Windsor Chairs and Benches Have Timeless Appeal

​I’ve always loved the styling and fine wood craftsmanship of Windsor chairs and benches; a classic staple of New England homes that are still very current in all sorts of locales be they coastal, mountain, country, urban or suburban.  When you think about the work involved in making such a chair/bench, and the subtle proportions involved, the Windsor style is truly a piece of art.
 
While my pursuit of a Windsor bench at the Brimfield Antiques Fair this past week was sadly unsuccessful, I did score a terrific resource to share with you.  First, let me point you to the furniture maker I have long admired, O & G Studio in Rhode Island (oandgstudio.com) that makes the gorgeous Atlantic Settee Bench you may have seen in New England Home, Elle Décor, the New York Times, Lonny, Vogue, and various other publications.  This is the bench I crave, and I have just the perfect striped fabric to make the crisp and tailored (but unstuffy) pieced cushion they feature here.  Striking, isn’t it?   And the black paint makes it look so modern and architectural.  

​At Brimfield, in the hunt for something similar to my dream bench (but narrower), I met a gentleman, Kevin Kille from “K Antiques Etc” in Lawrence, MA (at the Canal Street Antique Mall) who specializes in vintage Windsor chairs and benches; finding them and repainting them.  Here is his work on an antique set of chairs, shown at the Brimfield fair (which was very muddy the day I was there).

​During our discussion I learned that Kevin would take on projects such as repainting clients’ Windsor chair sets, and I have just such a project in the works with a new client.  So, score one for my client (a painter resource).

But what about my search for a Windsor bench? Since I didn’t find anything at Brimfield I continue to look elsewhere. Luckily, while recently researching benches, I’ve come across a few benches that are at a lower price point than the artisan quality of the O&G bench, but are still very viable stylistically. One of the pieces that I especially like was the Dexter bench from West Elm (shown in an outdoor setting). This Dexter bench is rather nice, and will certainly suit my mudroom, either in a natural finish, or in a painted out color.  The look that West Elm showcases is an example of how the Windsor style transfers over to more modern spaces. 

​Another option, from DutchCrafters (available online and in many finishes), comes with a higher back that would certainly suit an entry space.

​For a dining area, Windsor chairs are very versatile and durable.   Here’s a photo of my client Monica’s eating area with such stylish flair…I can’t take credit for the overall design, it’s all her creation!  I was helping her with window treatments for the sliding door, and I couldn’t resist admiring the beautiful, kid-friendly, and fresh space that she had created.  Bravo, Monica!  I love it when my clients have a design point-of-view!

​Finally, let me share with you some of my design and decorating work in the upstairs Ballroom of the famous Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA.  In the photo you can see the Birdcage Windsor chairs that the Inn favors in this small (50-person) function room ‘s space.  In 2011, I had the privilege of totally renovating this room (and many others at the Wayside Inn) with new window treatments, bench cushions, carpeting, lighting, stenciling, and other historically accurate decorative features.   I’m sure I’ll share more on those projects in future blog posts, but suffice to say it was a dream project for me; one that fueled my love of historic spaces and renovating with a period pieces and styles that are still very relevant today.