The French had a word for it --- they always do. The word on my mind today is Chaise, that symbol of comfort and indolence that dates to the 18th century, but is making a comeback in modern interiors. For those who’ve forgotten, or never studied French, Chaise is actually the word for any chair, but has come to refer to the chaise longue, a piece of furniture whose basic premise is that it’s more comfortable to recline than to sit up straight. Its origins were most likely in recline-while-dining Roman couches, but it was tranformed by skilled Rococo-era menusiers into sumptuous seating pieces with lush upholstery and feet-up elongated seating areas. Variants on the form included the veilleuse, with one high and one low end, the duchesse, a sectional unit composed of a bergère (a rounded upholstered armchair) and companion ottoman or footpiece, and of course the iconic Recamier, named after the 19th century style-setter. In more modern times, designers like Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer and Le Corbusier designed chaises, and the Eames “La Chaise” has become as iconic as any of its predecessors. So, new ideas notwithstanding, Frank Lloyd Wright’s pronouncement that “You cannot NOT know history” was right!
-- Judith Gura, New York School of Interior Design
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