apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

thanks maxwell-

i was afraid i might need to save up ;) but thanks so much for the tips- and to anyone else who has some words of wisdom!

grace :)

grace--
Have you checked The Terence Conran Shop for similars?

cb2 used to have a wire chair, but I don't think it was black, and don't see it on the site anymore.

Take a look at SkyPad's Wire Chair - part of their SkyPad Classics collection. http://www.skypadfurniture.com/bycollection.html

Try calling Machine Age in Boston (617-482-0048). They are having a warehouse sale right now and might have some around (used) for cheap (sort of).

Hey Grace take a look here
http://tinyurl.com/mbpjp
for all the threads that Anne of Dallas posted in regarding a bunch of Bertoia chairs that her employer was throwing out. Not sure what the latest on them is but OP 174 seems to be the last time she mentioned them.

Definitely save up and get the real thing. Also, there's always the vintage route. I've got that Bertoia side chair (original with the tag still on the pad, black with a white pad, in mint condition) on layaway at an antiques store for $250. I KNOW if I can find it in Norfolk, VA you can find it in NYC. Go for the real thing!

I got ours off of Ebay for about $120. I was stoked to find such a good deal.

Agreed, save up and get the real thing when you can, get them one at a time and buy some cheap Ikea ones to stand in while you save up.

I have an Eames DKR Wire chair with Bikini Pad, i got it for my 21st.

See Eames chair here without pad

They're almost £600 new, so when i come to add some more, i will probably get the new version that has a plastic shell and the same Tower style legs. I think they're £160 each.

Sorry for the double Post, the Eames chair photo didn't show up. It's here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60069044@N00/148780152/in/set-72057594138488928/

thanks so much guys! these are great tips :)

grace

Grace, here are two more options:

http://www.modernreproductions.com/home.php?cat=7

$229 a piece.


http://www.inmod.com/wibachpasof4.html

Here is a set of 4 (painted only) for $535 ($134 each). Free shipping/No Tax. I've used them before and I recommend them highly. But that's if you don't mind red, black or white instead of chrome.

Ha. I just read your post more closely and that you wanted black. Bingo.

I say go for the real thing too. I saw two at a flea market a while back really cheap because the metal had quite a few rusty spots. Then, in this month's Domino they had an article on powder coating. You could always find three chairs in any condition, in any color and then just take them to a professional and have them all powder coated in glossy black.

Kris!

Good find! That's got to be the BEST BUY. Especially with the free shipping/no tax. Comes with cushions too (but they don't show the cushions).

I think it would be fun to mix/match cushions with those chairs, especially with the black chair.

I bought four Chair One's (Konstantin Grcic) for my kitchen table and love them. And they do come in black...

Don't know how much they are in the US though...

Good luck.

I have one of Bertoia's side chairs, and as cool as it looks, it's not very comfortable, even with the pad. If you sit on it very long you feel like your butt is being squashed into a waffle-maker.

As a more comfortable, and probably cheaper, alternative, I suggest Saarinen's side or armchair. You can find these on Ebay and at NY flea markets... they were made by Knoll and I think tons of offices used them, judging by how many I see around. These are so beautiful, I think. And comfortable enough to use as extra seating in your living room if you need them.

Here's a couple of examples:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PAIR-of-Vintage-KNOLL-SAARINEN-71-SERIES-CHAIRS_W0QQitemZ6630508122QQcategoryZ63568QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/KNOLL-SAARINEN-DINING-CHAIRS-EXCELLENT-COND-PAIR_W0QQitemZ6630691107QQcategoryZ63568QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-of-Original-Saarinen-KNOLL-Chairs-for-Swedish-NK_W0QQitemZ6629925484QQcategoryZ63568QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

So sexy these should be X-Rated:
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Saarinen-Knoll-Vinyl-Fiberglass-Chairs-Eames-Era_W0QQitemZ240000001765QQcategoryZ63568QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

A side note about Bertoia: if you ever have a chance to visit Cornell's art museum in Ithaca, NY, go see it, it's a real architectural gem. Designed by I.M. Pei, up in the mountains with amazing views all around. Near the entrance is a metal sculpture by Bertoia that consists of tall slender vertical rods, anchored in some kind of heavy base. The rods are flexible enough to gently bump into each other when blown by the wind, which creates these ongoing ethereal-sounding musical tones you can hear throughout the museum. After a while you start to feel like you're in heaven. (Although maybe the museum employees are sick of the sound and they feel like they're hell, haha).

