I’ve never (or maybe not never, but ever since I’ve had more than 2 beans to rub together) been one for purely functional purchases. To me, a chair must complement the table (if for dining) or the couch (if for lounging) and the style of the home, which of course, when it comes down to it, reflects on its inhabitants. Soooooo – in a couple of short steps, the purchase of the humble chair has become all about me, me, me!
I was delighted to acquire my four church chairs for the bargain price of £15 each, a year or two ago. I saw an advert in the local paper, in the town where I grew up (London just doesn’t seem to do and use local papers in the same way), and leapt in the car to a restaurant that had just been refurbished. I scrambled around in their dark attic, selecting the four chairs in the best condition and that matched each other colour wise. I’m delighted with the shabby but oh-so-chic result, and they perfectly compliment my battered old dining table, which was a junk shop find. The knocks and scrapes add character… I hate things that look too shiny and new. (Unless they’re my shiny new laptop, on which I’m writing this. Or maybe a shiny new pair of shoes). The other thing about cute church chairs is that they’re quite easy to decorate – either at Christmas, or for other special occasions, or even just when having friends over to dinner. I could pop a little menu in the bit meant for the hymn book…. Or stuff it with dried flowers…or dangle baubles from the back. At Easter, for example, I have some rather lovely, and extremely camp, felt bunnies, from Paperchase! You could also accessorise with a lovely cushion, should you, or your derriere, require.
I was sorely tempted to get more ‘dining chairs’ last time I went to give blood. Odd you may think, but I give blood in a church hall near where I live, and whilst we were all waiting (it’s always hugely busy, which is a good thing, but quite a pain if you’ve forgotten to fix an appointment time, as I had on this occasion) the vicar walked around the room offering chairs to anyone who wanted them. No one took him up on the offer. A great shame, because the chairs were traditional old wooden ‘school chairs’, with a green metal frame. Had I had a bigger house, or a garage, or a shed, I’d definitely have taken a few home. Who knows what I’ve have used them for, but it’s always good to have back-up chairs. Or maybe I could have sold them on at a huge profit. Yes, I should have had more foresight!
Whilst we’re on the subject of chairs, an important purchase has been my Barcelona chair and footstool. It’s the piece de resistance in my lounge, and may be sat on by almost anyone (so long as they’re not drinking red wine!) It’s stylish and comfortable, and with a little side table and a lamp next to it (although the pic below in pre-side table!), creates the perfect little place to read. I’ve always wanted my own reading chair… to feel stylish as I’m devouring my books. As I was justifying the cost of this particular purchase I had to remind myself that the Barcelona chair is a design classic, that will never go out of fashion.
My next chair purchase will, I hope, be a white eames rocker. Another classic. Sadly I don’t really have anywhere to put a rocker… aside from possibly in our small bedroom, but then I know that it would constantly have clothes thrown over it, and possibly lose some of its classic stylishness as a result!
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