Hello,
I am new here and I am not an Interior Designer. I have a small knowledge of designers and design yet I love design pieces and furniture. I am remodeling my house now and I just bought a Saarinen Tulip Oval Table (198X 120) with 6 white Eams Eiffel Chairs with chrome legs (up on the advise of my friend who work in design). I also got with those a Haero Sofa/ White Leather by Alivar/ Buvaso design.
I though that I got a Knoll Tulip Table but it turned out to be an Alivar. And after reading a lot, I kinda have the feeling that Alivar is a Knock Off? I mean I kinda paid a lot for those items, they are not that cheap. Any advise? I would also like to ask about what can I use as complement to those bought items? I kinda have in mind the Eames LCW Polywood Chair with George Nelson Bench/ Vitra? Along with the Kast/ Vitra Buffet for the dining room,? I live in Lebanon and have a typical Lebanese house with dark brown doors and high ceiling (4.5Meter high) and a painted colored floor with Persian carpets. I was more looking for some light stuff, yet cozy?! I already have a living room that is dark brown colored and L-shaped (All brown, not mixed colores). And the space is also an L-Shaped with dining room and salon in front of each other, and salon and living room in front of each other, forming a big L-shape.
Edit: pictures fixed by DA
Advice
As you say, the Alivar table is a knockoff of the Knoll table... But it costs only half as much as the Knoll table, and only you can decide whether the money is worth more to you than the name. The Alivar table is high-quality, but I believe that its base is enameled, not nylon-coated, so it might be more susceptible to chipping or scratching than the Knoll.
If I were prepared to pay 8000 euro for that 3-high Kast storage unit, I think I would also consider the Eames ESU; it's much less expensive -- approximately 1500 euro -- and (in my opinion) looks better. You'd have to buy two in order to have as much storage space as the Kast offers, but you'd still save 5000 euros.
The Haero is a big, solid sofa, and you've purchased it in white leather, so it'll look even bigger. The temptation would be to pair it with big leather chairs -- Le Corbusier LC2, Eames 670/671, Mies Barcelona, Wegner Ox, etc. -- but it sounds as though you don't want black leather in your dark rooms, and -- again, only my opinion -- those chairs have a weird 1970s look when they're upholstered in white leather.
There's nothing wrong with the LCW and Nelson bench, but they're not very special, either. Plus, they're not as comfortable as upholstered chairs. Guests sit in my LCW or on my (non-Nelson) bench for only a few minutes, but they stay in the upholstered chairs for hours.
If it were me and I'd just saved 5000 euros, I'd be looking at thin-framed wool-upholstered armchairs like Bertoia's Bird chair and Diamond Lounge, Saarinen's Womb chair, or the Eames EA125/EA124 Aluminum Group lounge chair. For side chairs, I'd look at the Panton Cones, all the Paulin chairs, and Jacobsen's Swan.
Note that the examples I've mentioned are all iconic, well-known pieces (and relatively expensive). I'm not suggesting that you only buy pieces like that, but they're all good designs that have stood the test of time, so studying them may help you to discover what you like. Once you have a clear idea of the features and the look that you desire, it'll be easy to browse through the catalogs and find exactly the right pieces for your house.
Good luck...
I already got the table and...
I already got the table and I paid for it. It shall get here within 3months. I didn?t knew about knock-off until I read the post here, which was like 3 days after paying for the table. For some reason I was reading about the Haero and I accidently read a post about some iconic designs like Le Coubusier?s designs and other ones made by Alivar, and some mentioned that they are a knock-off. I was kinda shocked to know that. I mean I am a Computer Scientist and not an architect. By anyway the table costed me like 5,000Euro from Alivar. I have no idea if this is a fair price for it, what do you think? Do you have any idea how much it cost from Knoll?
Concerning the Kast Storage unit, well I want the 2-high one, and I think it is for like 4,000Euor or something. But I am not a 100% convinced with it, I don?t like the pink color in it. Yet I would still consider it if I don?t find anything better. I saw some Cappellini, Cattalen- Labynith or diamond (Still white though) or maybe Cassina- Flat, colored one for sure, like red or orange!! I don?t know about the combination of colors as well!! The salon already has a white sofa and the dining table is also white. In addition to that the dining table?s chairs are white!! So I am afraid that the house would look like a hospital with every single piece in it WHITE 😀 That?s why I considered that Vitra Kast 2Heigh buffet. But still thinking about it so far.
Have I made the right choice about the sofa? I am not a big fan of leather but I like the style of the sofa and it look very minimalistic comparing to other stuff I saw. I would like to combine it with something less heavy, maybe funky from the 50?s or so? Fabric more probably? Leather in worst case, but certainly no more white!! I check the Poltrona Frau one, ASTER or JOCKEY, Cassina (Passion-Stark, Pilotta, Utrecht?), I also saw Frigerio (Asia?) But I am afraid what kind of fabrics to combine with leather. On the other side, I don?t want to use more leather and end up with an OFFICE look house. I would still prefer to keep the cozy warmth spirit of it.
As far as comfort, it doesn?t bother me much. Because I mainly use the living room with my friends and it is already comfy. But the problem is as mentioned before, just want something nice and that fits, keeping that cozy atmosphere. And of course, I would like to have a good color combination.
I would still consider very much the SWAN chair or maybe the EGG one. What do you think? Paulin looks nice, but I don?t know about the others.
Thanks for your reply 😀
I had my friend helping me...
I had my friend helping me with that, he works in interior design. But his taste is more into design stuff like new Cassina and all new stuff. While I like more retro cozy stuff. He did advises me about some stuff but still I was working with him closely on that. And he is always suggesting and suggesting and I am evaluating.
Concerning the table, I didn't notice it was an Alivar in the first place. I mean I went to the gallery and asked for the Saarinen Tulip Table, but the guy selling there didn't say anything about the brand. I really didn't notice it was an Alivar until like 2 days ago when I was checking online blogs about brands and qualities. I really didn't knew that many manufacturer do manufacture the same table. But it is ordered now :S Lucky me I guess for being stupid in such matters.
You were quoted US$15K at Obegi?
That's ridiculous. Even the highest protective import duties in Lebanon are only around 40%, and I think the duties on furniture are closer to 5%. Why is the price so high?
For $15K, you could fly to New York, purchase TWO tables, buy each of them a fur coat and a seat in Business Class, then the three of you could fly back to Beirut and take a limo from the airport to your house... And you'd probably still have some cash left over.
I can't imagine a reason for that table to cost $15K anywhere on the planet.
Well, welcome to Lebanon
I swear, I called and asked about the Knoll Oval dining table with 198X 121Cm, marble Calcatta top and white base. She said 15,000 USD and no discount will be made. The Alivar costed me like 5447 Euro at Vivre though and I got like 35% discount, LOL. Weird taxation system 😀
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