The all-round use of the French Louis chairs

 

This week I was browsing through my files, searching for the right dining chair for one of my clients. I always catch myself being attracted by the French Louis XV and Louis XVI chairs and armchairs. It are all-round chairs! You can use them at your dining table or kitchen table or you can mix them together with other seats in your living room. They are wonderful as decorative item in the entry hall or in your bedroom or bathroom… So let’s find out on the basis of some of the images I collected.

I am so sorry that of some of the images I really don’t know the source anymore!

 

Louis XV armchairs upholstered with Belgian linen. Isn’t that beautiful?

 

Louis XVI dining chairs covered with Belgian linen.

 

Caned Louis XV chairs at this dining table.

 

image source : www.garnier.be

I do love the diamond patterned fabric for the back of these armchairs. In the 18th century it was a custom to upholster the back of the chair in a diamond patterned fabric (for economic reasons I was told!).

I often use the Brunschwig & Fils  fabric, “La Seyne Check”, for the back of a chair. It is available in different colors.

 

image source :  www.axel-vervoordt.com

Axel Vervoordt used these ‘caned back-upholstered seat’ Louis XV chairs in his dining room in the castle of ‘s Gravenwezel.

 

image source : Geoffroy van Hulle

 

image source : Ralp Lauren Home

So as you can see, even the well-known designers love to use the French chairs.

Ralph Lauren even used them in his new restaurant “Ralph’s in Paris!

Ralph’s Paris

Velvet upholstery!

Ralph’s Paris

Leather upholstery!

 

Even mixing different types of Louis chairs is great! Very charming to me!

 

Are you agree with me that most of the French Louis chairs are very appropriate to use them for you romantic dinner for two?

 

image source :  Erika Brunson via www.1stdibs.com

Skirted Louis chairs by Erika Brunson.

 

And now we are going to see how the chairs will match your seating area.

 

image source : Beta Plus book Textiel in de Woning

Even your dog will like them!

 

 

image source : Didier Abbeloos

 

I just love the mix of the linen slipcovered seat with the linen upholstered Louis chair here in the living room of our fashion designer Edouard Vermeulen.

 

Kitchens.

In my kitchen I chose for 19th century French Louis XV chairs, upholstered with burlap, around the table and at the corner you can see a new Louis XV armchair of the Belgian company Massant, in a Lelièvre fabric.

 

 

Placed at the entry hall, the chairs can be a beautiful decorative item!

 

A beautiful Louis XVI armchair at the entry hall of Lars Bolander’s house.

 

My entry hall.

 

A Louis chair even in your bedroom! Why not?

 

image source : http://braquenie.fr/En/Decors/Decors.htm

Beautiful upholstered armchair in a Braquenie damas “La Dauphin”.  Château de Montgeoffroy

 

 

 

Very romantic in a girl’s room.

 

 

At your writing desk.

image source : Côte de Texas blog

 

image source : www.garnier.be

 

image source : Beta Plus book Textiel in de Woning

 

This Louis chair is adapted as a barstool!

 

 

And at least the Louis chair in your bathroom.

 

 

So ladies, if maybe you ever discover one or more French Louis chairs at your mother’s or grandmother’s attic, don’t throw them away!!! You know now that there are a lot of places in your home where you can bring them in!

 

If you are interested in beautiful high-quality new-made French chairs, please visit the website of our Belgian company MASSANT.

They make the most wonderful French styled chairs! Click on Massant logo.

You will find your nearest dealer. Lars Bolander is one of the dealers for the US.

 

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There is also something else that I want to share with you today! 

My lovely and good blogfriend Monika of the blog Splendid Willow, posted an interview she did with one of my favorite designers

LARS BOLANDER .

Monika is a native of Sweden, living in Seattle as Lars Bolander is Swedish and living in Florida. So you can be sure that those two understand each other very well.

You really have to read it! You will enjoy!

Click on Splendid Willow logo to read the interview.

image Splendid Willow

image Splendid Willow

 

I hope you enjoyed my post of today.

I wish you all a wonderful rest of the week my friends!

 

Do the Belgians follow Axel Vervoordt back to basics?

