Friday, September 16, 2022

The Chinoiserie Entryway

Honey Collins Interiors

 
A wonderful chinoiserie entryway featuring chinoiserie wallpaper from Gracie Studio, a pair of velvet slipper chairs from Billy Baldwin Studio upholstered in Pierre Frey and trimmed in Houles, a Bunny Williams Home table, a rug from The Rug Company, and an antique lantern from Parc Monseau in Atlanta. I especially love the pops of coral and red.

The slipper chair is one of my favorite pieces of furniture. I have a vintage signed Baker slipper chair with goose down cushions upholstered in a very luxe velvet and it is the most comfortable piece in my home. The pups and I all fight over sitting in it!


My vintage Baker slipper chair


What is a slipper chair?

"A slipper chair is an armless upholstered chair that has short legs so that it sits closer to the ground. Slipper chairs came about in the 18th century and were mainly in women's dressing rooms. Here, Victorian upperclass women would sit on their slipper chairs and slide into a pair of silk slippers, which is how the chair got its name.

Slipper Chair History

When it first made its appearance in the early 18th century, this low-slung chair was used in women's bedrooms as seating, and it was often used when maids helped them put on their shoes, or slippers, as they were then often called. Hence the name. These smallish upholstered chairs stayed discreetly in the bedroom until the 1950s, when American designer Billy Baldwin brought them into the living room and added the option of box pleats at the bottom to hide the legs.

Slipper chairs are often found in mid-century modern designs, with a tight back and no box pleats so that the geometric form of the legs is prominent. Since the '50s, slipper chairs in a variety of styles have been integral to furniture used in both bedrooms and living areas and especially in spaces that are relatively small. 

How to Decorate With Slipper Chairs

Slipper chairs don't take up as much visual or physical space as other types and still provide a place to sit. Slipper chairs are virtually always upholstered, and the term now refers to a chair that features a wide, tight rectangle for seating and another tight rectangle for the back.

These highly versatile chairs have a multitude of uses and can be made to fit almost any decor scheme with a change of upholstery. Here are some ideas on how to use them in your house:

Place a pair of slipper chairs that do not have box pleats, so the legs are showing, in front of the windows, perpendicular to the sofa, in a smallish living room arrangement. These minimalist chairs allow the windows to be seen and accessed but make use of the space for seating. Match the fabric on the chairs for a balanced and more formal effect or cover one in a stripe or print and the other in a solid that is one of the colors in the other chair's covering for a more eclectic look.

Put an upholstered slipper chair either with the legs showing or covered by box pleats in a small corner with a tiny side table. This is a useful placement in either a living room or a bedroom. Cover the chair in a solid fabric and dress it with a couple of throw pillows covered in prints or stripes stacked up to the straight back for a dramatic effect and unexpected focal point.

Place a slipper chair with exposed legs opposite a sofa and coffee table arrangement for good conversation―the chair is easy to move and can be brought closer to the sofa if desired during an intense discussion. Cover the chair in an accent color to add a spark to the room and give the small chair presence."

(from The Spruce)

Ballard Designs has a large selection of slipper chairs and they are some of my favorites - 


Amal Slipper Chair


Willa Slipper Chair


Baldwin Upholstered Armless Chair


Roswell Armless Chair


The Amal Slipper Chair pictured above is a wonderful chair and can be customized with nailhead trim, welting, and a lumbar pillow. Here it is in Mira Blue.


Amal Slipper Chair in Mira Blue






6 comments:

  1. Hi Beth, LOVE your Green Baker Chair! All the BEST, Al

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a beautiful entryway, and I love your telling of the history of slipper chairs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I covet your slipper chair and its fabric and also your asparagus patch!

    ReplyDelete