Eye Test

I just got tweeted a picture of this amazing poster by my friend J who received a framed version for Christmas.

"Jealous much?" she asked.

Er. Yes.

Christmas Came Early

Last night I received a most excellent Christmas present - "How To Design a Chair" published by the Design Museum.

I don't think you'll see me knocking furniture up from scratch any time soon, but for now, it's going to take pride of place on my bookshelf. When I get one.

In the meantime, it's a brilliant history and a great read. I'm just not sure about this one by John Angelo Benson that's featured on page 64...

E8 A Go-Go

So while my potential house move continues in a constant state of flux, obviously my eye stays firmly placed on how I'm going to furnish this (potentially fictional) abode.

Hackney-based Chase and Sorensen have just announced a pre-Christmas sale and are having a good old clearout. Check out this set of 6 CH-30 dining chairs by Hans J. Wegner.

"These chairs are constructed of teak and oak and feature lovely design details such as the butterfly joints at the backrest. In terrific condition".

Quickly. Before I get there.

Ants 'n' Eggs

I had to post these pics after yesterday's mention of Arne Jacobsen. Both the Egg (left) and Ant (right) are featured in the Modern Warehouse update I received this morning and are available to buy. Both are gorgeous examples - the red leather is amazing, and the teak is really stunning - both look in superb condition.

Sign up to the Modern Warehouse emails for details of when they're open for browsing (if you live in London). They're really tucked away near Hackney Wick, but worth hunting down - they have a constantly rotating stock of the best in mid-century modern pieces.

Million Pound Drop

Wow. Perusing this month's Elle Decoration, I came across this amazing Arne Jacobsen chair, in leather and steel, which I'd never seen before - The Drop. From 1958, it's simplicity is just beautiful, and leaves me a bit speechless, tbh.

Obviously, I went straight to eBay to see if I could snap up a whole set for a tenner. Then I found out that one was sold by Phillips de Pury for $37,500. Gulp.

Jacobsen's a truly legendary chair man - his more famous chairs include the Egg, Ant and the Swan. All truly iconic pieces of design - often imitated, never bettered. As someone once said.

Very Good

My friend S first brought these multi-coloured beech plywood stackers to my attention when she was looking for kitchen chairs. They would have looked great in her house, but she eventually decided on an even better selection of mismatched vintage church/school chairs instead.

But lo and behold, the good taste seems to have spread, and a vast selection of these can now be seen in the cafe area of the offices of a major UK broadcaster. So I get to sit on them every day...

They're by Very Good & Proper and are sold in the Lollipop Shoppe in London and Brighton, or online here.

Made Up

Think I might have found the first piece of new furniture for the new place.

It's from Made.com:

"Inspired by the 1960s take on the classic eighteenth century wing back design, the Kubrick brings striking, geometric angles and recognisably retro-style tapered legs."

Yes please.

And if anyone else sees anything at Made.com that catches your eye, enter this code for £15 off at checkout: 3SCGHOW. You're welcome!

2012: A Fish Odyssey

I was a little surprised by Grace Dent's recent drubbing of Forman's in the Evening Standard - but then I thought, well, it is a bit spendy, could do with a few more customers, completely out of the way, and the service could do with being taken up a notch or two, but the food is great (the eel is delicious as she says), the concept is pretty unique (it's in a smokerie) and the view of the Olympic stadium is completely unrivalled.

But this is a blog about chairs and the guys at Forman's do a good chair.

They're clearly influenced by Eames and/or Harry Bertoia, who both knew a thing or two about wire chairs, and en masse they contribute well to the airiness of the double height dining space.

Bet my Aunty Christine like these...

Good For Lunch, Bad for Chairs

Great post here from Goodforlunch.com comparing Ramsay's new Bread Street Kitchen with Jamie's Italian down the road in Threadneedle Street.

The big takeout from the piece - Gordon's got chair AND stool issues. Good grief.

