16 Oct How to Select a Luxury Chair for Your Living Room | One Room Challenge | Fall 2020 | Week 2

I can’t believe it’s already the end of Week 2 of the fall 2020 One Room Challenge! I promised after my long intro in Week 1, I would keep these posts a tad shorter and get right down to business.  And that’s what I’m going to do today.  In addition to sharing my progress, I introduce you to a fantastic luxury furniture brand, Nathan Anthony, and share five tips to select the perfect luxury chair for your living room!

Week 2 has been a challenge.  I am kicking myself for not starting to reach out to brands to partner in August. I just got word from one luxury brand that they would love to partner with me for the Living Room Salon project, but they needed to hear from me six weeks prior to the start of the challenge. I’m feeling quite behind starting this ORC because it felt like it came right on the heels of the spring ORC.  Or maybe it’s because we’re in a Pandemic that I feel so out of sorts?? Who knows! Often it takes more than six weeks to get started on a room working with partners, lining up workers, construction, sourcing materials, getting product shipped in time.  The good news is I have some incredible partners and I’ll be making some decisions very soon. Hopefully with your help.

Check out the introduction to the One Room Challenge (ORC) in Week 1.   I’m very grateful to ORC and media partner Better Homes & Gardens.

Week 1 | Week 2 |

What I accomplished in Week 2

It doesn’t look like I’ve done much this last week because there’s been a lot of back and forth reaching out to brand partners. I did hang wallpaper samples from partner York Wallcoverings on the wall (above evening photo) so I could walk by them a lot and used their handy Room Visualizer (more on that later!) to test some out on the actual wall (below left). The front door is to the right, so you see how it’s a tiny entryway.  I’ve also been making a few design boards for the breakfast nook which will feature china from partner Replacements, Ltd. as it helped me select tablecloth fabric from new partner Cotton & Quill. More on all three of these brands coming up in the next couple of weeks!

 

1. Reviewed possible lamp options with partner Couture Lamps,
2. Chair and ottoman picked up to be re-upholstered,
3. Hung partner York Wallcoverings wallpaper samples up on the wall to think about them,
4. Arranged shipment of the chair by partner Nathan Anthony; receiving with White Glove Delivery,
5. Reached out to more brands for the Living Room Salon project,
6. Reviewed patterns and ordered fabric for a tablecloth with new partner Cotton & Quill,
7. Talked to seamstress and interior designer about half a dozen times,
8. Created umpteen design boards to help visualize pattern
9. Worried a lot about drapery fabric….did I tell you I fretted a lot??, and
10. Talked with a new partner I’m super excited about, Vitalia, Inc. Window Treatments & Awnings.

 

Keeping the conversation going – small Living Room Salon layout

 

Small living room guidelines

Let’s talk about layout. Generally speaking, when you have a sitting area in this formation, you’ll need a small sofa.  Going with smaller furniture, like a loveseat is best for a small living room. We’ve flanked it with a pair of matching vintage side tables. Thanks to partner Couture Lamps, a pair of new lamps will be selected soon. Then a small antique coffee table in front and a chair on either side.  That way it’s easy for several guests to have conversational groups.

The vintage chair and ottoman in the corner is being re-upholstered with geometric fabric by partner Kravet, Inc. The chair in the foreground is a hard wooden college chair of my mothers. Not very comfy at all.

When you don’t have comfortable seating most guests will want to congregate somewhere else. Now remember, in last week’s post, I showed you how the living room, breakfast nook, and kitchen are all part of one large room where our guests love to mingle.

Therefore, proper seating for a small living room is essential. Our vintage Tuxedo sofa only fits two people.  Thankfully, the corner chair and ottoman provide extra seating. And of course, the bar and breakfast nook (back right-hand corner in image) provide additional seating as well.

Ideally, you want a grouping of comfortable chairs, preferably not a matching set (although we have a beautiful cane set in our family room). This way everyone can relax in your living room, feel comfortable, have a place to set a drink, and enjoy the conversation.

Partner Nathan Anthony to the rescue!

 

I am thrilled to be partnering with one of the top luxury furniture brands in the United States, Nathan Anthony. Now showing at the largest furniture tradeshow in the world – High Point Market!

Nathan Anthony is known in the design industry for their high-quality, luxury, custom upholstery furnishings.  Based in Los Angeles, and founded in 2005 by partners-in-life Tina Nicole and Khai Mai, the Nathan Anthony factory produces American-made luxury furniture using lean manufacturing principles to produce sustainable, custom furnishings.

As you can see below, great attention to detail goes into every single design.  Lead designer, Tina Nicole, has been recognized for design excellence for five consecutive International Product Design awards by design et al’s International Architecture and Design Competition in the U.K. She has a new 2020 nomination for the Embrace sofa Nathan Anthony debuting at High Point Market today through October 23rd at IH601 and IH602, their fabulous new showrooms.

Now let me share what I love about Nathan Anthony

 

• They are a family-owned business
• Every piece of furniture is American Made
• They knock out Award-winning designs continuously
• They can customize any chair and sofa
• Their designs are like cutting-edge fashion with dress-making details
• They care about the planet and use sustainable practices
• They care about their employees
• They handcraft high-quality furnishings to last a lifetime.
• They care about details and view the back and side real estate of the chair as a blank canvas in which to create art, form, shape, texture.
• Nathan Anthony inspires the design community.

