Decorating with your Womb Chair

Designed by the versatile Finnish American architect, Eero Saarinen in 1946, the Womb Chair is considered a classic example of modern furniture design. Saarinen concentrated his furniture design on three principles – function, structure and modern style. He was commissioned to design a chair in which a person could comfortably curl up in and relax – and this gave rise to his vision of a chair which provided perfect security and comfort. The chair is generally accompanied with an ottoman footstool in the same design and fabric to further enhance the total comfort of settling into it. Informed guests will recognize the Womb Chair by its famous design, but as much as the chair is decorative, owners of this furniture buy it first and foremost because it is considered to be one of the most comfortable chairs available.

Use the following guidelines to make optimum use of the chair:

• Purpose. The most famous and obvious aspect of the Womb Chair is its comfort. Utilize it in any area where you, your family or your guests are likely to spend a few relaxing hours in your home. A sitting room, TV room, reading area or a room with large windows and a pleasant view will enhance the use of the chair.

• Space. The chair requires some personal space to bring out the feeling of being enveloped by its protection. Try to avoid cluttering the space around the chair and keep lighting muted and cool in the area.

• Color. Strong fashion colors are part of the design of the mid-century period in which it was designed. Use the color of the chairs as a focal area and accompany it with softer tones of the same color to create a peaceful and soothing setting around the chair.

• Focus. Decide on the focus of your room and set your chairs to make the best use of the area. A room with a view will best benefit from a two-chair layout facing a scenic window, a fireplace or a focal work of art. For rooms where you expect to entertain and spend time in conversation with friends and family, arrange clusters of four to six chairs placed close enough for easy conversation and within comfortable sight of one another.

• Accessorize. With perfect comfort in mind, add accessories with the idea that someone in this chair is likely to spend an extended time there. Coffee tables and side table should be positioned close enough that someone lounging in the chair can reach them without straining. Book racks, coffee makers and television remotes will always be popular in this setting.