What Is a Club Chair

Club chair is a type of chair, usually covered in leather. It was created and manufactured in France . Before it became known by its current name, it was first called fauteuil confortable , “comfortable chair”. The name was given to it to distinguish it from the fauteuil de style, which had straighter lines and was less enveloping.

The craftsmen involved in the development of the armchairs were unknown. The origin of the term “club” is unclear, but perhaps it is a reference to the gentlemen’s club .

Although the club chair is undoubtedly a classic interior feature in France, it remains as relevant as it is today. Over time, the charm, variety, and prominence of the chair grew.

With great simplicity, the Art Deco era created armchairs with clean, flexible lines, unlike the Art Nouveau style of the 1910s.

After World War II, dozens of different shapes emerged. Some have stood the test of time, such as the “mustache” and the “gendarme hat,” named after the shape of the back. The round shape became the most symbolic embodiment of the club chair.

Production

Design, carpentry, sewing, upholstery and dyeing are the main crafts used in the manufacture of the club chair. Each chair is the product of a cumulative experience.

The club chair was first introduced in the early 20th century with a new padding technique, using double tapered springs not only in the seat cushion, but also in the backrest and armrests. Coconut filling added to the elasticity of these springs.

Industrial advances have led to the replacement of this method of padding with non-sag springs or elastic tape along with synthetic foam.

Coating

Coatings have changed developed industrial technology, and have included mercerized , velvet, calfskin and, most recently, Bicast leather . Nevertheless, sheep’s leather is still considered the authentic material for chairs.

With a vegetable-tanned sheepskin covering, the marks and imperfections of the leather are visible through the dye, making each chair unique. In addition, the particularly fine grain gives the chair a unique patina over time. French leather has been known for its quality since the 19th century.

It takes six to eight skins of about 0.8 square meters (8.6 square feet) each to cover a chair. They are applied wet, stretched as much as possible and shrunk as they dry. They will last about 40 years.

club chair

7 trendy chair shapes: from the “Shell” to the “Director’s Chair”

In living room interior design, the chair is a particularly atmospheric element responsible for harmony, completeness and depth. The chair symbolizes individualism, but in the early 2000s it lost much of its relevance in small-sized interiors. Now armchairs are making a comeback, experiencing their new Golden Era in design – we haven’t seen such a variety of formats, styles and upholstery.

Berger Armchair

“Bergère” (“Berger”, Bergère) is a special armchair that came to us from the reign of Louis XV, French from back to feet. There are several dozen varieties of it, and even more chairs in this style are produced now than before. With its grace, slim armrests and luxurious looking back, it is gaining love all over the world.

The Club Chair and the “Taxido.”

This chair belongs to the Art Deco era and has many variations, such as with semi-circular or straight armrests. Some experts also refer to the Tuxedo club armchair, which is correct in principle. But the silhouette of the latter is more straight and sharp, without soft roundings. Do not confuse club chairs with Tub Chair, the latter is more simple and affordable.

The Slipper Chair

“Slipper” is a small chair without armrests, similar to a pouffe with a backrest. Small height and more suitable for a tiny living room, hallway or corridor, waiting room. In the U.S., slippers are commonly referred to as any chair (but not chairs) without armrests.

Cogswell armchair

Cogswell armchair with its low seating, practical upholstery and rather inconspicuous silhouette is just what you need for mid-century modern or safari-inspired interior. Its main difference is the landing line. It is essentially an “L” where both sides. are almost equal! The length of the back and seat are almost the same, whereas in other chairs the back is always much higher.

Shell chair

This chair has an amazing shape. Thanks to its soft, slightly curved vertical lines, it resembles a seashell. Such upholstery in velvet not only looks glamorous, but also very pleasant to the touch. The chair is considered a cocktail chair because of the low back and narrow armrests.

“Director’s Chair.”

Luxury chairs with a geometric metal frame (Metal Frame) date back to the Art Deco era. But the truth is that more variations have been invented in the last twenty years than before. Although metal frame is found in many styles, in this case we are talking about armchairs with a sleek thin frame, geometric, Art Deco style. For example, the Hollywood “director’s chair” is of this type.

Art Deco armchair.

Velvet armchairs with a geometric and symbolic “cut” silhouette are Art Deco style armchairs. They are quite minimalistic, elegant, “straight” and are almost always upholstered with velvet.

The standard of comfort: Eames Lounge Chair

Meet the favorite chair of Dr. House and “Iron Man”, the pride of American design and the most comfortable piece of furniture of the twentieth century.

