“CHAIR” AS AN ICON

 “CHAIR” is a SYMBOL full of meaning for me.  People have asked me, “Why did you name your business Red Chair Design?"  

A chair is an icon of sorts for me because it embodies my orientation with our clients and something about the way I think when I design and decorate. And, of course, I love chairs.

HISTORY OF CHAIRS
The first chair was probably improvised in someone’s cozy, cave abode. Mr. Caveman came in from a long day of hunting wooly mammoths and just didn’t want to eat his dinner sitting on the cold ground. So, he rolled over a nice, smooth boulder and voila…The birth of the chair!

Chairs for average people are a relatively modern innovation. The first chair in history seems to be God’s throne. But that’s not a chair for everyday types. The Egyptian pharaohs and Romans sat on chairs that could be moved from one location to another. Yet for thousands of years people have largely sat on the floor - on mats or pillows. Many still do.

In Europe, as chair technology (or “Chair-ology”) developed, the word for chair was “catedre” and it was reserved for the Bishop. Cathedrals were built around the idea of the authority who sat in that “catedre”. The “idea” or iconography of the chair developed into a thought. A seat became a symbol for teaching and knowledge. Thus, to be the chairman or chairperson is to be the embodiment of the authority of a group or institution. As with many words, the original intent has faded away in most people’s minds. Alas, chairs have turned out just to be furniture.

RED CHAIR - OUR ICON
I’ve decided to take the word, “chair” out of the furniture store and re-install it as a symbol that has meaning for what I hope to accomplish with my clients. Just as the chair once referred to a place of learning, I hope to inform our clients about design so they can participate in the process of decorating and designing their homes or offices. We can celebrate the fact that we don’t have to sit on the floor anymore…unless we want to. Last of all, the chair is a place of rest and repose.

So, what about RED?
Red is my favorite color. It’s the color of drama and contrast; of love and passion and even indignation. As a symbol, RED is jam-packed with meaning.

“DESIGN”
I enjoy great design wherever it’s found because I feel it enhances life both functionally and aesthetically. My goal is to design great environments where people can live, work and enjoy life.

So, there you have it. RED CHAIR DESIGN!