No, not the black Chinese Chippendale-style chair, the (highly comfortable) Scottish Tartan Plaid wingback chair. I don't even like a wingback chair much less plaid. In fact, I do not like plaid so much that I gave away all of my husband's plaid shirts that he had before we met (with his approval and excepting one that is sentimental because it belonged to his grandfather). I at least like the Chinese Chippendale chair. A lot, in fact. So, how is it that I ended up with a $2,200 chair (plus shipping) that I hate, you ask?
Well, it started around Christmastime. Tartan Plaid at Christmastime made perfect sense. That, and this photo from the Williams-Sonoma Home catalog with its perfect red walls and Ralph Lauren-y art:
Speaking of Ralph Lauren, this did not help matters whatsoever; nor did having recently attended a cocktail party at an old house like ours that was completely tricked out in Ralph:
Okay, well, all that and this ad from J. Crew. This campaign actually made me think I needed a long tartan plaid skirt like this (and a house like this and drapes like that)...
So, do you see how this was a perfect storm of tartan plaid? Even this fall, they are tempting me with plaid-clad catalogs (say that three times) and tartan plaid resurrected on wingback chairs within):
I love that, though. I think it's beautiful. I know many of you have a much more modern aesthetic, but I think this is really beautiful. I have been through a lot of different styles in my lifetime - from modern (Phillip Stark-ish, Met Home Modern) to Country French to traditional with a twist which is where I think I end up.Anyway, I have to recover that chair. It's currently in the family room with this (Ralph Lauren) sofa (that I got on sale at Bloomingdale's during that donation week where you get 25% off plus and extra 20%!):
Please forgive the unfortunate lighting (I'm working on it) and there is a different rug there now. White shaggy, just bigger. I am too lazy to take another picture. And that yellowish rug is actually inside the basement door. It's currently there just to toy with you. Suggestions are welcome and even encouraged. (Don't use all your suggestions, though. I have a bathroom issue or two that have me flummoxed and I will need your help.)
8 comments:
What are you wanting to do with the room? Paint? Accessory work?
Right now, you have acres of neutral so you can easily add some punches of color.
Orange is the opposite of blue (the plaid on your new chair) on the color wheel. You could twist that to a tomato red for a pop.
Make it saucy with some needlepoint throw pillows with racy sayings. ;)
Anything you want me to do. But I want to recover that chair. I suppose I should show more photos to show the hall that leads into it. Let me see what I have.
I also need two more chairs for the other side of the coffee tables. And new lamps.
I do have a blue needlepoint pillow that says, "Sometimes I wake up grouchy; other times I let him sleep." Not racy, but funny.
Oh, I totally skipped over that part. Weeeeell them, you're options are wide open. Most everything in the room looks to be neutral.
I'll be excited to see the hall too.
Your new lamps need to be at least twice the size of your current ones, FYI.
I meant "your."
The new lamps need to be not as HEINOUS as the old ones.
I do have some help coming in that dept. I will do a new post and post some pix.
Actually a little sad that you're planning to recover the chair, but of course am completely biased, being an anglophile and completely obsessed with all things tartan and plaid . . .
Oh I know - hard to resist - great delights!
{glam} - I actually bought the chair when the living room was painted yellow and their were red drapes. It made more sense then. But that was the old homeowner's paint, etc.
I've never really decorated all at once and should have had some help from the beginning because someone would have advised me against the busy pattern of the entry wallpaper, etc.
Expensive mistakes but at least I tried.
Please sir - Yes, indeedy.
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