Having had a small (and tight) Greenwich Village storefront for 23 years, I've developed a certain prejudice against buying chairs. Especially sets of chairs. In my experience, sets of chairs do not sell quickly. Sure, everyone needs them. But, until they finally sell, they take-up lots of precious floor space, require frequent moving (in order to reach other things) and are only moderately useful for displaying other merchandise before they sell (compared to, say, a table). In short, they always seem to be in the way!
All this said, I have always enjoyed buying children's chairs. Their small size makes them useful (atop or under a table) for displaying merchandise—like a giant, nice-looking riser platform. Sometimes they can be hung on a wall as a shelf. And their small size gives them a special charm (like seeing cool grown-up clothes shrunk-down at Gap Kids).
In the home, children's chairs can be used as a low occasional table—holding a lamp, phone, plant or stack of books. They can be paired and used to support a shelf. They can be used atop a table or credenza to provide height variation for a displayed collection. Or they can be used to seat a child.
This chair, made at the Turn-of-the-Twentieth-Century, is a classic Windsor chair, sized for a child. The bentwood back is attached to a sculpted seat. Turned spindles support the back and are used as front stretchers. Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome chair.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248