When it comes to interior design, the living room is without a doubt one of its main focus points.
We use our living rooms to socialize with our family or friends to relax on our own, or just to watch a movie on our own Friday night popcorn festival.
Usually, in the living room we tend to use a similar set of different pieces with endless possibilities of combinations depending on our taste and needs. Sofa, chair, rug, bench, plants, TV center and fireplace all play together according to our desires, style and needs.
In this order, what we call the accent chair plays a very special place.
What is an accent chair?
An accent chair, just like any accent piece, is a piece of furniture used to create some emphasis or impression in your room.
An accent chair transcends its functional nature. With a design with beauty and personality, you can balance the equilibrium of color and textures in a room, while you create a focal point to your space. But keep in mind that while this chair is a focal point, it’s not necessary to locate it in the center of the room. Choose preferably one corner, one side of the room, or across a window.
How to choose your ideal accent chair?
Your ideal accent chair has a lot to do with your own personality, you can say that even its an affirmation act. Just like almost everything in the world of décor, your style has a key role when you choose your accent chair.
Pick a trend
Are you familiar with your own style? If not, you’re still on time. We all have preferences in style, even when we don’t explicitly express it. Mid Century Modern, Coastal Living, Scandinavian, Country…Some trend will catch our attention for sure.
Keep in mind dimensions and location
Where is the chair going to be located? The standard practice is to locate it at one side of the sofa or in any corner. Don’t place your accent chair in the middle of the room. It’s not a trophy. Its place is located close enough to the main living room elements to be used like the rest of the furniture, but with enough separation to be contemplated.
Use your accent chair as a balance factor
If you have created a very clear and relaxed living room with a predominance of white, clear colors, you can use a solid, sleek accent chair in a dark color, to create contrast and bring some sobriety in the room.
On the other hand, the otherwise works, too: In a formal space, with a majority of dark colors, the use of a clear accent chair, with a livelier design, will provide light and fun to your place.
Barcelona Chair: The Perfect Accent Chair
If you are a décor enthusiast, you know that this chair is the prototype of an accent chair. Its iconic design and elegance make it an elegant beautiful focal point. But its history and background make it the conversation topic itself.
Created as a Royal chair
Created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Barcelona Chair has a sophistication and simplicity that hasn’t been matched. He had a very famous quote: “Less is more”. This quote applies flawlessly to its delicate “X” metal shape frame, and its distinctive cushions.
Originally displayed to provide some rest to the Kings of Spain, it was designed in 1929, when van der Rohe, the pioneer of Modernism, was in charge of the famous German Pavilion of the International Exposition of Barcelona.
To obtain this enchanting design, van der Rohe looked for inspiration in the ancient empires of Roma and Egypt. It is somehow an inheritance of the campaign tents used by the Roman generals and senators.
Revolutionary Design
Though it has reminiscences of a Royal past, when it comes to cost and materials, it was an accomplishment in design due to its use and combination of industrial materials.
According to the new philosophy of Modernism, new furniture has to be made with an emphasis on functionality over design, avoiding luxury or exotic materials. At that time, in 1929, the union of its body of stainless chromed steel, with black leather seats and cushions was a bold bet, but it made quite an impression.
The futuristic shape became a classic signature design piece. As a curious fact, the first upholstery considered in the original chair was pigskin, as it happened with most of the lounge chairs at that time. Time after, it would change to cow leather.
It was presented in the Barcelona International Exposition as a series: the Barcelona Collection. The look of the collection was informed by the chair, growing to include the Loveseat and Sofa. Besides the chair, the Barcelona Bench set and the Barcelona Table make the whole line.
No Reason to Wait to Have One
If you are a Mid Century Modern enthusiast you’ll find it perfectly natural to include the Barcelona Chair as your accent chair. The Mid Century Modern style is without a doubt one of the major forces in the furniture market right now.
Usually, pieces like the Barcelona chair are sold by prestigious design houses, and this means really high prices. But in the replica’s market there is the chance to obtain a high-quality piece of design for just a fraction of the price. Manhattan Home Design is one of the most popular replica manufacturers of Mid Century Modern pieces, keeping a true commitment to the original design, and maintaining the best experience in MCM quality and beauty.
