Happy Holidays!

December 17, 2022: Hi all. I'm still here, just been very busy (who of us is not?) I'm working on updating Maison Newton bit by bit, it's been awhile since I changed things up. Happy Holidays to all, soon the Winter Solstice will arrive and then the days will start to get longer once again, hooray!

Monday, September 30, 2013

The Look for Less: Traditional Home Visits Designer Joseph Abboud Part 4

Hola darlings!

Take a look at this beautiful chair featured in the Joseph Abboud living room, the 18th Century French Burlap Chair from Restoration Hardware:


Full price is $1,295, on special for $1,100.  Inspired by an 18th-century Louis XIII highback armchair, ours is a faithful reproduction. Employing the same craftsman techniques used 350 years ago, its burnished solid oak legs, arms and stretchers are hand-turned on a lathe while it bears the hallmark of mortise-and-tenon construction. Country of origin not given.  Joseph Abboud used material of his own design to upholster his chair. 

So, where to look, where to look...

I stopped at Ballard Designs and found this chair that I really like - but it doesn't have arms!  This is (are) the Capistrano dining chair (comes only in pairs), two for $849:

 


Overall: 42 3/4"H X 18 3/4"W X 26 1/2"D
Seat: 18 3/4"H X 18 3/4"W @ Front & 16"W @ Back X 17"D
Constructed of birch frame with form & webbed seat and brass nailheads.
Made in China
The Capistrano dining chair, despite being armless, presents possibilities -- buy the pair (for less than one RH chair) and put a cool table in-between and voila! I like the French country look of the turned wood more than the sort of Jacobean feel of the wood turning on the RH chair. 

I next stopped at Home Decorators but I did not find anything remotely similar.

I went to Wayfair, always a craps shoot because so much depends on the search criteria you use!  I went simple and looked for "wood arm chair."  Found lots of possibilities -- in pairs!  Here are my favorites:



Above is the A&B Home Group, Inc. Side Chair that only comes in pairs, $833.  The turned legs and cross-bars on these chair are remarkably similar (identical?) to the RH chair.  Features:  Beige upholstery; Back burlap Paris motif; Brass nail heads; Cross bar support base; Cushioned seat.  Overall Depth - Front to Back: 21.7 inches, Overall Height - Top to Bottom: 42.9 inches, .Overall Width - Side to Side: 24.8 inches.



Above is the A.R.T. Coronado Arm Chair, $860 for a pair!  I was too fast to copy it -- it also comes upholstered in a creamy linen and looks great.  Oh crap -- I see now it's already out of stock, and no restocking date is listed.  This chair has an exposed wood back and soft linen upholstery with individual nail head trim that work together to create a refined but elegant look. Scrolled French Provincial-style feet, arms and posts add to the chairs' overall sophistication. With no detail overlooked, the elegantly shaped stretchers complete the look.  Coronado collection, Rustic Walnut finish, crafted from sturdy Radiate solids and beautiful veneer with hand rubbed "Barcelona" finish.  45.5" H x 25" W x 28" D.

Check out this lovely chair -- the Hooker Furniture Waverly Place Upholstered Back Arm Chair -- again, in a pair, $1,196.  The upholstery is "sporty Cognac" and I've no idea what kind of material it is -- I found that description at the Specifications page:
 

I believe this is available in other upholstery.  Description: A romantic European Country distinction achieved through a cherry veneer with an uneven texture and a random width plank effect that approximates the look and feel of an authentic solid cherry antique.  Overall Dimensions: 49'' H x 25.38'' W x 28.88'' D. 

I find it really irritating that in order to get any of the chairs featured above I would have to buy TWO!  That's not necessarily a bad thing.  A nice arm chair can always be fit into another room if there is no room for two chairs in the room in which you're creating this look for less.  I did find a solo chair at Wayfair -- but -- well, take a look:



This chair is the Stein World Dark Toffee Arm Chair and it is $400.  I like the styling of this chair a lot.  It's not identical to the RH chair, particularly in the legs and base, but has the same overall heft and dimensions.  But the upholstery doesn't look remotely like the RH chair.  The chair seat is black faux leather and the back, in a close-up it looks like a mini-leopard print!  Not my cup of tea at all.  Would one buy a new chair and then have it recovered in a neutral burlap or linen fabric???  If you couldn't do it yourself (I would not attempt it myself), there would go your price savings right out the door.  But, for those of a handy nature or willing to try reupholstering a brand new chair themselves, this might be the best deal overall.  Description:  Faux leather seat; Upholstered back; Scroll arms; Nail head detailing; ISTA 1A certified (I have no idea what this means); Solid wood construction; Dark Toffee finish.  Dimensions: 51'' H x 29'' W x 35'' D; Overall Depth - Front to Back: 35 inches; Overall Height - Top to Bottom: 51 inches; Overall Width - Side to Side: 29 inches.

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