Restaurant design's obviously a hot topic at the moment with this piece on the Observer's Food Monthly blog today, spurred on by a redesign at Gregg's of all places...

Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding

So it's Sunday and I'm thinking about roast dinners, naturally.

If you're ever near Victoria Park on a Sunday, the Britannia pub on the north side does a storming roast, and has big comfy sofas where you can read the papers all afternoon. Perfect.

They also have the biggest collection of Ercol chairs in their dining room that I have ever seen. Hundreds of 'em.

They don't have this one though - this one's my favourite Ercol chair ever.

Curious

Yesterday's post brought a brochure for a designer called Curiousa & Curiousa, that my mum had picked up at the Liverpool Design Festival. She knew it would be the sort of thing I'd like, and she was right (as always).

Based in Derbyshire, they produce beautiful lighting (albeit slightly beyond any budget I'd ever have), and some gorgeous upholstered furniture, as well as updating and restoring original vintage pieces.

I love this two seater - very British, with its Paul Smith-esque fabric, with 50s/60s splayed legs, and a Danish influence to the arms.

Au Revoir Ma Cherie

I've had this chair for a couple of years but never really found the perfect spot for it. A bit retro with it's browns and yellows and oranges, but the black faux-leather was just a little bit tooo.... faux?

Again, in retrospect I wanted battered, lived-in leather, but was a little too hasty in my purchase.

But every silver cloud: a man is coming from France (FRANCE!) to pick it up on Sunday. Thanks to the wonders of eBay it's going to a better place.

School's Out

I love the simplicity of these stackable bent plywood school chairs, which I picked up for just £16 (for 10! TEN!) a couple of weeks ago. The downside was I had to pay a fortune to get them across London, but I plan to recoup some of the money buy just keeping 4 and putting the remaining 6 on eBay (what would I do with another 10 dining chairs anyway?! I already have 4 that I love!).

They come up great when the legs are sanded back to reveal shiny steel, and the seats just needed sanding and a few coats of varnish. They're going to look great in the new flat...

Propping Up The Bar

So, I'm in the process of buying the flat I fell in love with, and am desperately trying not to get excited about it in case it falls through.

But I have no self discipline and am now in the process of mentally redesigning the kitchen. I want some bar stools and love the classic design of the wire Harry Bertoia chairs, but the ones I'm totally heads over heels about are these Danish beauties, in teak and rosewood, designed by Erik Buck, which I've just discovered.

Now, where are my Lottery numbers?

Groupon Schmoupon

Today's Groupon offer is a rather hefty discount against a reproduction of this iconic chair and ottoman, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller in the 50s.

I'd love this, but the version I really want is the original one, with battered, worn-in leather. Thanks Santa.

Platform One

This is Platform - a bar/restaurant in the arches under London Bridge station (Platform - geddit?!).

EVERYTHING in there is recycled or reclaimed, and the food is delish - as well as being ethically and locally sourced. They do a great line in cocktails too.

Tony, the owner, bought lots of chairs off me when he was fitting it out... they're now at home in the restaurant upstairs.

Wanted

I went to view a flat recently and spotted this amazing leather chair. I love it although I think it's a bit blokey (it somehow reminds me a bit of those enormo baseball glove chairs).

I love the flat too. I'm not sure if the two things are related. I think they probably are...

Atomic

This is (the back of) a fab atomic armchair from the 50s. It's bright orange vinyl (way more orange than the pictures show). My mum made me a new cushion for it (thanks mum!), but looking at it now, the cushion should have been much deeper, like my mum said. Ah well, you live and learn...

I learnt that my mum is generally always right.

It's about to go on eBay... going once, going twice...

Red Alert

I was searching for some wooden chairs for the kitchen that I could paint red, but came across these stackable dark red office chairs on eBay.

They're really heavy which gives them a feeling of great quality. I think they're 80s, and by office suppliers, Steelcase