“This chair, whose millions of representatives are used on the Continent and in the two Americas, possesses nobility.” -- Le Corbusier on Thonet No. 14
“We do not recognize any difference between great and minor art, between the art of the rich and that of the poor. Art belongs to all.” -- Attributed to the Viennese Secession
One of my favorite parts of the design process is the very beginning. As I spend time with a client learning about their tastes, interests, and style of living, it inevitably leads to a spark of inspiration and a design concept is born! For the renovation of a classic six apartment in a 1920’s Beaux Art building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side , this process led to the idea of a “fancy back of house” kitchen design. The ideas included the use of a simple white subway tile, but done floor to ceiling on all the walls, and a custom over-scale basket weave pattern for the floor – but constructed of carrara and nero marquina marble tiles. Finished with custom walnut cabinetry and polished nickel hardware, the client excitedly agreed on the design. We planned to incorporate a small banquette with a marble top café table for casual meals – and I knew very early on the exact accent chair that would perfectly complement our “fancy back of house” theme and add a special punctuation mark to the space. Enter Thonet.
Here are a few of the inspiration photos I showed the client – happily she signed off on the plan:
Image source: New York Magazine; design: Jane Schulak, MADE
Image source: Architectural Digest; design: Steven Gambrel
Image source: Buckingham Interiors + Design
Michael Thonet was a German furniture designer born in 1796. He developed a process for bending wood for furniture production, which led to the establishment of a new body of work. His technique was quite genius in its simplicity and borrowed from ship building methods. Taking advantage of the resin surrounding the fiber in wood, he used steam heat to make the resin pliable in wooden rods (often beech), which allowed these pieces to be bent into shape using cast iron molds. Once the resin cured and hardened, it effectively held the wood rod in the new shape, which could be used to construct incredibly strong and economical furniture.
The Model No. 14 chair, put into factory production in 1859, truly anticipated classic modern design in its spare use of materials and minimalist form. It became one of the most popular designs manufactured in the 19th century and remains incredibly appealing to this day. In fact, it has remained in production for over 150 years! It anticipated the industrial age and was perfect for mass production. Each chair consisted of only 6 pieces of bent wood, 10 screws, and 2 nut bolts, which could easily be assembled by unskilled labor and disassembled for economical shipping. Hmmm, reminds one a bit of today’s Ikea. ;-)
Michael Thonet, No. 14, 1860 (Image sources: Gebrueder Thonet Vienna, B2H)
The original model was further developed with variations including additional curved and looped back inserts, increasing comfort and back support. My favorite variations on these designs include a cane seat, which I feel perfectly complements the delicate curved forms of the more ornate chairs and lends an airy, modern quality to the pieces overall.
Using this new production method, the company produced a wide variety of furniture for both commercial and residential use. Amazingly, the basic production technique has changed little. Designers including Josef Hoffman, Otto Wagner, and Adolf Loos designed for Thonet, using their production techniques to create iconic designs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Image source: Gebrueder Thonet Vienna
Pretty amazing these were designed so long ago – they feel incredibly fresh and modern.
Personally, I have long had a little obsession with the chairs designed by architect Jan Bocan and produced by Thonet in the 1970s for the Czech embassy in Stockholm. I mean, come on, these are beyond! Perhaps one day I will have the honor of owning a pair of these myself. :-)
Image source: Jacksons Design
Image source: Arch Daily (Toro Canyon House)
A new collection debuted in 2015 designed by Copenhagen based design studio Gamfratesi. I believe it is a beautiful blend of this traditional technique and streamlined design – plus a touch of cane never hurts. I bet it is pretty comfy too.
Gamfratesi, Targa Lounge, 2015 (Image source: Gebrueder Thonet Vienna)
It is always a pleasure when the opportunity arises to incorporate a true design classic into a client’s home and I can’t wait to install the No. 14 in my client’s new kitchen. Whether you decide to invest in an antique, a vintage 20th century piece, or one of the new productions, owning a Thonet is a testament to the strength of innovative design and quality production. While this client project and blog post has focused on chairs, the Thonet oeuvre encompasses a wide range of furnishings. If your curiosity is peaked, I highly recommend further study into this incredibly important company that revolutionized the world of furniture design and manufacturing.
Check out the company's website here: Gebrueder Thonet Vienna
If you are interested in sourcing new or vintage pieces, please contact us for assistance.
Until next time, keep design dreaming!!
Cheers,
Courtney