Decorating the Nest: Lively Wingbacks

Source: HappyDayOut.Tumblr.com

I've been falling in love with wingback chairs recently as I fantasize about a living room set with some structure to it! We've got a batch of hand me downs right now (the demon futon, and two overstuffed black recliners) that are great in their own right, but don't really have the structure that I'd prefer. My parents have a gorgeous rose toned velvet wingback chair that I've always loved, and I prefer my furniture to have a lot of well defined lines. Enter the updated, bold wingback chair. 



A lot of these chairs are best imagined as stand alone accent pieces, nestled into a particular nook or corner of a house. They're a dramatic jolt of color, but they're balanced by the inherent formality and structure of the defined wooden base.  Sofas tend to be a bigger investment piece for most people, so if you're looking to get something a bit more modern worked into the room, a single (or double!) of arm chairs could be the perfect move. And worst case scenario, if you aren't still in love 5-10 years from now, the chair will still be in awesome shape and up for reupholstering (see tutorial) or a slipcover. 

Andrea Mihalik is the designer behind Wild Chairy, and they put together some absolutely stunning pieces. This red floral chair would be a showstopper! The modern legs, the mixed patterns on the inside and outside, it's just so funky!

This blue is a fun one! I'm a huge blue fan (as we know from the Blue & White segment) and I like the way this one has a floral touch but is a bit more abstract with lots of swirls and swoops. The legs are a bit old fashioned, but could easily be updated. 

Source: WaNeLo

Of course Anthro has there one little twee floral chair. It is a very Anthro style after all! I like the clean grey base here and, but wish the legs were a slightly different stain. 

Anthropologie's Lotus Blossom Chair

This handmade needlepoint is so, so sweet! I'm a huge fan of needlepoint regardless, and the use of a black base makes me think of the gorgeous cover from a new book about the life of naturalist Alexander von Humboldt. 

Source: Needlepoint by Marie Barber

This is a bit more of a dining room chair with the wooden arms, but I love the way it just walks the line of outdated grandma and modern take. The florals are huge here, but the chair back is a very rigid rectangle which helps balance the look. 

Source: 1700Louisiana.Blogspot.com

If you're in love with green anyway, this geometric pattern could really stand the test of time. Here, they're very consistent with the green lamp and green detailing on the curtains, but green is pretty versatile so you could easily pair it with more shades in the room. 

Source: EmilyaClark.Blogspot.com

Interested in some more reading? One King's Lane has an awesome feature about the history of the wingback chair. Architonic has a great piece from 2009 about a trend towards privacy in furniture, as evidenced by all the pieces coming out at the time with exaggerated arms like wingbacks to serve as privacy shields.

What do you say? Do you think a bold printed piece like this would become quickly outdated, or do you think it might be the right jazzy punch for your living room? 

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