold the rights to Knoll; the Barcelona Chair can be purchased through them—for about $4000.

The biggest challenge for me (other than finding a reasonably priced source) was finding a non-leather version of the chair. Even if I had four grand to fork over on a chair, the real deal is cowhide. Not very vegan. After much research, I found a manufactured in China who will make the chair in leather or polyurethane. The price was reasonable (shipping almost doubled the cost, but the grand total was still under $500).

I had to take a big gamble: Send a money order to an unknown company halfway around the world. Lucky for me, the people at Pretty Stores were responsive and helpful. About six weeks later, the chair arrived at my front door.

I can’t believe how comfortable this chair is. Since it’s not a “comfy-looking” overstuffed style, I wondered about it. I’ve read entire books cover to cover in one sitting—in this chair. The quality is great. It’s constructed of a one-piece steel frame with PU cushions. I’ve had the chair for a year now and it’s sturdy and stable and the cover hasn’t cracked or stretched.

If you ever decide to order from Pretty Stores, going in with friends and buying several pieces at once significantly lowers the freight charges. They have a ton of furniture—tables and chairs especially—so buying all at one time is smart.

Another time, I’ll write about the Picasso on the wall above the chair and the painting above the fireplace.

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Filed under Architecture, Decor

Tagged as Barcelona Chair, living rooms, mid-century modern, mies van der rohe, Modernist, Pretty Stores, style

June 25, 2011 · 1:33 am

My Modern Dining Room

A while back, I wrote about the Tulip table and Panton chairs I ordered online. I promised to write about them when they arrived, and I haven’t forgotten.

I love the pieces! I ordered the table from Lexington Modern and the chairs from Pretty Stores because they have great reproductions at decent prices. The chairs are sturdy, durable, and haven’t scratched. They wipe clean and would be a great outdoors as well. I wouldn’t leave them outside to get mossy or sun bleached, but they’re a great temporary outdoor seating alternative. Best of all, these are comfortable chairs. And if you can call a chair sexy, well this would be it.

The table is great too. It was well packed and easy to assemble. I chose a marble top in case the wood veneer easily scratched. I have four chairs, but I set this up using only three so you can see the table pedestal more easily.

My only complaint—and it’s my own lack of foresight—is that I ordered the 36″ diameter table, not a larger size. With a small top, and a large base, sitting close to the table means my feet rest on the base. It’s not horrible, but if you buy a Tulip table, go for a 40″ diameter or larger size. I was afraid of ordering too big a table for my small dining area, but an extra few inches wouldn’t have mattered.

The space is sparse, but I like that look. A bouquet of flowers on the table will brighten things up. I added a retro-style clock on the wall. It’s from Chiasso. The framed photo of the Space Needle is actually a 1960s Jazz album cover. I liked the photo and it matched the period of the rest of the room.

After changing everything in the room, my old chandelier looked out of place so I bought a simple black dome-shaped ceiling lamp from Ikea and swapped it out. I love my dining room now and I’m actually using it (as opposed to sitting on the sofa and eating dinner in front of the TV like I used to do).

Swinging 60’s Panton S Chairs

“Welcome to my space-age bachelor pad.”

That’s how I plan to welcome guests to my home as soon as I get my Panton S chairs. A couple of months ago I wrote about the Tulip table I ordered, and how I needed a coordinating set of chairs. The table is fantastic! The chairs, as they say, are in the mail.

I chose the Panton S chairs for a few reasons. First, they don’t have “legs” so my blind cat will have fewer obstacles to navigate. Second, the chairs are plastic (well, technically polypropylene). They’re going to be really easy to clean, are stackable, and will function as indoor/outdoor seating, depending on the season. Finally, they’re sexy!

I love the sleek, fluid design and the almost sculptural look of them. I don’t have any plastic furniture in my home, but I think these chairs will add just the right amount of Swingin’ 60’s feel and help me create an eclectic vibe in my dining room.

So just who was the genius behind the chair? Verner Panton. He’s one of Denmark’s most influential designers. He worked with bright-colored plastics and created a futuristic style of furniture in the 60’s and 70’s. He designed the Panton S chair in 1960, making it four years older than the Tulip table. A May-December romance? Nah, I consider both items Mid-Century Modern pieces.

Reproductions of the Panton S chairs are available at Lexington Modern, the same place I ordered my Tulip table. However, I ordered my chairs from Pretty Stores. They have reasonable prices, high-quality reproductions, and the shipping was fast and professional. You can read about another experience I had with Pretty Stores in my post about my Barcelona chair.

As soon as I get the chairs, I’ll share pictures of my new dining room.