 

When a chair becomes a conversation piece

I’m honored that partner Nathan Anthony is sponsoring one of their amazing luxury chairs for our Living Room Salon. It met these criteria, and the 5 tips below to look for in a luxury chair:

1. swivel so guests can turn the conversation from the sofa to the kitchen bar (hint!)
2. a low profile and back in order to complement the existing Tuxedo sofa and chair and ottoman
3. color and fabric in the blue/green colorway to complement the total makeover of all three spaces.

 

The Pillow Goddess 5 Tips on how to select a luxury chair:

1. Research reputation of the brand
2. Look for high-quality craftsmanship
3. Determine the size and scale of the chair
4. Determine the style and comfort of the chair
5. Review material and color options

 

Now, can you guess?

 

 

As you see from the above array of incredibly unique chairs, Nathan Anthony’s lead designer, Tina Nicole, is brilliant! I do not say this lightly. I do not know any other furniture designer that has the incredible talent and vision that Tina does. She has a uniquely wired brain that brings incredibly artful designs to the furniture industry every season! And she inspires me!

Dream. Design.  Disrupt.

While you’re shopping for that perfect luxury chair, please check out Tina Nicole’s book published last year and available on Amazon; see sidebar. It is a colorful book, illustrated by Jennifer Zwarich, about Tina’s life and how she arrived at being a furniture designer. It’s a personal story. But it’s far more than a memoir. It’s an inspiring book for any woman who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.

Learn more about designer Tina Nicole and get a behind-the-scenes look at Nathan Anthony in my Book Review on The Pillow Goddess blog HERE.

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Now, let’s embrace, shall we?

There’s no stopping luxury brand Nathan Anthony from producing award-winning designs year after year with the coolest, most innovative chairs, sofas, and beds one can imagine.  This past spring luxury furniture brands were not able to showcase their new lines at High Point Market, where interior designers and buyers stake out the latest trends. But that didn’t stop many brands, including Nathan Anthony, from continuing with a “virtual debut”.

Have I mentioned yet that they can customize every chair and sofa? They’re known for such a wide offering of incredible fabrics. From lush leathers and velvets to ruffling, fringe, and textured surfaces, Nathan Anthony’s dynamic selection of fabric covers is fashion-forward creating runway-inspired looks to covet.

Nathan Anthony launched the Embrace sofa (below) this spring – a sofa that pays homage to Ours Polaire sofa by influential Mid-century furniture designer Jean Royere. The French name translates to “Polar Bear”, which, along with its cozy sheepskin cover, makes you feel totally embraced. Below it features a tight sculpted back and plump curves in a textured Italian chenille.

Looks pretty cozy, doesn’t it! If You’re at High Point Market in North Carolina, stop by their gorgeous showroom to test it out. I’d love to see what you think.

The Embrace Sofa

 

Let’s take a peek at more new designs Nathan Anthony is debuting this week at High Point Market through Oct. 23rd. in showrooms IH601 & IH602

Nathan Anthony did not stop there. Their newest design was so popular, it prompted Nathan Anthony to add more seating styles, like a love seat and an extra-wide chair and a half called “Cuddle”.  And it swivels too! Who doesn’t love a swivel chair?

The Swivel Chair

Sweetheart Ottoman

The Embrace Cuddle Chair with Sweetheart Ottoman

One design was drawn from quarantine time with a rise in wellness and the pursuit of “self care”. So much so, that Nathan Anthony prepared another chair to introduce at High Point Market. With the Sukhasana yoga pose in mind, they made the Omm chair, with a low and wide seat ideal for relaxing, meditating, and reducing stress in a cross-legged position.

The Omm Chair

 

A few more of Nathan Anthony’s newest pieces.

 

Oliver Collection Sofa

Ponte Collection Sofa

The Halo Chair

Bell Bottom Chair

 

Take a leap with Tina’s son Nathan for some of my all-time favorite designs by Nathan Anthony

 

The Minx Wing Sofa in emerald velvet

The Minx Wing Sofa in Buffalo Plaid

The Fringe Chair

The Buttercup Chair

The Elan/S Chair

 

Nathan Anthony Award-winning Designs

 

The Dali Chair

 

The Aerie Chair

 

Well, that’s a wrap and onto Week 3 – What’s left to do?

• select drapery fabric and get them made and installed
• select and install wallpaper for the entryway (I’m going to get your help on this one!)
• select a pair of lamps for the end tables
• and I’m sure a few other things I can’t remember right now!

 

I”m so excited because I just heard that the Nathan Anthony luxury chair arrived! I hope to pick it up Monday. Be sure to visit them in Interhall 601 and 602 at High Point Market and their website.  I can’t wait to see the chair in our Living Room Salon and share it with you! But you’ll have to wait until the Big Reveal.

Want to see more of the Living Room Salon Makeover?

Subscribe to our blog HERE and follow along on Instagram HERE. Also, get more inspiration and see some of the other amazing rooms by the 20 Featured Designers and 200+ Guest Participants.

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Till next time, when it comes down to selecting fabric for the drapery and wallpaper for the entryway, get out there, and please VOTE!! Thank you so much for your support during my Living Room Salon Makeover. It will be worth the wait, I guarantee!

A huge thank you to all our partners for sponsoring product for our One Room Challenge Living Room Salon!  Watch for wallpaper and fabric selections next week. See you then, XO PG

Note: This post is sponsored by Nathan Anthony and all the other partners below. All professional images of furniture are by Nathan Anthony; opinions my own.