Adding Comfort To Culture. Vitra Launches Fully Upholstered Versions Of Classic Eames Chairs.

The famous molded side and armchairs by Charles and Ray Eames, originally created in fiberglass in 1950, then made in plastic, now made of polypropylene, have become a little more comfy with the fully upholstered versions recently launched by Vitra.



The Eames plastic armchair (sometimes called the 'potato chip' chair) and the Eames plastic side chair, available in eight shell colors, are now offered with your choice of 13 different colors of Hopsak upholstery and black or white piping.

Hopsak upholstery colors for the armchair:


Shell colors for the armchair:


Hopsak upholstery colors for the side chair:

Shell colors for the side chair:


When you add these options to the base options (R-wire, wooden, X-base and La Fonda base, you get a large number of possible combinations. Casters are also available on the armchair.


above: the four base options for either chair and casters.

Black piping:

White piping:

Detail of black piping:


all images courtesy of Vitra.

You can purchase these upholstered Eames chairs from twenty twentyone or find a dealer through Vitra.

Le Corbusier Classics LC2, LC3 and LC4 Get Colorful, Courtesy Of Cassina.

Three well-known pieces from the iconic collection of LC furniture by Le Corbusier are now available in wild contemporary color versions from the exclusive manufacturer of authentic Le Corbusier furniture, Cassina.



The classic tubular steel and leather "Grand Confort" collection (specifically the armchair, 3 seater sofa and chaise longue) are now available in various colored fabric and frame options as part of Cassina's Masters Collection (I Maestri).

First, some history for you:


The original LC furniture range by Le Corbusier, whose actual name is Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, was a system of furniture co-designed with his cousins Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand in 1928. The tubular steel furniture, especially the famous LC4 chaise and Grand Confort chair, both of which are in the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern Art, projected a new rationalist aesthetic that came to epitomize the International Style.

The Original LC2 Grand Confort:

above: Original LC2 - Fauteuil Grand confort, petit modèle, 1928, Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand. photo Cassina © FLC/ADAGP

The Original LC3 Grand Confort:

above: Original LC3 - Fauteuil Grand Confort, grand modèle, 1928. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand. photo Cassina © FLC/ADAGP

The Original LC4 Chaise Longue:

above: Original LC4 - Chaise longue, 1928. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand. photo Cassina © FLC/ADAGP
 
The classic Armchair and two or three seat sofa with steel frame are and have been available from Cassina's I Maestri collection in the following finishes: polished chrome - matte black - gloss black (basalte) - gloss grey - gloss light blue - gloss green - gloss bordeaux - gloss ochre.



The LC4 longue chaise from Cassina was and still is available with adjustable chrome or matte black cradle and matte black base. The upholstery of the base is available in the following materials: hairy skin with black leather headrest (shown above), all leather with a black leather headrest and in a special canvas with leather footrest and headrest.


Now, the new colors!



A series of updates and new details have been added to the iconic models that Cassina exclusively produces in the “Cassina I Maestri” collection. This new range has been carried out in close collaboration with Le Corbusier Foundation and through the analysis of original documents and drawings belonging to the designers. The result is an even more vibrant and contemporary vision.

The New Color LC2 Grand Confort Armchairs:




Alongside the better known chrome-plated pieces in black leather, Cassina enhances the seven tones established for its metal frame structure. The company proposes them in innumerable combinations with a fabric collection approved by Le Corbusier Foundation, and the heirs of Jeanneret and Perriand.

The New LC3 Grand Confort Sofas:





The design idea of deconstructing the seat into its base elements of supporting frame/cushions is further enhanced. The LC2 model is now also proposed with down padding, while the versions in dacron® in both the LC2 and LC3 models are even softer. All elements are designed to highlight the relationship between cushion/content and metal frame/container. The result is a product with an even richer and pleasantly lived-in look. There is also more flexibility of choice for the LC4.

The New LC 4 Chaise Longue:



The famous leather chaise-longue can now be accompanied by a cushion in the same shade as the entire mattress, as well as the usual version with black cushion. The result is a consistent, plain colour that enhances the purity of the form. Cassina has also worked on the textures of the upholstery materials. In the basic covers of category X leather, a new extremely soft and pleasantly tactile leather is introduced. Its sensorial qualities make every piece of furniture even more welcoming and attuned to individual desires.



As well as the distinctive symbol of authenticity of the Cassina brand that is shown above (which includes a progressive production number, the signatures of the designers and the Cassina I Maestri logo) found on all models, the Cassina signature will now also be visible on the base of the metallic frames of the LC2, LC3 and LC4 seat.

This logo indicates that Cassina is the only company with exclusive international rights to reproduce Le Corbusier furniture. This is in accordance with Fondazione Le Corbusier and the heirs of the co-designers that, since 1964, have chosen Cassina as their exclusive spokesperson due to its sensibility and respect for the original project, as well as its consolidated production expertise.

read the whole press release here

images courtesy of Style Park, Cassina and The Foundation Le Courbusier

31 Customized Panton Chairs For Vitra In Honor Of The 50th Anniversary.

above: HKS International turned the chair on its side, transforming it into a glacier, complete with Polar Bear

The modern classic iconic Panton chair, shown below, designed by Verner Panton just celebrated it's 50th anniversary.

Make Your Modern Classic Chairs A Little More Comfy With Parkhaus Pads

As a project, Parkhaus of Germany, known for their wool products, created over 80 seat pads for 100 classic modern chair designs from Eames to Alto.



Whether it was as unusual a shape as the Sori Yanagi's 1954 Butterfly stool or as simple a chair as the Emeco Navy aluminum chair, they created upholstered 100% wool non-glide pads for them. They named the project SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS.


above: the Sori Yanagi butterfly stool with Parkhaus pad.


above: Emeco's Navy chair by Philipe Starck with Parkhaus pad

During the last 12 months since the first launch of their SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS, Parkhaus developed over 80 seat pads for classic chairs that you can purchase in either one of two versions—a 5 mm wool felt pad or a 16 mm layered pad (3 mm wool felt sandwiched around a 10 mm foam inlet) for extra cushioning.

Surprisingly, the pads don't detract too much for the lines of these beautiful chairs. It may seem as though it's a shame to alter some of these classic designs, but the Parkhaus pads stay true to the shape and form of the original chairs, maintaining their design appeal, while adding a bit of comfort. With one stand-out exception. The wool suit for Pastoe wire chair by Cees Braakmann is quite unusual and unlike the rest of the collection:


above: the anomaly; the woven wool suit for the Pastoe Wire chair

You can find a range of models in brand new designs as well as seat pads for timeless vintage chairs of the last century. In cooperation with different design offices they expect to have the entire collection from SUIT FOR 100 CLASSICS on the market within the next year.


above: Philippe Starck's Ghost chair with Parkhaus pad.

In addition to protecting the chairs from scratches and wear, they offer comfort for chairs that aren't always so cozy, like the Bertoia wire chairs or the sometimes slippery Arne Jacobsen 7 chair, shown below with Parkhaus pads:


All the Chair Suits available for order as of now:











Available colors for the wool suits and pads:



Contact & order information:
Parkhaus Showroom
Schroederstrasse 13
10115 Berlin - Germany
phone +49 30 44012460
fax +49 30 44012461
info@parkhausberlin.de


Be sure to see more Parkhaus products as well as other fabulous felt products from several designers like MP Industries and IlluStration here.