The creation of the Eames has been one of the most recognizable and best-selling pieces of furniture in the world for more than half a century. What is the mystery of the popularity of the legendary Eames Lounge Chair with an ottoman?

Manufacturing history

In the early 1940s two young architects, Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, won a competition at the Cranburg Academy to make a chair out of a single piece of plywood for mass production. But it proved unsustainable. After several unsuccessful attempts, Eero gave up, and Charles continued the development with his wife and colleague Rhea.

Charles and Rhea met in an architecture and design course at the University of Michigan.

The first generation of Eames chairs made of molded birch plywood rolled off the assembly line in 1946. At the same time, Charles and Ray signed a contract with the furniture factory Herman Miller to produce budget furniture. Ten years later, in 1956, they produced the first mass-produced luxury Eames Lounge Chair.

According to one version, the designers were inspired by a baseball glove, another by a gentlemen’s club chair, and a third by the uncomfortable chair of their friend, the movie director Billy Wilder.

After the presentation of the chair at the American Home show in 1956, the Eames’ creation gained many fans. A year later the designers got the first prize at the Milan Triennale and launched sales in Europe. Today the Eames Lounge chair is known and loved all over the world and has become a true design icon.

One Eames chair each is in the collection of more than 20 major museums in the United States and Europe.

Design Philosophy

“We don’t make art, we solve problems” is the main approach to the work and creativity of the Eames couple. In the ’40s and ’50s, American luxury furniture was more about aesthetics than comfort. Charles and Rae set out to fix that and created the Eames Lounge Chair, taking a twentieth-century club chair as the basis.

The designers made a bet on the stylish status design, high-end materials and maximum comfort.

According to the authors’ idea the user of Eames Lounge Chair should feel as comfortable as “a baseball in a soft worn out glove of a top player”. Ergonomic design of the furniture follows the contours of the human body, and the constant angle of inclination (15º) of the back takes the weight off the lower back. A wide ottoman armchair turns into a relaxing chaise lounge helps to increase the degree of comfort.

The design

Armchair

Each of its three parts (for the seat, back and headrest) is made from a sheet of seven-layer plywood, which was bent with heat and pressure.

Densely stuffed and leather-covered cushions were inserted into the resulting molds. They are fixed with furniture nails, but thanks to convenient zippers, the upholstery is easy to remove and change.

Interesting: the designers named the armchair and ottoman after the factory part numbers – “670” and “671”.

The headrest and backrest are fastened together by two aluminum supports. The seat is connected to the backrest by means of leather armrests and special neoprene washers (shock-absorbers). The 360º swivel base is supported on a cast aluminum base with five stable legs.

Ottoman

Its structure is almost identical to that of the armchair. Except there is no backrest and headrest and there are four legs instead of five. The cushion surface is decorated with two taffeta buttons and the removable cover is trimmed on the side with a black inconspicuous zipper.

The cushions are attached to the plywood panels with hidden clips and rings, which protects the upholstery from damage. It is convenient to use the ottoman as a soft mobile stool.

Dimensions

They may differ depending on the modifications, replicas and copies. A number of manufacturers produce models to individual order.

The original dimensions of the Eames lounge chair:

Materials

All parts of the first Eames Lounge set are based on Brazilian rosewood plywood.

Today the range of materials has expanded, but their quality remains consistently high. Among the popular upholstery options for the armchair and ottoman is premium semi-aniline leather. Over time it acquires characteristic creases and a rich patina, which adds nobility and aristocratism to the chair.

Colors

The first models of the armchairs and ottomans Eames Lounge were made only in black upholstery surrounded by reddish-brown rosewood veneer. The white leather covers were made exclusively to order up to 2007. Today the factory Herman Miller offers Eames Lounge mainly in two basic shades. And the Vitra company has a wider color range including black, brown, terra cotta, cream, plum, chocolate, gray and white.

Much richer is the palette of the companies that sell copies and imitations of the legendary chair. If desired, you can choose any color of upholstery and materials.

Producers

Despite the large number of companies imitating the legendary armchair, the official rights to manufacture Eames Lounge Chair have only two: since 1956 Herman Miller (USA) and since 1984 Vitra (Sweden). The products of both brands are almost identical except for the design of the legs.

Official modifications.

