The legs sat in my garage for several years as I shopped around unsuccessfully, until  I found a classic furniture store in Chicago that had a real high
quality reproduction seat an back cushions.   Presto!   I now had 2 complete Mies chairs of my very own for a fraction of the price. Lord knows what they cost now, but since they occupy a prominent place in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, you can bet the price is high.

Why are these admired so much and are in SUCH great demand by collectors and designers? Because they are not only function, they are high furniture art, sleek and modern looking, though they were designed in 1929 for the King and Queen of Spain, and because of their comfort. The legs were of steel, hard to make and not intended for the mass market, as the Bauhaus leaders intended all of their designs to be, but that changed. They are instantly recognizable and highly prized.

Chuck Mettler
Furniture Artist, Fan of Art Accent Chairs, Owner of Genuine Mies Chairs!

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art chair

As you know, I’m a huge fan of art chairs, accent chairs and furniture art.   I’m proud of my chairs.  But check out this chair I just found on internet.  It’s clever, isn’t it?

There are a million things I like about this chair.  But the basic concept that the artist took is that chairs can be more than functional — they can be art.   (And in a perfect world, they ALL would be art.)

If you like art chairs, I hope you’ll consider purchasing my accent chairs.  Happy sitting!

Chuck Mettler
Furniture Artist, Accent Chair Specialist, Des Moines Iowa

Chuck!

I wanted to send you this photo of me with my Christmas present.   Don’t I look smashing next to your chair?

It’s awesome, Chuck.  Thanks so much.  It’s everything you promised and more.  I love the Mona Lisa art chair, but I gotta admit, that the Van Gogh accent chair is my favorite.

I think you’ll love the story of Christmas.  After I opened it, we put it in about 20 different places in our house.  Does the art chair look better here?  Is it better as an accent chair there?  We finally ended up putting your chair in what has become our “art gallery” in our entry way because we figured the most people would see it there.

But then, only hours later, we had a bunch of folks over for a holiday feast.  ( I think one of the guests, by the way, is going to buy one of the accent chairs because they saw it and fell in love.)   Anyway, we were short of chairs for the meal so my sister ended up sitting with Van Gogh on your art chair.

I loved it.  You promised that it is functional art.  That it is both furniture and sculpture.   And before we had owned it for 12 hours that was proved true.  It couldn’t be more solid…but it’s absolutely beautiful.

Chuck…This might sound weird, but one of my favorite parts is that you signed the back of the accent chair.   The chair is special, but your John Hancock makes it all the better.

I’m a huge fan!

Thanks so much.

Brad Montgomery

Fan of Art Chairs, Fan of Chuck Mettler, Proud Owner of the Van Gogh Accent Chair

Thanks Brad.  Sit in Good Health!

— Chuck

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Eames Chair | Furniture Art

That got me thinking about all kinds of chairs over history, about which more later. Closer to home, I found three chairs in the attic which my grandfather made for his family, probably in the the 20′s in a small town in Iowa. They were roughly made, but solid as a brick, had spoke backs, a curved board on top, and legs angling out a a slight angle, and braced by struts. My grandfather had no education, but he could make anything, and fix things from clocks and watches to a busted telegraph key. His chairs were not furniture art by a darn sight, but comfortable, well made and are still cherished by the family.

As new materials were invented, chairs began to be made out of all kinds of things. Once upon a time the artist was stuck with wood and basic metals, stuffing and material for the seat, and paint. Plywood was new. Bending it was new. Plastic could be molded and shaped into anything. Metals: steel, aluminum, iron, soft plastic, hard plastic, leathers in all colors and from all kinds of animals were now being used.

Savonarola Chair | Furniture Art

Often the trouble with high style furniture is that it is not comfortable. The Eames Chair has both, and that’s why it has been in continuous production since it introduction.
People buy art furniture for all kinds of reasons. High style appeals to the eye and makes a statement. It often is a conversation starter, just as it was back in they day when Savanarola was roaming Italy in the 1500′s.

And strangely, high style, contemporary furniture are can and does fit with other styles of furniture and furnishings.

Yours,
Chuck Mettler
Lover of Art Chairs, Furniture Artist, Fan of Eames and Savonrola

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