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My Favourite Things

Rule for Chairs

By 10/27/2012September 9th, 201813 Comments

Awhile ago, I fell in love with Tara Dillard’s garden blog called Vanishing Threshold: Garden, Life Home.

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Her posts are so simple, interesting, sometimes funny, and yet so profound.

I subscribed to her posts because I was suddenly fascinated with landscaping since my new house needed tons of it. Maryanne White (My landscape designer) suggested a garden urn to be placed right in front of my living room window. She said they are like accessories in a garden.

So that was the other reason I loved this post Tara wrote called Rule for Pots.  She said “Pots in a garden must be so fabulous, they can remain empty“, read the post though, how she discovered this rule was good.

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This is how I feel about chairs. Hard or Upholstered, a chair should look so fabulous, it  can stand alone.

Here are some of my favourites, from my ‘chairs‘ Pinterest boards:

 

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Do your chairs pass the test?

If they don’t and they can be painted, get painting! A boring, dated oak chair looks a lot sexier in a bright and fun colour!

Related posts:

Round or Rectangle Dining Table: Yay or Nay

Maria’s Happy Living and Dining Room

A Friday Tablescape for a Special Friend

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me.

Download my eBook, How to Choose Paint Colours: It’s All in the Undertones to learn how to get colour to do what you want.

To make sure the undertones in your home are right, get some large samples!

If you would like to learn to how choose the right colours for your home or for your clients, become a True Colour Expert. 

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13 Comments

  • Ginger says:

    Half of mine fail. The most tired, dated chair in the house is the one my children beg me to keep, though.

  • Lisa says:

    These are some great looking chairs, definitely more fun than mine. But, are they comfortable as well as great looking? Hard to say until you sit in them!

  • StagerLinda says:

    Only have one chair that doesn’t pass the test–a blue velvet wing chair that was bequeathed to me by a client. But it’s hidden in a corner of the upstairs bedroom.

  • tara dillard says:

    Thank you for applying the fabulous pot thought to chairs.

    Duh.

    Took YOU to see it. And, of course, your trough pic has yellow flowers.

    It’s always a good thing when a garden is slowed, makes the implementation even better. All those extra hours of thought.

    Thank you for writing about pots needing to be so fabulous they can remain empty.

    Garden & Be Well, XO T

  • Greg Balzer says:

    Life is too short for both generic pots AND chairs. Thanks for the reminder.

  • Maryanne White says:

    Being able to stand alone, they become multifunctional as well, a great idea for small spaces. Something I have learned the hard way. I can pull from other rooms when needed, rather than those awful folding chairs I have been storing for forever.Thanks again Maria.

  • What a great perspective, it could make a huge difference inside and out! thanks Maria!

  • Cyndia says:

    Tara is a gem. She writes such profound things about what should be obvious, but isn’t. I learn so much from her.
    I never thought once to translate it to chairs. Once again I’m slapping my head that I never thought of it.

  • barbara says:

    here is as chair that i rescued and made
    “art” out of …..she def stands alone…. 1962 from my husbands fathers adv agency conf room……

    http://pinterest.com/foundagainstyle/found-again-style-photos-of-my-makeovers-repurpose/

    thnx for the new blog to explore!!!!

    i too love chairs!!

    • mairi says:

      The link says ‘page not found’ Barbara. Can you re-post please? I love early 60’s style! Thanks.
      I just finished painting 8 pre-60’s dining chairs-4 were a set, then 2 each of other styles all in a soft white chalk paint. The seats will be reupholstered the same colour to complement a large mahogany table. Good comfortable chairs with great features are priceless..

  • Mary says:

    Hey…what do you know? I did something right. I checked your Pinterest board for chairs & I have one of them!!!
    The Bobble chair (or also known as a Spool chair) is sitting in my living room.

  • Debbiecz says:

    I subscribe to Tara’s blog & philosophy. There’s another great saying…when I’m dead & gone will people fight over this (insert urn, chair) at my estate sale? If yes, buy it right away!

  • Lisa says:

    I really love the pink Louis XIV chair! So dang cute! I do have my eye on getting two of the Starck Ghost Chairs in the future to use as extra dining/regular seating chairs as they are stackable and clear!

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