The work on the dining room has stalled a bit with the weekends full of birthdays and travel. Last night I thought I’d get back into the model a bit and work on a few ideas we’ve had for that room, but it was late and I get easily distracted when it’s late. My (real) living room is really starting to look a lot like my (model) living room, which is fun and also sort of dorky-weird that I keep adding detail to a computer model when the real room is just below me.
A little birdie told me that we might be getting some upholstery goodness under the Christmas tree this year, so I decided I’d take a look around and see what we might use for the Poul Jensen Z Chairs (that are currently pink) in our living room.
I’d like to upholster the chairs with appropriate material for the style of the chair. Most of the experts / dealers I researched recommend Knoll or Maharam fabrics, and so that’s where I will be looking.
Looking through the vast Maharam website made me think of the girls’ Memory Game we have – with some of Maharam’s iconic fabrics as the cards. I love this particular version of Memory much better than flipping over frogs and tennis shoes. (You can get this game through DWR.)
I’m leaning towards a nubby textured fabric, like the Knoll Boucle, or even some of the fabrics that have a tweedy feel to them. That seems to be backed up by the research I’ve done into the original fabric options for the period and style of the chair. My gut tells me to go with a nice warm gray / neutral – something darker than the white couch, but not so dark that there isn’t enough contrast with the gorgeous wood backs of the chairs. The back of the chair is why I was initially drawn to them because in our living room layout you see those backs from all the way across the house. So that’s my gut talking, but I’m also really, really tempted to have a little fun with the chairs too – and maybe go more gold or teal – both would also be “appropriate”, but a little more gutsy too. I’m going to get a sample book again, and take a look. Knowing me, I’ll end up going safe – and let the lines of the chair do the talking. We do have a lot of activity, colorwise, on the bookshelves and with the artwork on the walls, and still waiting to be on the walls.
But don’t think for a minute that I’m not completely head over heals in love with some of these bolder fabric classics and newer designs. I’ve got my eye on the one below for something M and I are contemplating in the dining room.
I’m with you on the fabric — I always look at the bold choices and pick a neutral/safe one. But there’s always throw pillows for those other great patterns. Did you hear about the West Elm at the Galleria — opens tomorrow! — if you haven’t already picked up your honeycomb tables . . . . Cheers – CT
I did NOT know that. Interesting, and handy. I’ve been liking the direction they’ve gone with their furniture pieces – that will be fun having them in town.
I don’t have the tables yet because we’ve got some other things we need to do first – like lighting / window film / construction in the dining room that is more pressing. I built them in the living room model though, and I really like them in there.
That blue flowered fabric is amazing! But I’m with you on a nice textured gray for the chairs–especially with your paper quilt providing such a colorful backdrop for them. I love the tweedy fabric and the nubby one below it as well.
Agreed – the boucle is nice, but I love the multiple colors in the tweeds.
Plus, the girls really like those chairs, and I want something that I don’t have to be QUITE as anal about (like the white couch). Did you wash your hands? Are your feet clean? Could you not sneeze on the couch? (Okay, I’m not that bad, but you get the idea.)