What Is a Retro Chair?
Retro, in Latin, means "past." The word "retro" refers to a range of styles from the recent past. The retro image, which mirrors those styles, is a popular style for fashion, graphic art and interior design. Does this Spark an idea?
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1940s-1950s
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The retro style includes styles from the 1930s to the present. The 1940s-1950s retro uses a lot of chrome and vinyl, and symbolizes the comfortableness of Western society of that period. Bar stools are popular in this style.
1960s-1970s
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The retro chairs of the 1960s and 1970s styles use a more modern aesthetic, with square or round shapes and less chrome. Plastic is often used in this type of chair.
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Modern Aesthetic
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Modern architecture has influenced interior design since its conception in the Bauhaus, the famous German design and architecture school, in the early 20th century. Much of retro furniture follows trends set by modern architects such as Mies Van Der Rohe and Le Corbusier.
Characteristics
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Retro chairs are characterized by bold and flowing shapes, using materials such as curved wood or chrome pipe. They are often in bold colors, such as bright red or green.
Famous Retro Chairs
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The Womb Chair, designed by Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, was the precursor of the Ball Chair and Egg Chair. It was so named because the designer said that it was so comfortable that it gave the security of being back in the womb. Another famous retro design is the Panton Chair, designed in the 1970s and using brightly-colored plastic and chrome.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of marya
