Recently Restored: Gorgeous Rosewood Eames chair

Regretfully, we do not have a 'before' picture of this Herman Miller Eames chair that we just finished restoring. If you can imagine, for a moment, a worn & torn chair & ottoman with dry, sun-faded wood panels - that would be the before.

Our client opted to use a heavy tweed fabric for the seat, back, arms and ottoman - and it's supremely comfortable.

But wait. There's more. This babe has a great backside...behold:

Those might just be the most beautiful Rosewood panels ever in the history of Eames chairs. So rich. So intense. So gorgeous. The Herman Miller Eames chairs & ottomans are no longer made with Brazilian rosewood veneer panels due to an embargo since 1992. It is a highly endangered wood, so if you have a rosewood Eames chair, hang on to it and let us bring it back to its' original splendor!

Before & After: Jorge Zalszupin Lounge Chairs

A client sent us a pair of Jorge Zalszupin lounge chairs a while back that were in desperate need of restoration & reupholstery. It appears someone previously reupholstered these pieces, and did not stay very true to the aesthetic to which the chairs were originally designed. After weeks of research, and meetings with our client, we believe we came as close as possible to original design.

Jorge Zalszupins' story is interesting; he was born in Poland (1922) and became an architect. While working in Paris, he became inspired by Oscar Niemeyer & Roberto Burle Marx, both Brazilian, and soon thereafter immigrated to Brazil, where his professional life took off. He settled in Sao Paulo, and began designing furniture. His firm, L'Atelier, was established in 1959 and became immediately successful, with two factories producing his designs!

While he was heavily influenced by Danish design, and worked with many Brazilian woods, he eventually expanded his collection to include plastics.

 

(The spines on the back of the lounge chairs are such an interesting detail!)

Jorge Zalszupin is considered to be one of Brazil's most important designers of the twentieth century, and we hope we gave these incredible and rare pieces justice in our restoration! It's amazing to be involved with this kind of history...

Custom Walnut Bed, Base & Nightstands

We try to stay humble over here at Classic Design. We work hard, we use the best materials we can source, and our employees are highly skilled and more like artisans than upholsterers. So when we finish a truly spectacular piece, like this one, all I want to do yell from the top of my lungs LOOK AT THIS AMAZING BED!

But, as I said. We are humble. We are discreet. We are reserved.

We also just finished this amazing bed.

The headboard is inset, just slightly, and upholstered in a beautiful ivory linen. What really draws your eye, though, is that wood. Walnut is so pretty, and has such a beautiful grain. The bed frame is attached to the headboard, and the footboard is attached to the frame.

But there's a little hidden secret here - the top panel of the footboard actually raises up via a remote control for the TV that is stored in footboard box. We unfortunately do not have a photo of that in action because that component was assembled on site during the installation.

Before & After: Edward Wormley Dunbar Sofa

This is a great 'before & after'! Edward Wormley was an American modernist furniture designer. He was initially hired by Dunbar Furniture during the depression, when he had to drop out of design school due to lack of funds. He was immediately successful with Dunbar, and in 1944, Dunbar decided to focus solely on modern lines, and Wormley rose to the task by incorporating European & Scandinavian ingenuity.

He designed furniture that was elegant and understated, and had an eye for classical & historical design that he translated into a modern aesthetic.

We completely reupholstered & repaired this Dunbar sofa for a client recently, staying true to the original design right down to the preservation of the decking fabric with the Dunbar name embossed (sorry, no photo of that!). Here is the result:

There's a lot going on here! The tufted loose seat cushions and rolled arms give the style a sophisticated kick; while the smaller back cushions (which are not tufted, and smaller) make it a little more playful.

A little hidden surprise is the tufting along the inside back, once again stepping up the sophistication (that Edward!).

 It's a deep sofa, perfect for lounging in a media room watching the latest blockbuster on demand! Mix up a Mad Men era cocktail, and I think that's the recipe for a perfect night in!

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Jean Royere inspired Dining Chairs

We just finished a set of 10 dining chairs for a client in Pacific Palisades, inspired by a rare design by Jean Royere. Fabricating these chairs was not without its' challenges, but that's what we like!

The frames are mahogany, with a dark finish, and the curve of the arm is so graceful and elegant.

We made custom sabots in brass for these chairs - they are unfinished, so they will achieve a rich and beautiful patina over time. The fabric is a silk velvet, and in person it has an almost ombre effect on the chairs - a perfect choice for a such rare and stunning chair.