The New Navy

In 1944, the Electric Machinery and Equipment Company (Emeco) and the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) collaborated with US Navy engineers to design a seaworthy chair for military use.

The resulting 1006 chair—pronounced "ten oh six"— became a staple on Navy destroyers and submarines. Its seamless construction of corrosion-resistant, lightweight aluminum made it uniquely durable, easily portable and virtually maintenance-free.

The originals were produced in Emeco’s Hanover, PA workshops and they are still made there today—offspring of the perfect marriage between American ingenuity and craftsmanship.

The sturdy little chairs soon found themselves on land as well as at sea. First, they moved onto military bases and then into civilian offices.Over the years, as Navy chairs were retired from military use, they began to appear in surplus and resale stores and flea markets across the country.
Perhaps they were, at first, an inexpensive alternative to chairs found in traditional furniture stores, or a way to get a deliberately funky look, but their timeless charm won out. 1006 and similar Navy-inspired chairs can now be seen in even the most stylish, upscale homes.

Their clean lines and casual style allow them to fit into country, modern, eclectic and contemporary spaces. They are most often seen in kitchens and dining areas where their durability and ease of maintenance make them an excellent choice for busy families.

Occasionally, you will spot a 1006—or a few dozen—out in public. The chairs above were photographed in Louisville, KY at a fancy flagship KFC. Below, you see a testament to their ability to span styles and cultures: American-designed and manufactured Navy chairs in a Vietnamese restaurant in London.

If you can't find the real thing, like this vintage 1006 I found on The City Sage blog,

affordable alternatives are out there. Target sells their Cafe Aluminum Side Chairs in pairs for $246.99.

At Stack Chair Depot, the Oceanic Side Chair is only $95.00. Counter- and bar-height stools are also available at $115 and $125 respectively. While the styling of these two versions are similar to the original, I wouldn't expect their construction to be of the same quality. Proceed with "buyer beware" caution.

A faithful reproduction of the original, the Emeco Navy Chair with wood seats in two finishes can be found at allmodern.com.

For hard-core design aficionados who want only the best and most authentic, Design Within Reach offers the Emeco Classic reinvented by Phillipe Starck (top of this post). The 1006 Navy Side Chair is the real deal, made to the same exacting standards as the originals.

Featured in the current DWR catalog is the newest member of the Navy Chair family which made its debut only a few weeks ago.

The 111 Navy Chair is made from recycled plastic coke bottles—111 of them—and is available in six fun colors. A collaboration between Emeco and Coca-Cola, this little chair, if sales progress as DWR believes they will, is expected to keep three million plastic Coke bottles out of landfills each year.

What brought on my sudden interest in Navy chairs? Well, I've always been aware of them, but when I received the new DWR catalog, I was really taken with what a great idea the 111 chair is. To the point that I walked around my house trying to picture one somewhere (the jury's still out on that decision). And then, on Saturday, I saw South Pacific on stage at The Ahmanson. Navy guys and gals dancing and singing up a tropical storm - if this current tour comes to a theater near you, go! - and whenever the set changed to The Island Commander's Office, there they were: aluminum Navy chairs at each desk. Ok, so I'm aware that this tiny detail may have totally escaped most people and really has nothing at all to do with the greatness that is this show, but it appears that I simply had Navy chairs on the brain. Or maybe it was one of those moments when, instead of watching the characters in a play or a movie, I'm busy studying the wallpaper behind them. Don't judge me, I can't help myself.

Click on the image above and you'll be treated to musical highlights, interesting commentary, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of a Navy chair on stage plus, for all you Gleeks out there, glimpses of a sometimes shirtless Matthew Morrison/Mr. Schuester who starred as Lieutenant Cable in the 2008 Lincoln Center production of the show. You're welcome!

Mood Board Monday MckLinky Party #2 - Choose Your Chair

Welcome to the 2nd Mood Board Monday! And thanks to PK at Room Remix for asking me to host this time...


... she also asked me to choose the inspiration items. My picks: Anthropologie's Antwerp and Bertram chairs. Here's my own mood board, then we'll take a look at the others...

My first inclination was to choose the curvy, flowery Antwerp chair. So I chose Bertram instead. Just to step out of my comfort zone a bit. Then, as I do before I start working on a mock mood board, I imagined my clients and their story.

MY CLIENTS: A young, professional couple who live in a city apartment they bought right after they married three years ago. They each put in a long work week, spending most evenings eating a late meal out or scrounging something quick in the kitchen. They do like to dine with other couples on weekends and would like to do more of that, plus some business entertaining, at their own home more often. With no children yet, their apartment reflects their young, upwardly mobile, traditional-with-a-contemporary-twist aesthetic.

THE SPACE: The dining room. Largely ignored because of their busy lifestyle and work schedules, it's finally getting some attention. My clients would like to serve cocktails, seat 6-8 people for dinner and will primarily use the room at night. Budget-minded purchases will be at the core of the design, but driving it will be the pair of Bertram chairs they've decided to splurge on.

THE MOOD BOARD:

young professionals' dinner party by Comfort&Luxury on Polyvore.com

THE DETAILS:
Bertram Chairs from Anthropologie.
Covington Side Chairs from Bassett. Seats will be reupholstered in Shalimar Sateen Hyacinth fabric in purple (the swatch nearest the side chair) from Calico Corners.
Laurent Table from Crate & Barrel.
Steamer Bar Cabinet from Crate & Barrel.
Sullivan Charcoal Rug, 10'x14', from Crate & Barrel.
Polished Chrome Chandelier by Quoizel from Lamps Plus.
Polished Nickel Sconces by Sheffield from Lamps Plus will be placed in pairs; one pair on either side of the mirror over the bar cabinet and the other pair on the opposite wall on either side of the art that will hang there. (see it below)
Le Soleil Wall Mirror from Home Decorators Collection hangs over the bar cabinet.
Titan Pewter Silk in Gray/Silver from Calico Corners (the swatch you see next to the mirror)is used for custom curtain panels.
Purple Damask Wallpaper from Graham & Brown is used on all four walls.
Ruby Crystal Wine Glasses, a wedding gift, are paired with simple Glass Water Goblets from Crate & Barrel.

