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At home, you want to relax in a comfortable environment, feeling coziness around you. A mandatory attribute for its creation is upholstered furniture. The sofas and armchairs presented in stores are not always satisfactory in design or quality, not to mention the current prices. Alternatively, you can make a chair with your own hands, which is guaranteed to meet all individual preferences. Sizes, upholstery tone and level of softness - everything can be chosen to your liking, resulting in a designer piece of furniture.
Why is the English chair named after Voltaire?
The Voltaire chair is a classic of the English style. In fact, it resembles a throne - deep, with a high back, voluminous armrests and protrusions at the top that resemble ears. Hence the names - chair with ears or wing chair. That's what it's called more often in the West.
The Voltaire chair first appeared in England in the 17th century for the elderly. “Ears” on the back of the chair protected them from drafts. A little later it became clear that the chair was an ideal match for the fireplace: the long back retains heat for a long time and protects from sparks from the logs. Because of this, it is also called fireplace. In Russia, it became a fashionable piece of furniture during the Catherine era and coincided with the popularity of Voltaire. At that time the philosopher was already ill and confined to a chair. Since then, the name Voltaire chair has been assigned to this piece of furniture. In fact, it bears little resemblance to the one in which Voltaire sat.
This is interesting:
Houdon’s famous sculpture “Voltaire Seated in a Chair” appeared by order of Catherine II.
Now the marble sculpture can be seen in the Hermitage. Sculptural portrait of Voltaire in Houdon's chair
What distinguishes the Voltaire chair from others: features
Pink fireplace chair by the dining table
There are many types of English armchairs, but each has common features that distinguish them from others:
- Size
. Almost all Voltaire chairs are oversized. The main detail that gives the chair volume is the high back. It is designed to ensure that the neck rests comfortably on the chair.
- Wings - ears.
The ears on the sides of the chair really resemble butterfly wings. Straight, curly, with wooden carvings and all kinds of decor - today there are many types and shapes.
- Low convex legs
. As with “wings,” there are many types of fireplace chair legs. They can be different both in material (wooden, metal, rubber) and in shape (curved, straight, carved). The common feature is that they are all short.
- Deep seat
. The fireplace chair is distinguished by its depth, primarily for convenience. It is easy to sit in such a chair, and there is no desire to get out of it.
- Decor
. The Voltaire chair, among other things, is distinguished by its unique decor. For example, the armrests are decorated in a circle with a stitch of decorative molding, and the backrests are made quilted
This is interesting:
Leo Tolstoy often mentioned Voltaire's chair in his novels, which proves its long-standing popularity.
“War and Peace”: Subsequently, the “eared” chair began to evolve, acquiring the features of a new era - a folding table for epistolary creativity, a folding footrest for greater comfort.
“Adolescence”: Grandmother is becoming weaker day by day; her bell, the voice of the grumpy Gasha and the slamming of doors are heard more often in her room, and she no longer receives us in the office, in a Voltaire chair, but in the bedroom, in a high bed with pillows trimmed with lace.
Blue armchair with ears in the living room
English tapestry chair
How to make a chair with your own hands
Before starting work, you need to decide on the dimensions of the finished product and think about the inclination of the slats. To make patterns, you will need cardboard: the template will be useful for cutting out frame parts, preparing the foam filling and drawing up a pattern for the cover. How to make a children's and adult chair from foam rubber with your own hands?
Based on the drawings, a template of the chair parts is made.
Important: the height of a standard chair is 1 m (sometimes 120 cm). Diameter – 30 cm (bottom bottom), 15 cm (top bottom)
The standard height of a child seat is no more than 60 cm, diameters are 25 and 11 cm.
A child seat has its own parameters.
Preparing all the details
Based on calculations and drawings, it is necessary to create templates for parts on cardboard. Wooden elements are cut out with a jigsaw. Even wooden parts hidden under filling and upholstery should be sanded and treated with stain so that the furniture lasts longer.
Wooden parts are cut out with a jigsaw.
Particular attention should be paid to the end parts: they are impregnated with drying oil. If bends are provided, they can be achieved by splitting the fibers with a hammer.
Foam rubber and fabric parts must be cut according to the template.
Assembling the frame
The main parts of the frame are connected to each other (starting with the side slats and the back), and then additionally fastened with a metal rim or furniture ties. Screws are used to secure the rims.
When making the frame, all parts are connected to each other.
The finished base must be covered. Any wear-resistant fabric is suitable for finishing the back panel. (secure with wide-headed wallpaper nails).
The upholstery must be secured to the base.
The interior of the chair (seat, backrests, armrests) is lined with foam rubber. It can be secured with furniture glue, but for greater reliability it should be riveted along the contour with nails or ties. The upholstery is fastened along the edge, along the transverse parts.
The inner part is lined with foam rubber.
Important! For maximum reliability, the fastening points are treated with wood glue.
The finished chair is covered with furniture fabric.
Making a case
Before sewing the cover, you need to take measurements of the width and height of all structural elements: seat, armrests, borders, backrest. Using ready-made measurements, based on the remaining templates, prepare the details: transfer the patterns to graph paper, attach to the fabric with safety pins and trace. Add allowances of 15-20 cm.
