Good Compliment for Barcelona Chairs  

Not trying to be
not trying to be sarcastic or condescending - but it irks me big time to hear modern being described as "contemporary". My roommates mother mentions it EVERY time she visits and it drives me nuts. Contemporary is stuff that is being designed today. The Barcelona was designed almost 100 years ago. Its not even modern, so much as international style.
Anyway, ranting aside (not even going to bother ranting about buying a knock-off) If you want to see what can work go to the bookstore and browse any book about modern living, small spaces, or MidCentury. You'll see dozens of pictures showing the Barcelona with everything from Victorian furniture to Phillip Johnsons Glass House (furnished with nothing but Mies)
Another good resource is Flickr (photosharing website) Its mostly amateur shots of peoples homes, lives, etc. Type Barcelona Chair in the search field and I guarantee you'll get thousands of matches.
http://flickr.com

Ranting?
I appreciate your comments, but wonder why you are so frustrated by such a small slip up? I came here for advice and I am obviously learning. As I mentioned in my previous post, all of my other furniture is crap. I can't afford to completely refurnish my house, so was looking for advice. Next time just correct me politely and keep the ranting to yourself.
BTW, there is nothing wrong with buying knock offs. I would rather sit in my $314 knock off with a $4-8k of cash in my pocket.

Oh Sammy
Sammy, I'm not trying to make a bad impression - the rant about naming is born out of my own frustration (I really dislike my roommates mom!!). However, I could not disagree with you more about the acceptability of buying knock-offs. Browse through the forum archives and you'll find lots of discussions on the subject.
For quick starters tho, knock-offs arent just about money. The knock-off you bought sent money to the Chinese economy, not the American one. It affected the American worker who makes the authentic piece. It also contributed to the exponentially growing pollution in China, as well as to possible human rights violations. It directed money away from Knoll - who gives royalties to MoMA (the license holder.) And, more directly relative to you, it probably wont last a tenth as long as an authentic piece. These arent things to make you feel bad, but they all stack up on the scale opposite the money you saved.
And its true, not all of us (me included) can afford 4k for a single piece of furniture. But sometimes there are things we're not meant to have - the rationale of "The objects I want at the price I want" puts huge emphasis on the price tag and relatively little emphasis on any other part of the equation. This is the rationale thats lead to the slumping economy, and therefore the reason why you can't afford one in the first place.
For a good, indepth argument -both for and against - follow the link below. About 1/3 through the thread it gets really meaty and fun - Finch is an admirable opponent 🙂
http://www.designaddict.com/design_addict/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/th...

Get over yourself Lucifer
Lucifer, thanks for the warm welcome for our new guest. Relax, not everyone has the abundance of knowledge as you. 🙂

It wasnt meant
Eeesh, the first part really wasnt meant to be bitchy. And the second part...well, Turbo - you know how I get about knock-offs.

Gray table
Gray table looks nice with the chairs, you can find them for less that $200.

lamp
This Ikea light is nice and under $100.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50124705

Nice examples !
[Sounds like it's the wrong day to mention that complement is a different word from compliment. The poster is excused; they stopped teaching these things about 30 years ago. . .]
Hope the poster finds what he's looking for. It's true that, like a good Asian carpet (of any age), a classic chair like the Barc can be made right at home among other kinds of furnishings. It's possible that the "old" would look better as "accent pieces" in a Modern setting than the other way around -- but that's just a momentary impression I'm having.
Best of luck. SDR

Back to topic
Back to topic - I think Barcelona is sort of severe in a residential setting in any aspect. Softening all that chrome and geometry can be accomplished with a nice side table - something a little more fluid like a Saarinen side table, or even something more rustic - an old beat up Thonet side table, a little Mexican or African wooden stool (Mexican will have more color).
Putting a rug underneath that is both organic and modern - something that ties in both your existing furniture and the new modern pieces. A couple other modern pieces around the room will help tie in too. Perhaps use the Eileen Gray table next to your existing couch. A modern lamp like the Ikea one will work too (its really pretty in person - and there is a table lamp version too)

Sammy, don't worry
we've been over this knock-off topic again and again. Most people are less upset about hearing of someone buying a knockoff of something from the 1920's or 1930's (your chairs) than someone current available from the company hat always had produced it.
Go ahead and get an Eileen Gray table. It'll look beautiful with your chairs and consider a nifty area rug that'll frame your chairs nicely. (I bought a bunch of Nelson clocks that were knockoffs 'cause I wanted them as wall art!)

just remember...
sit on the floor instead of your barcelona chairs, it'll be a lot more comfortable.
S

sammyman let me be the...
sammyman let me be the first to apologize for Lucifersum bitchiness he does it to almost every one.
I know you are new to this forum and a few do not like knockoffs but who gives a flying flip what they like,
If you like them and saved money and they will look great in your house. I am happy for you,
99 percent of the people on this forum are fantastic and there to help with your design ideas in a second a few have there heads up there Ass.
I think a new rug with the barcelonas will be a great start a nice Eileen Grey table between will make it feel like the same era, throw a few effiel tower eames
around, and of course if you could get a nice noguchi table starting at 250.00 and up you will have a swanky place
Please feel free to ask me any time about anything
I to hate the word contempory
also Luifesum does have the right to hate that word, maybe they should take Mom out back and teach her a thing or to, we like to think modern around this forum

Shoot
the messenger -- and then agree with him ? " Not trying to be
sarcastic or condescending. . ." was the first thing he said. Not good enough, I guess. . .?

In the postwar years one of...
In the postwar years one of the most popular terms to describe the current look was (you guessed it) 'contemporary' - much more so than previously or since - and indeed this is why Lesley Jackson called her wonderful book on 50s design and architecture by the same name. If ever I hear the words 'contemporary style' I think not of the noughties but of the fifties. Read your history and give the lady a break - she's righter than you think.
I'd also make a case that the Barcelona chair, despite being designed in the 1920s, is nevertheless a chair of the 1950s.