Rounding out the table setting is the couple's Royal Doulton wedding china, which not only brings a bit of sparkle with its platinum banding but another bit of subtle color: salad plates have pale blue rims.


Here's a better look at the bar cabinet, opened to show off its sleek, practical design and copious capacity.

And because the tiny pic on the mood board doesn't so it justice, here's a close-up of the chandelier.

Hanging on the wall opposite the bar cabinet will be a large, framed poster the couple already owned. A souvenir from their honeymoon in New York, this image of acrobats defying death at the edge of a rooftop overlooking the city presents a quirkier view than the usual cityscape of a place that holds fond memories.

As dining room chairs, the Bertram armchairs might not be the most practical choice, but they make a great style statement in a space that doesn't get daily use. They're also quite pricey, so I would suggest my clients extend their lives in this way: when they start a family and move to a house in the 'burbs, the chairs can move into the family room. The gray area rug can follow the chairs... it's a hard-wearing, neutral color. Other more colorful, family-friendly pieces can be added to create a lively, happy mix. New host chairs, perhaps a slipcovered parsons style, can take their place in the new dining room. Even the bar cabinet might take on a new life as storage and display space in the family room or entry. And I can see it painted a bright, fun color like shiny lacquer red.

Okay, that's mine... now let's see who else is linking up!

Here's what you do to join the party:
1) Create a mood board using either of the inspiration chairs. (both from Anthropologie) 2) Write a a post about it, including sources. 3) Add your name and project to MckLinky here on my post (Example: Tracy's Dining Room Mood Board)... 4) ...then add the link to your SPECIFIC POST, NOT your general blog address. 5) Last, grab the Mood Board Monday button (above) and use it to link your post back to this post so that everyone gets to join in the party!

China Pattern

A common thread wove its way through my weekend. A pattern of Asian-influenced design, colors and flavors.

It began on Friday evening when I attended a lovely gathering at the home of good friends. Our hostess prepared the most delicious, beautifully colorful meal of Chinese chicken salad and potstickers with a perfectly sweet and spicy dipping sauce. I wish I had photos to show you. Trust me, it was as pretty to look at as it was scrumptious to eat!

Next, I did some early fall-weather shopping and found this gorgeous jacket. It's called, appropriately, 'Chinoiserie', and I'm told the fabric is patterned after an antique textile discovered by the designer on her travels through Europe. I can't wait to wear it! We'll have to get through these hotter-than-hot late summer days first.

Saturday brought this elegant Asian vignette, from the blog Room Service-Decorating 101. I love the simplicity of the arrangement and quiet colors. I kept this image in my mind all weekend. It's so calm and soothing... the perfect pretend place to wander off to in the middle of a hectic day.

Also on Saturday, I was paging through the new (last!!) issue of Southern Accents, and spied the lovely photo at the top of this post. Inspired by the story on blue and white export porcelains, I created a new grouping, tucked into a bookcase, of three of my own blue and white pieces.

Sunday morning, I flipped on the TV to keep me company while doing chores, and there was Ina Garten on the Food Network grilling up the most beautiful tuna steaks. Chopped into bite-sized pieces, the tuna was mixed with avocado chunks and topped with a dressing of soy sauce, lime juice, scallions, red onions, wasabi powder and toasted sesame seeds. Ina piled the tuna mixture high on a bed of arugula and wrapped it all up in a toasted bun. More Asian goodness!

Later, while searching my photo files for something else entirely, I came upon these shots of a job I did last year for a client that was inspired by her own collection of Asian elements. This first photo shows a corner of her living room that includes two watercolors her father brought home from China many years ago. He served a good deal of his time as a military pilot travelling throughout Asia, collecting souvenirs to take back home all along the way. The subtle colors in these paintings paired well with the new stone flooring and the neutral taupes and golds and greyed olives of the furnishings and accessories the homeowner and I selected.

The other side of the living room features a large hand-painted silk screen that had been tucked away in a bedroom for years. The photo below doesn't do it justice, so I've included a second pic showing a detail of one corner. I was so excited when she showed it to me, I practically insisted we use it. Hung over the sofa now, it is flanked by the new, Asian-inspired carvings I found. The clients were very pleased to have another of their family heirlooms take center stage.

From the entry, you can see the entire living room. In the foreground, a box with carved Chinese characters on top and brass fittings, also from her father's travels, sits on an antique chest that belonged to the husband's grandmother. The carved wooden horse is one the clients already owned, the smaller Tang-style horse figure I purchased to go with it.

In the dining room, I continued the Asian theme in a more subtle way by layering three re-sized table runners across the width of the table. The combination of colors and textures and layering gives the impression of a Japanese obi. This was one of my first jobs when I started my design business in 2008. There are other images, most without the strong Asian elements seen here, I'll share with you another time.

So that was my Asian-influenced weekend! Funny how the theme kept repeating itself. Oh, and I almost forgot... for lunch on Sunday, I picked up some fresh, brown-rice California rolls. Yum! And guess what my husband decided to cook up for dinner that same night... grilled teriyaki chicken skewers, sticky rice and garlicky green beans! I hope you had an equally interesting, and delicious weekend too!!