Before sewing a cover, you need to measure all design parameters.
For the armrests you will need two patterns: external and internal. The fragments are connected on fabric folded in half. The seam lines of the longitudinal thread should be marked with chalk.
For the armrests you will have to make two separate patterns.
Important: the intended seam area can be covered with ruffles from the bottom edge of the fabric (ruffle length 1.3 cm).
The blanks for the armrest and the outer part of the backrest must be folded with the edges outward, and the seams must be drawn. Along the marked lines, the internal and external parts are connected.
Internal patterns are made with a margin of 20 cm on each side.
Blanks are made with a small margin.
Attach the parts for the inside of the back and seat to the furniture with pins to determine the location of the seams.
The parts of the case are fastened with pins.
The finished parts are sewn together with a margin, so that later you can “adjust” the size of the cover using darts and gathers.
Decoration
The best way to decorate a chair is with cute pillows of different sizes. Sewing them is simple and quick. These can be miniature thoughts of different shapes, sewn from the same material as the cover/upholstery or other fabric. For example, bright pillows are perfect for a plain, light-colored chair.
The best decoration for a chair is various pillows.
You can decorate the cover with sewn-on ruffles and frills. Usually they are sewn to the bottom of the cover, as well as along the edge of the furniture itself.
What kind of interior is an English style chair suitable for?
A chair with ears will fit into any interior. Today there are countless interpretations of Voltaire’s chairs. There are so many of them that everyone can find their own option for any interior.
Yellow armchair with ears in a bright living room interior
Retro style
Retro style is primarily textiles with bright prints: polka dots, floral patterns, etc. The modern English Papa Bear chair will fit perfectly into the retro style of the 80s, and the choice of upholstery depends only on your imagination.
Voltaire chair in retro style
Provence style
For the Provence style, a classic fireplace chair with a straight back is suitable. As for the upholstery, it is better to stick to light shades - light beige, powder pink, soft blue, etc.
Voltaire armchair in Provence style
In classic interiors
For such luxurious styles as Empire, classicism, baroque, the most traditional versions of Voltaire armchairs are suitable. Carved wooden legs, velvet or leather upholstery look perfect in a rich setting. The color of the furniture is burgundy, dark blue, brown and other deep colors that will complement the interior. The higher the back of the chair, the better.
Voltaire armchair in Empire style
Country style
Even with the rustic country charm, a chair with ears will fit perfectly, especially if the chair is upholstered using the patchwork technique (this is a technique for sewing things from scraps of fabric).
Advice:
Collect all your old clothes (blankets, jeans, shirts, etc.) and use them to make upholstery or a blanket for a chair.
Voltaire armchair in country style patchwork technique
Scandinavian style
For calm Scandinavian interiors, a chair made of soft upholstery (velor, velvet, linen, chintz) without unnecessary details is suitable. And due to its varied shape and design, it can be a bright accent and a comfortable chair in any room.
Soft English armchair in the living room
Loft style
In the loft style, a chair with ears can exist in many versions. For example, a leather English chair with a stand will not seem too large in the spaciousness of the loft style.
English armchair with footrest in loft style
Voltaire armchair in loft style
In English style
The English style is the birthplace of the chair with “wings,” so any interpretation of it will be welcome here. But a voluminous leather Voltaire chair with a quilted back and always with wooden trim fits especially harmoniously into an English interior.
Voltaire chair in English style
Dimensions
Dimensions of different models:
- The seat width is about 60 cm, the depth is between 70–90 cm (if the chair is made independently, for convenience, the seat is often turned into a square with a side of 60–70 cm);
- The height of the seat relative to the floor is about 50 cm, the height of the backrest is up to 1.1–1.2 m (these are the parameters for chairs in the classic English style). For regular Bergers, the dimensions are reduced to 40 cm and 70 cm, respectively; for Bergers with a curl, the height of the seat and back is almost the same - about 50 cm.
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These dimensions guarantee the fireplace chairs strength and stability, and as a result, durability. The dimensions have been tested over several centuries of their operation. The invariability of the design greatly simplifies the task for those who want to make fireplace chairs with their own hands - the drawings are easy to find in the public domain. Although the work itself is quite a difficult task. What appears to be a single piece of wood from the outside is, on the inside, a combination of timbers that provide the necessary strength and weight distribution.
Features of the English style
English style in the living room interior
English style in the interior is a combination of two eras in the interior: Victorian and Gregorian. Such interiors have everything for a measured life: large English armchairs for long tea, large fireplaces for warm evenings and wooden cabinets for traditional tableware. Since then, fashion has changed, but the traditions of this style remain.
- Lots of things and furniture.
The English interior does not stand on ceremony with space; there are cabinets, armchairs, coffee tables, bookcases, figurines, etc. everywhere. The main thing is the thing, not the space.
- Wood finishing.
The texture of natural materials brings coziness, which is what the English style is famous for.
- 50 shades of brown.
Due to the wooden finishing, there are many shades of brown in the interior (terracotta, ocher, beige and other palettes)
- Abundance of textiles.
