I’ve missed blogging so much. It has been a minute. Work and School have been insane but I’m determined not to neglect the blog. Fixing an issue with the backend of the site took a bit of time as well.
Focusing only on “helpful content” was limiting and so the blog is going to have a lot of my commentary and my thoughts on everything art and design. I hope you enjoy.
Tufting is a furniture design look that is realized when layers of fabric are stitched in to a pattern usually secured by a knot or button. There are 5 major tufting styles button, panel, diamond, blind and biscuit.
If you’ve followed me on twitter for a while, you’d know how much I rail against tufting, especially diamond tufting. I’ve called it everything from tacky to tasteless.
My campaign against tufted furniture is not for no reason. The first being that Nigerians like it a tad bit too much. That is an understatement; it’ has a chokehold on us all. Another reason is these pieces are sometimes poorly made (poor quality velvet and badly finished pieces) or are selected with poor color and scale considerations. Below are some of the results for a “Furniture in Lagos Search”.
Tufted furniture rose to prominence in the Victorian era. You can find it art from that era; like this painting below by G.F. Watts. Whispers; I feel like the obsession with tufted furniture (especially the gaudy kind )is part of our colonial hangover.
Honestly, tufted furniture can be good. Really good. Whether its classic pieces like the Chesterfield sofa or modern pieces like Poltrona Alta by Ethel Design, well designed tufted furniture makes a statement. I enjoy seeing traditional pieces in modern interiors, they soften the space visually and add texture.
Here are some of my favorite Tufted pieces of furniture.
CAMBRIDGE SOFA BY RESTORATION HARDWARE
A handsome Chesterfield. Great for creating moody spaces.
THIN FRAME LOUNGE CHAIR BY LAWSON FENNING
The thin frame gives a modern punch to the diamond tufted seat. I love it.
KATHERINE ACYLIC CHAIR BY GLOBAL VIEWS
I enjoy this dining chair. The acrylic gives it a visual lightness that is incredibly pretty. And the fact that they maintained the traditional details on the acrylic. Chef’s kiss
BUBBLE SOFA BY SACHA LAKIC
This sofa made me pause. Incredible. You would not imagine a centuries old technique being used for this futuristicesque design.
SOHO TUFTED CHAIR BY RESTORATION HARDWARE
Yes, Restoration Hardware again. They do traditional designs so well. You can take a look at the rest of their Soho Collection on their website. Unfortunately you need a VPN to visit their website in Nigeria.
GALOTTI AND RADICE DAYBED
Sleek. I would buy this.
POLTRONA ALTA BY ETEL DESIGN
Need I say more. I would die for these.
TOD MERILL CUSTOM OTTOMAN
I really adore this. The jewel tones and the gold accents make it a statement piece. They have an amazing tufted furniture line. The cover photo for this post is from one of their beautiful couches.
WINDSOR BY ARKETIPO
A modern take on the Chesterfield. I really like the unusual A-line structure as well.
TACTILE SOFA BY VICENZO DE COTIIS
The Panel Tufting and shape. Chef’s kiss.
MCQUEEN NIGHT BY DESIGN DEPOT
This is really pretty. I love the the pleats and and it feels playful and contemporary.
VELVET PLAN SECTIONAL BY ANTHROPOLOGIE
I enjoy this a lot. The color is amazing and it is something I would buy if I could.
Some other tufted designs I enjoy are the Barcelona Chair from Mies Vander Rohe and the Track bench by David Quincoces. This is now way a an exhaustive list. I had to shorten my list of over 30 pieces to 12, you can find these other pieces on my “Object” board on Pinterest. I’d love to hear from you. What do you think of tufted furniture? Do you like any of these pieces?
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