I can’t wait to receive my copy of the new book of Axel Vervoordt. It should be published this month! Here is the cover of the book I found on the internet. It will be titled “A Way of Wabi”.

To order the book : click here.

 

And now you will ask me ‘What is Wabi?’

Here is what I found at Wikipedia : ‘ Wabi-sabi represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent and incomplete”.It is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the Three marks of existence, specifically impermanence.’

Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetrie, asperity, simplicity, modesty, intimacy, and the suggestion of natural processes.

 

Wabi stands for rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness, and can also be applied to both natural and human-made objects, or understated elegance.

Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.

Wabi and sabi both suggest sentiments of desolation and solitude.

Wabi-sabi learns us to find the most simple objects interesting, fascinating and beautiful.

Wabi may be interpreted as the imperfect quality of any object. Sabi could be interpreted as the aspect of imperfect reliability, or limited mortality of any object.

This is of course a short explanation of the Wabi-Sabi philosophy. You can find so much more about it on the internet.

So I will remember that wabi – sabi stands for finding beauty in imperfection, that it values simplicity, pureness and modesty. Back to basics!

 

At The European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht, March this year, Axel Vervoordt gave us yet a glimpse into his new Wabi – Sabi world.  See also my blogpost about TEFAF 2010 .

His booth at Tefaf was surprising!! It was a sort of preview of his new interior decoration philosophy!

Axel explained :” The booth is conceived in the traditional Zen concept of ‘Wabi’, which values a refined and sophisticated simplicity and which symbolizes the beauty of imperfection and incompleteness.”

Axel Vervoordt has turned this aesthetic sense into a contemporary and univeral idea that will be fully explained in his new publication “A Way of Wabi”.

 

TEFAF 2010  Axel Vervoordt (source Tefaf website)

TEFAF 2010  Axel Vervoordt (source Tefaf website)

TEFAF 2010  Axel Vervoordt (source Tefaf wesite)

When I visited the castle of Axel Vervoordt last summer, I noticed that a few rooms of the castle were already redone in the Wabi aesthetic sense! Just gorgeous!!! I really have to admit that it gave me a peaceful feeling! I am sorry I have no pictures of it, because we were not allowed to make pictures inside the castle. But I might think that in his new book, you will discover these rooms.

So keep your eyes open in the next coming weeks. I am sure we will see more of this new ground Axel Vervoordt breaks!

I posted today some pictures I scanned from a Belgian magazine,  that showed a home decorated in the Wabi aesthetic sense, seen through the eyes of Mr Vervoordt. They are a sneak peak into Axel Vervoordt’s new way of decorating.

 

Pure lines and white plastered walls in the entry hall ! Rises up already feelings of desolation and solitude!

As entering a monastery!

 

Serene atmosphere through the house.

 

Pureness , simplicity and imperfection of the objects and furniture.

 

Notice that floor! Please Mr Vervoordt, tell us all about it!

 

Doesn’t this picture express simplicity, back to basics?!

 

Do you notice any paintings here? 

 

Undo your home of the clutter, ladies!!

 

White = pureness.

 

The importance of pureness!  White and simple!

 

The wabi bathroom.

 

I love this picture!!! Are you agree with me that you are attracted by the beauty of the fruit and the flowers. They do attract attention because of their modest environment.

 

One color that sticks out.

 

This is a Minka, a Japanese word for a country house, a farm. It is built with inexpensive materials. Here it is used as a guesthouse.  You see a Minka oven and a long table to sit on.

I hope that Axel Vervoordt will explain us in his new book, what a Minka stands for and which the characteristics for this guest house should be.

 

Do I love this new aesthetic? Yes, yes, yes !!!

Say it yourself, isn’t that a wonderful feeling, to not be that perfect anymore!?

 

Do we, Belgians, follow Axel Vervoordt in his way to Wabi? Of course we will! He is the master, we are his disciples!

What will the world do, what will you do? Please tell me your thoughts!

xx

Axel Vervoordt’s website : www.axel-vervoordt.com

Images scanned from Villas September 2010 ; Photographer Jean-Pierre Gabriel