my desk chair broke and i took it in for repair and am sitting in a Lafonda shell chair till I fix it.
Having gone to college in the 60s and 70s i missed the lafondas in college but sat in tons of the arm shells and they were always comfortable.
i just never realized how much more comfortable they are, then the lafonda chair that hits you in the middle of your back.
my office is original Herman miller office with George Nelson sofa, LCW chair , Lafonda chair and nelson swag leg table, I wonder why Nelson and Eames designed furniture that was low to the ground , mostly the Nelson sofa, swag leg table and lcw chair.
Lloyd:
Sorry to hear about your broken chair!
There certainly was a trend to keep it 'low to the ground' for lots of pieces of furniture in the 1950's and 1960's.
Even the Grasshopper is low; try getting up from it when you're over 50!
By the way, you're right about the LaFonda, but remember that Girard specially wanted Eames to design a shell that was in better proportion to the table, so it looks right, but since it was designed specifically for dining, the way it cuts you on the back was not a concern...it sure 'nuf weren't no loungin' chair, me boyo.
How low can You go ?
I think modern furniture in general and post war furniture was designed low to make small rooms with eight foot ceilings feel less restrictive.
My home has a combined eating - living area and the long space seems squat despite a long row of windows and sufficient natural light. The ceiling height just feels oppressive although it is the standard eight feet.
I seriously considered opening the space up with a cathedral ceiling; but, having spent the last decade involved in one construction project after another I just could not motivate myself to start.
Fortunately the geek in me was reading about industrial design and I discovered Modern furnishings, which I feel were designed to cure my malady. My home looks period correct, albeit designer styled rather than malt shop 50s; and, the furniture makes the room.
While I love looking at the LCW I rarely use it or a shell chair. I opt instead for more comfortable places to park my bottom while gazing at my room fool of low slung furnishings. Lloyd, It sounds as if you feel the same way about the LaFonda chairs; although, I find the later padded shell and side chairs to be more to my liking.
bustelo
yes you and i feel the same way.
I hate to say I have sat in My LCW only once
I use it more as a fixture, I was told by Herman miller be careful of Levis rivets and cowboy belts as they will scratch the hell out of this chair.
The Lafonda sits in the corner with Girard fabric and pretty to look at, while our breakfast set is 6 eames shell chairs redone and re foamed with a nice fabric and they are really comfortable.
I have sat a few times on the Nelson small modual sofa in my office and it is not that bad.
My desk chair is a Norman Cherner plycraft executive lounge chair, somewhat rare as it was modified by plycraft to be a a executive desk chair in the 50s and it is so comfortable that i end up sleeping in most of the time, and watching my TV and working at my desk this chair is a real Gem.
I have some great furniture pieces, The Mies Tuganhut is actually comfortable, The arne Jacobsen swan, and egg chair as well, and so is my Panton cone chairs,
The Corbusier petite chairs are real comfortable but not to watch a football game in for three hours , and I hate to say it , to me my most uncomfortable chair is my Eames 670 Lounge chair,
I would love to hear what you all think is a really comfortable chairs, I am really amazed how comfortable most of Mies chairs are as well as the saarinen chairs.
Last question do you think these great designs really tested these chairs for comfort or for design? .
my bet would be design.
For sheer comfort
probably the Saarinen Womb chair and ottoman is high on the list. my Saarinen Grasshopper is very comfortable, but not too easy to get up out of.
My Eames EC-127 padded metal leg dining chairs are very comfortable too, but honestly, my Aeron office chair is my chair of choice during the day.
INteresting thoughts on the 670 lounge...
I have often described it to friends as not a chair you immediately sit in and think OHHHH THAT is a comfortable chair, BUT I DO find it a chair I can sit in for a long time without any DIScomfort. I believe the 670 is a chair you COULD watch football in all afternoon..unless your goal is to FALL ASLEEP watching football.
I agree that the Womb chair is very comfortable and probably MORE comfortable than the 670 lounge. Last night I sat in our Womb for a while and then switched over to the 670 to see how they felt different. The BIGGEST difference between the two though, TO ME, is aesthetic, I find the 670 BEAUTIFUL at EVERY angle and the Womb...not so much. My favorite HIDDEN thing about the 670 though is it's dimensions. I find the fact that it's L/W/H are all the same measurement part of it's GENIUS...or serendipity, but I'm giving them credit for GENIUS.
2¢
Comfort the true test
I am always surprised to find that the coveted designer chairs require so many compromises. I appreciate the modern design intention of utilizing new materials and redefining the vernacular; but often, I wonder if the product was not simply the result of an intellectual problem rather than the culmination of fulfilling a need.
I too find the womb chair to be high on my list for comfort, but I find it to be visually bulky and it wants to live by itself because of its sheer size. For our modestly sized space the grasshopper has better eye appeal and fits shorter people perfectly.
While the 670 seems to be the darling, I find the visual presence to be even porkier than the womb chair. While I do not mind sitting in the 670 it does not allow me flexibility to wiggle and change seating angles or pressure points and I quickly want to change chairs. Yes, I know I am finicky.
And so hands down, I wind up sitting in an old, steel Ekornes Stressless lounge recliner that swivels and quickly adjusts to my picky needs. The other pleasure is that it allows me to spin and gawk at all of those pretty things that I do not use as often. While the Ekornes is not a beautiful chair it is simple, honest and it works. I also enjoy using the Aalto cantilever chairs for their simplicity comfort and purity.
For conversation and more upright sitting I like the Swan, and Lady Chair. I love the look of the Saarinen tulip collection but find I prefer armless chairs while dining. The Eames side chair and Breuer cantilever seems to see the most seat time while sitting at the table; despite that, I constantly change out the dining chairs with various other modern or Danish designs that seem to inhabit my domicile. Perhaps I am spending too much time on my rump?
670
I find the 670 to be quite accomodating of my movements - thats one of the beauties of a swivelling chair. I fidget fairly often watching a long movie or an evening of TV. Also - I can sit upright, or slouch down, put my feet up or have them firmly on the floor.
As for a compromised chair: I find nothing so uncomfortable as Bertoia side chairs. Cannot stand them! So beautiful, yet the metal bars just poke poke poke me in the back! And such a difference between the side chairs and the diamond (which I find surprisingly comfy).
I don't think many of the great modern designs were put forth without comfort in mind. But, since no body is the same, you are presented with different opinions of what comfort it. A good friend insists that the Wassily chair is THE reading chair for him. I can't sit in it for more than ten minutes.
Mies himself says "A chair is a very difficult thing. A skyscraper is almost easy."
There are some chairs, tho, that seem to be nearly universal in comfort:
Eames plastic side chair.
Eames LCW
Womb Chair
Bertoia Diamond
Jacobsen Series 7
Wegner The Chair
Corb's LC4
I find the 670 to be pretty...
I find the 670 to be pretty damn comfortable, but it could be better. The womb is probably better, but i could never afford one in leather .... and I prefer leather. And I like to swivel.
I love the look of the Mulhauser lounge and ottoman for plycraft .. how does it hold up?
Honestly - there is nothing more comfy than my dad's ugly overstuffed man chair a la la-z-boy.
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