My addiction is not shoes, nor is it purses or clothes. My addiction is chairs.
Honestly, I can’t help myself.
I have more chairs than I know what to with. I’m seriously starting to run out of room. At least, shoes and purses don’t take up very much space. It’s getting to the point where I may have to invest in some sort of storage locker. Which reminds me, did you ever see this photo?
This is Kelly Wearstler’s 10 000 square foot warehouse for her chair/furniture collection. Yes, ten thousand square feet. Apparently, I’m in good company. In the article, she says, “What shoes are to some women, chairs are to me: I have to buy them. They’re like jewelry to a room.” Obviously, she is the Imelda of chairs.
Anyways, all of this is to tell you that on the weekend I bought four more chairs. Do I need four more chairs? Not really, but I just couldn’t pass them up. It was actually Elana who found them for me. Do you remember this photo from her kitchen?
Well, after I saw this image I said to Elana, if you ever want to sell your black cane chairs let me know. (Can you believe, she found four of these discarded by the side of the road!)
Last weekend, she was out doing a little shopping at our local vintage store, Mrs Huizenga, and she spotted these exact same chairs but in a natural finish. She tweeted me immediately and after about four visits to the store I just gave in and bought the chairs. The only problem is that three of the chairs have arms and one does not. Because of this, I can’t see using them around our dining room table. (The hunt for those chairs is still on!) I think I will probably end up painting two of the chairs black and putting them on either side of our credenza in the dining room. The other two will most likely go upstairs to the office and guest bedroom.
Here’s a quick glimpse of one of the chairs. You might also spot in this photo another little purchase I made this weekend – some old wooden fishing buoys perfectly weathered and gnarled. I’m still trying to figure out where these will end up.
Playing around with these objects is half the fun. Does anybody else out there have an addiction to chairs?
I’ll leave you with a few more words from Ms. Wearstler. It makes me feel not so guilty about my recent purchases!
“I love shopping, and I know what the anomalies are, so if I see something I love, I just buy it. It all comes together eventually.’’
19 Comments
I have the same obsession with chairs! I have had to put a kibosh on it all because my husband was getting frazzled, but otherwise I would have more. My whole thing is buying chairs that I want to refinish – paint or reupholster or both, but the problem is, I never get to them!
I love those black caned chairs! And, on a totally unrelated note, I LOVE your staircase – it is my dream to have a staircase like that one day!
I’m pretty sure that Kelly Wearstler has both an obsession with chairs and with shoes… I’ve never seen her photographed where she wasn’t wearing some fabulous pair of heels. I definitely don’t have a chair obsession, probably mostly because the chairs I covet the most are completely out of my price range– hello, Wegner anything.
I have a set of five bentwood chairs (no arms or caning) that I’ve been getting ready to paint black. Since I haven’t come across any armchairs that I like for the mix around the table I am considering a bench on one side instead.
Sasha – why didn’t I think of a bench. what a good idea…and i think your’re right k.w. probably does have an obsession with shoes as well!
I LOVE CHAIRS…I had to take a break from craigslist because my last 2 chairs ended up at in brother-in-laws basement (temporary) because I needed to use my brother-in-laws SUV to pick them up…You know its bad when you hoop your extended family into it…
(also obsess hard on stools and benches…my hubs bought me two alto stool 60 for my bday…I squealed!)
It all comes together eventually….words to live by!
You made the right choice. They are phenomonal. I am obsessed with chairs too but my hubs doesn’t see the point if you already have enough and they don’t need to be replaced. Usually I sell one on craigslist before I can buy a new one to keep the status quo.
Emma, you should see our basement. Craigslist is a mean thing when it comes to hoarders like myself. i’ve been trying to convince Clay that we should open up a “just chairs” shop since my obsession is getting ridiculous. thank goodness for basements, attics and any storage that houses my OCD.
You may have too many to use, but this particular chair purchase was stellar… love them!! Painted in black = perfect. The idea of a bench on one side of your dining room table with the new chairs on the other is defintely one worth considering, hey? As for the fishing buoys… I kinda like them right where they are.
Victoria
Oh, I am definitely addicted to chairs…and hanging things…and pillows…and…*sigh* that chair warehouse is amazing and I ADORE the buoys you got! I want that exact thing! It reminds me so much of growing up! Now, I have a new hunt to be on…ack.
I actually love them right there on your stair post! Beautiful hun…
xo
Melis
Ha! I visited those chairs myself, 3 times…god love Mrs Huizenga. I think they were a score, congrats. The only reason why I didn’t scoop them up was because, like the many comments above, we haven’t any more room. Enjoy them, I’m so glad they went to a good home.
Marny
A fantastic buy! But, honestly, your stairs are to die for.
Me and my husband, we love chairs too. But we don’t have many, we think too much before (not always though
). Your chairs are super! My grandmother had them as well around her table; 3 without arms and one with, that was hers. Now they are in my fathers house. In fact I told them that they fitted better with his kitchen table than Arne Jacobsen’s butterfly chairs he had. The latter are now around my dining table! Your chairs are Thonet chairs, but maybe you knew that already.
I’m with you on the chairs… I don’t know what to do with all the franken-furniture I keep meaning to finish properly.
Chairs and lamps are my two addictions! love to meet another. The chairs are gorgeous. Hope I find some discarded near my home:) love your blog, so happy to have come across it.
The Imelda of chairs. Love it!
Your stairs and hall are beautiful!
I love the panneling on the wall and the grey color above – would yo be able to tell me what paint color that is?
Thank you!
Great chairs!
Hi Megan,
The grey wall colour is Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore( HC 172).
Emma
I love how you have put them together. You have a gift! I am in awe and envy. I am going to break my budget on house designing if I’d buy just about anything I like.
I too have a chair obsession. I can’t help myself. It’s a sickness really. Oh, to have a warehouse to store any extras like KW!
My problem is chairs…and shoes. Mostly shoes. But also chairs. I have one with a refinished seat, but I still need to sand and paint the frame. Another I just got, which happens to be in the space where I thought I’d put the yet-to-be sanded and painted one….people don’t really get my chair obsession, but people have to have places to sit, right? So not justifying so many chairs. At least with shoes, I wear them to get around.
Found your blog via BYW. I’ve really been enjoying it so far!
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[...] think they could work….question is do I really need another chair! My house is already bursting at the seams with places to sit. Posted by Emma on September 9, [...]
[...] you have a chair obsession like me, you might have a few extra chairs lying around the house looking for a new place to call [...]