Leather Lounge Chairs
All chairs are not created equal, and in the history of chair design, nowhere is it clearer than with the creation of the leather lounge chair. With centuries of uncomfortable hard-seat straight-back designs, the 1920’s heralded in a modernist perspective that slowly walked away from strict confines and toward the most comfortable chair we have today.
Beginning with Marcel Breuer and the Wassily Chair, followed by Corbusier and his chrome and leather, and then Mies Van de Rohe with the more opulent Barcelona Chair - a movement had begun and was here to stay. The Barcelona Chair was designed for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona and Van de Rohe decided upon a throne-like form for the chairs, with tufted leather upholstery, and modeled them on an ancient stool used by Roman magistrates. With the Barcelona Chair, tufted, leather and lounge were married, and comfort and modern style were born.
The Eames Lounge Chair
A cross between a “Mercedes-Benz and a Barcalounger” the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair was uniquely innovative and distinctly set apart from the beginning. With its thick tufted leather cushions and insect-like structure of three curved, laminated wood shells, it was a combination of Modernist structure and sheer creature comfort. Charles Eames cited the English club chair as an inspiration and famously said he was after a chair with "the warm receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt." With the introduction of molded wood, which eliminated the sharp angles in previous construction, Ray and Charles Eames created a base that cradled the body and swiveled with the sitter, and they then added a molded ottoman for leg support.
Charles and Ray Eames made the lounge chair and ottoman as a gift for their friend Billy Wilder, the director of "Some Like It Hot" and "Sunset Boulevard." They maintained as much of the hand-craftsmanship as was possible with mass production, and set the design standard criteria for the lounge chair up until the present day. The quintessential modern classic statement piece and arguably the most famous chair ever designed, is still available today, having provided endless design inspiration for all modern lounge chairs that followed.
Today’s Leather Lounge Chair
Like form and function, the winning combination of design and comfort in a chair can never go out of style. For each Modernist Classic leather lounge chair design, there is a complimentary fresh version created to suit current trends and personal home designs. So whether replica or new design, the leather lounge chair brings a modern touch of quality, opulence, comfort and style to every room in home or office.
Style and Variety in Leather Lounge Chairs
The contemporary leather lounge chair is sensual, supple, and tufted with deep-set buttons or molded, low slung, and armless with a clean silhouette. Designs in leather are there to compliment contemporary taste, whether traditional or modern and minimal. The contemporary furniture company Viesso, in the forefront of customization and sustainable materials, has a fresh approach to furniture and specializes in eco-friendly, smart designs that enhance modern lives with the custom options and green materials that our times demand.
The Molded Scoops and Slings
The birth of Modernism brought with it the use of technologies in structural chair design including molded plywood, chrome, fiberglass, plastic resins and wire mesh. For the “scoop and sling-type” chair, these materials, in even greater use today, are fabricated into “scoops or slings” that cradle the sitter’s back and rear-end. Leather lattice-work “slings” seem to slip over the armatures, or tufted padded leather is organically included or tucked in to the shape of the structural support design. A chic contemporary example is the Viesso Company’s, York Lounge Chair featuring a carbon steel frame with a laser cut natural leather scoop seat.
The Silhouettes
Simplicity, clean lines, organic shape, the “silhouette-type” leather lounge chair has an edited form leaving nothing to spare. It appears as an outline of design with simple legs, with or without arms, and a basic or scoop seat and back support . The leather can appear seamless and a part of the line of the chair. This popular chair balances a room; it is elemental and functional and permits any type of room accessorizing. Viesso offers a beautiful example of the “silhouette,” The Frith Lounge Chair in a dyed wood frame with leather seat and back.
Choosing a Chair Style
How do you choose your perfect chair? Consider the grade and color of the leather before purchasing. Leather comes in different qualities, or grades, which is reflected in durability and the appearance of the chair. Lower-grade leather has imperfections and may be thinner and more vulnerable to damage than higher-grade leather. High-grade leather is more expensive, but it will prove more durable and comfortable, and the visual appeal of the leather will only improve with age. Consider your budget to help narrow down your search; you may be able to split the difference between cost and quality.
Most importantly, the chair you choose should be well designed, well constructed and comfortable. It should reflect your aesthetic, enhance the flow of ease in the home and bring something refreshing to the look of a room. You might choose a statement piece to offset existing furnishings, or consider a full facelift to bring a room up to modern standards.
Eco-friendly and Custom Designs
Eco-friendly and custom designs are the wave of the future. Sustainable materials and technology, innovation and environmental consciousness are current requirements for the modern consumer with regard to design. Customizing lounge chair designs puts a personal stamp on a purchased piece, and enables one to refine the look of a room down to the details. In home furnishing, Viesso is a leader in blending customization, modern technology, smart design, and sustainable living. Visit www.viesso.com and look through Viesso’s impressive selection of leather lounge chairs and modern furnishings. Their selection is modern, creative and right on time – the new classic modern.