The bed in an English interior is covered with a quilted blanket, the windows are covered with thick curtains, and pillows with small floral prints are placed on the sofa.
- Open storage systems.
Materialism in the English style is one of the main features. Porcelain mugs, photographs, vintage globes - everything should be open to view.
English style in the bedroom interior
Where and how to put an English chair in an apartment
To make the fireplace chair truly cozy, it is important to know where and how to place it. Otherwise, it will only make the space heavier.
Modern brown Voltaire chair
In the kitchen
If the kitchen has space for a large kitchen table, then English chairs with “wings” will definitely fit. To prevent them from weighing down the space, it is better to place the chairs at the ends, and choose the rest of the dining chairs in the same style. For example, legs of the same tree and color.
Advice:
In order for the furniture at the dining table to look harmonious, the backs of the chairs should be lower than the backs of the chairs. And the armrests of the chair should be lower than the table level, so the upholstery on the chair will not deteriorate.
Voltaire chair in the kitchen
In the living room
An English armchair in the living room will fit into the interior, both solo and in pairs. If everything is clear with one chair - place it near the sofa, window or in an empty corner, then if there are two chairs - it is better to follow the rules:
- It is better to place two different Voltaire armchairs between a coffee table, so they will create a common furniture composition;
How to place two different Voltaire armchairs in the living room
- It is better to place two paired armchairs with ears next to each other, so they will replace the sofa;
How to place two identical Voltaire armchairs in the living room
- It is better to place two Voltaire armchairs by the fireplace on a half-side, so that the “wings” will protect from the sparks of the logs and retain heat.
White modern Voltaire armchairs in the living room by the fireplace
In the bedroom
In the bedroom, a “winged” chair can be placed at one of the bedside tables or at the dressing table.
Voltaire armchair in the bedroom near the bedside table
How to place a Voltaire chair in the bedroom
Materials of manufacture and types of legs
The element of furniture that attracts attention is the legs. They are:
- Straight. The classic version has no bends, the same average thickness, the height does not change.
- Curved. There are even two bends, the legs resemble the letter S. It is characterized by abundant decor in the form of wood carvings. The legs are chiseled, rather thin, slightly thicker at the bottom, turning into some kind of animal paw. This chair looks very elegant and graceful.
- Slanted. They are attached to the body at a slight angle and can be flat or drop-shaped. They look quite massive. On modern models, they are often made of chrome-plated steel.
- Combined. The front legs are curved, richly decorated, the hind legs are simple, straight. The chair looks most impressive when viewed from the side.
- Globular. They are mounted only on Bergers; they are short and straight. A small hemisphere rests on the floor.
- In the form of stands. Such elements are used for the “Egg” and “Swan” chairs. The single straight leg, gradually expanding, turns into a semicircular (less often cruciform) base.
- In the form of a cross. Option exclusively for gaming chairs. They have one leg and a five-pointed crosspiece on wheels.
The frame of classic fireplace chairs with “ears” is made of solid wood (birch, pine, ash, beech, larch), so they are massive and cannot be cheap. For elite models, oak, rosewood, mahogany, and teak are used. Chairs of modern design have a metal or fiberglass frame. Craftsmen who want to make a piece of furniture themselves often replace wood with plywood, fiberboard or chipboard.
Stages of making a bean bag chair with your own hands, tips for filling
Direct
Curved
Oblique
Combined
Globular
In the form of a stand
In the form of a cross
The main requirements for upholstery are strength and tensile strength. The following materials are used to make chairs:
- Genuine Leather. When using it, an already expensive chair becomes even more expensive. The material is wear-resistant, easy to care for, but is resistant to scratches and shrinks when exposed to heat. You should not place it so that the fireplace portal is very close and directly opposite.
- Faux leather. In terms of presentation and performance characteristics it is not inferior to natural ones, but costs significantly less. Often has a special coating that protects it from water and dirt.
- Tapestry. Cotton fabric of very dense weaving with complex patterns lasts a long time without losing its presentability, only the colors fade slightly.
- Flock. Mostly synthetic with the addition of natural fibers. Affordable, the surface is soft and pleasantly fleecy to the touch. A definite plus is the wide variety of textures and colors. The upholstery will not be damaged if there is a cat or dog in the house.
- Velours. The texture resembles flock, but it looks more solid and noble, but it is difficult to care for, wears out quickly, and gets dirty easily.
- Jacquard. Material with a dense embossed texture. It consists of multi-colored threads that form beautiful patterns or designs. It is wear-resistant and durable.
- Chenille. Very dense fabric with short pile, consists of a mixture of natural and synthetic fibers.
- Microfiber. An analogue of natural suede, it has a special Teflon coating to protect against pet claws. The fabric is wear-resistant and pleasant to the touch.
Since fireplace chairs are relatively narrow, almost the entire seat and back are in contact with the human body. With frequent use of a piece of furniture, soft “loose” fabrics (velvet, velor, wool) quickly wear out and it loses its presentability.
Genuine Leather
Faux leather
Tapestry
Flock
Velours
Jacquard
Chenille
Microfiber