For 60 years the design of the Eames Lounge chair has not changed much, except for details, materials and manufacturing techniques. Five modifications of it are known:

  • 1956-1959: the classic model featured five-ply rosewood plywood, three screws under the armrests, goose down filler and round silver clips on the cushions.
  • 1960-1971: number of screws reduced to two, rubber block added to cushion for softness, shape of legs changed.
  • 1971-1974: black rectangular clips were added to remove the cushions, rosewood veneer was varnished and natural filler was replaced by synthetic fiber and latex foam to better retain the shape of the chair.
  • 1974-1991: instead of five layers of plywood they used seven without increasing the overall thickness of the material.
  • 1991 to the present day: rosewood is replaced by cherry, walnut and other types of wood because of environmental problems.

Features of the original

Buying an original Imzow chair is a serious and long-term investment. To avoid overpaying for a fake, take note of a few tips:

  • Ask for a certificate of authenticity (it should be inside the package),
  • Look for the paper label on the upholstery, labels, barcodes and stamps of official manufacturers (Herman Miller or Vitra) on the chair,
  • check all the panels of the chair and ottoman: they should have the same numbers, initials, tags or the signature of the factory worker,
  • make sure the shock absorbers are original and the appearance of the legs of both parts of the set are the same,
  • inspect the backrest of the chair – its angles should be correct, symmetrical,
  • check the cushion filling – it should correspond to the modification,
  • always pay attention to the surface of the back panel around the fixtures – any cracks or damage can damage the case.

Applications

Eames Lounge Chair is a self-sufficient and charismatic thing, able to adjust the interior and become the center of attraction. Universal, timeless design of the armchair is harmonious both in neutral classical style and in experimental eclecticism. It is important to find the right combination of furniture palette and materials with the overall atmosphere of the house.

Eames Lounge especially fits well into trendy modern styles: loft, neoclassic, bionic, futuristic, grunge, contemporaries, vintage and eco.

In a private house or apartment it is appropriate to place it in a home library, in a bedroom or living room, in a home cinema, in a corner for reading or hobbies.

It is difficult to call it a work chair because of the lack of height adjustment. Rather, it is an anti-stress furniture for office or home relaxation corner.

What are chairs for the culture house, and how to choose the right one

In Soviet times, such a concept as a clubhouse was born. They were built both in large cities and in small villages. Basically, clubs were used as centers of cultural and educational work, and had to accommodate a large number of people. Therefore, their halls were equipped on the principle of theaters. The heads of such institutions faced the task of meblix.net, which would allow seating as many visitors as possible, and would be as comfortable as possible.

Furnishing a modern clubhouse

Although many years have passed since then, but houses of culture are still a place where people gather. Such institutions hold various cultural events, and to make visitors feel comfortable, an appropriate environment is necessary. This should be kept in mind when choosing armchairs for the hall. The optimal option is models with a reclining seat. The installation of such furniture allows people to freely pass to their seats, located in the central part of the row.

But in addition to the structural design, other characteristics of the chairs are also important, such as:

  • ergonomics;
  • strength;
  • durability;
  • ease of care;
  • stylistic solution.

This is due to the intensive use of products and often not quite careful attitude to them by visitors.

However, it is quite difficult to make the best choice of model and configuration of furniture. After all, it should take into account the peculiarities of the hall, its size, the method of arranging the chairs and even the financial capacity of the institution.

The main stages of the choice

To ensure that the chairs for the cultural center were comfortable, combined in style with the design of the room and met your financial capabilities, it is worth paying attention to the products of major manufacturers. It always has a more attractive price, because you do not have to pay for the services of intermediaries, and higher quality, in contrast to the products of handicrafts.

But in order to choose the best option, you must have a clear idea of what criteria it must meet. You should start by determining the intended use of the room in which you intend to install the furniture. There are armchairs for the following categories of rooms:

  • theatrical;
  • In the institutions of power and government;
  • for conferences;
  • in the Philharmonic;
  • cinemas;
  • circuses;
  • educational establishments.

If your house of culture is expected to use the room multifunctional, then the chairs for it must be chosen with different target audiences in mind. In this case, you should pay more attention to anti-vandal properties of furniture than to its design and comfort. The best option – it is products with high repairability, in which it is possible to change the soft elements directly in the room without dismantling them. It is much cheaper to change only one part than to buy a new chair.

If you have limited space in the club room, you should pay attention to such parameter as width of armchairs in axes. Optimal is considered a slope of 17-21° back and 4 to 15° seat. In this case, the width of products designed for adult audiences should be at least 52-53 cm. The height of the furniture is chosen depending on the slope of the floor. If it is insignificant, then to ensure a good overview will require models with a backrest 5-10 cm less than the standard value.