{lively interiors: stools from chairish}

I was so excited when Chairish asked me to design a mood board around one of their pieces! I've been a fan of the company for a while – not to mention some of my favorite designers work with them often – so I was thrilled about the opportunity.  

For those who aren't familiar, Chairish is a website for design lovers to sell and buy pre-loved decor. They have furniture, art, carpets, lighting, vases, & more. There's a great mix of newer & vintage pieces, one-of-a-kind gems, & stunning collections curated by the industry's most respected designers. I could spend days browsing the site.

So what did Chairish ask me to do? They asked me to design a room around a bar stool. This was a challenge for me because 

a) I rarely use them

b) bar stools can make or break a room; they have to serve a purpose

c) when it comes to furniture, they're pretty boring

Bar stools are great in game rooms, kitchens, & back patios, but I wanted to use them in a different way. 

Chairish has so many bar stools in their collection, but here are the pieces I could choose from:

I chose....the Rattan Zebra stool! {bottom left} Surprised? Me too. 98% of the time I hate zebra print. It looks great in small doses, but has the potential to look tacky in .03 seconds. I was determined to make it look good though, since the rattan pulled me in.

Once the bar stool was chosen, I went right to work. The pieces from Chairish's collection gave ample room for a million different possibilities, but one look at the stool & I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

I designed an office. Here's my client's story: She's an architect. Early thirties. Married, no kids. Lives in San Francisco. Her style is feminine, comfortable, timeless, daring. The room has original crown molding, tall ceilings, & giant windows.

The design: 

All of the walls are painted black. By the corner window is a large drafting table – with adjustable height – & the Rattan Zebra stool. High chairs work best with drafting tables, since you're constantly sitting & standing while you work, so this stool is perfect.

Brass notes throughout the room juxtapose the noir walls: the light fixture, also with some black hints; the oval mirror with its contrasting, softer shape; & the book shelf to house her drafting instruments & books.

The table has some green hues peeking through the wood, so I chose a gorgeous emerald Turkish rug for the floor. And finally, since emerald green & brassy yellow pair perfectly with pink, I chose some art to brings in some additional gemstone colors. 

Take a look...

rug // table // shelf // portrait // abstract painting // mirror // light fixture

It's definitely a darker room than I normally design, but I LOVE it.  The rich colors make it look cozy, but since it needs to be a productive office, the brass & jewel tones add enough pop to keep it from feeling sleepy.

I think the Chairish bar stool is the highlight here; not only does the zebra print pair perfectly with the black walls, but the warm rattan looks amazing against the rug. If only I could execute this in person!

What do you think? Did I make zebra chic?

**Chairish, thank you for reaching out! Check out their newest arrivals here.