Grace,

Depending how far down the knock off trail you're willing to go, White furniture on Essex (between Delancy and Houston) carries Bertoia wire chairs.

I picked up a surprisingly well made diamond chair on sale there for $85.

i picked up a chrome bertoia on ebay that has dark green upholstery - does anyone know anything about removing this cover? if i take it off, will i be able to change my mind and put it back on???

also, i tried to go the 'knock-off' route but i just couldn't get over how high the back is on the fakies.. imo, it completely changes the look and balance of the chair.

Why spend that much money on a Fake? Seriously, who buys fakes knowing they are fakes?

If i saw a Bertoia Side, Diamond or Bird chair in someone's house, i'd go "Wow that's a..." and the conversation starts. "No, it's a fake" they say. Suddenly it's stopped again.

Go genuine if you can, cos even if they're old, they're always better made and oddly enough, better designed, usually more comfortable and sturdy. If it's not genuine, you might as well just buy something from Ikea, it's probably got a higher "value".

I'm not a design classic snob, i just don't see the point in buying something cheap that's passing itself off as something that's not. lol.

i'm glad someone else admitted they are not comfortable. good looking: yes. inducive to relaxing, stretched out entertaining and feeling mellow: no. or is this the equivalent of women suffering for beauty / fashion??

I had them for years, and beautiful but uncomfortable. My guests always complained.

e, they don't even LOOK comfortable. How about that summer furniture that has the plastic cords going back and forth. Also looks interesting, but isn't comfortable either.

I still like my magnificent POANGs from IKEA. I did a Goldilocks many times, both in IKEA and other stores. POANG fits me and my needs.

I wouldn't mind having one of the above chairs...in miniature form, in a case, so I wouldn't have to clean it. I could look at it and admire the form without having to visit a specialist for the strange grooves and bruises on my rear end thanks to the chair and sitting too long.

I have a Poang too, it's a completely different kidna chair.

The Bertoia and Eames chairs are side-chairs, for sitting at a table or desk to do something for a short period of time.

Poang is an easy chair, made for lounging infront of the TV and bouncing on.

You might as well compare it to a Sofa or a waterbed lol.

Check out the Bertoia Bird Chair, it's made in the same way as the side chair - that is a competitor for Poang, and it is a MILLION times more comfortable and a THOUSAND times better looking. It's also £1600 vs £90? for Poang lol

Pretty doesn't mean more uncomfortable. My Magis Air Chairs are much better than the Ikea ripoffs that are half price. :)

Check today's scavenger for two chairs. They are the diamond ones, but maybe they will work for you?

FYI: You can find awesome seat cushions for the Bertoia wire chair at http://www.bertoipads.com at a very affordable $109...they also have diamond chair pads for $129. A steal.

oh, and you can order really cool bikini upholstery for Eames wire chair mentioned above at: http://www.eamesbikini.com

Cheers!

whoops, typo, that's:
http://www.bertoiapads.com

I think that beyond the glutius waffle press uncomfortability aspect of the bertoia side chairs, there is also the fact that they are uncomfortable to sit in because of their shape. The back is placed at a strange angle and too low-they're just poorly designed. This is not the case with any of the other bertoia wire chairs-the bird chair and the diamond chair are fantasticly comfortable even without pads or upholstery. Better than a womb chair. I think senor bertoia just missed it on the side chairs.

Al little late, but I think I have a good alternative: 4 black wire chairs by Cees Braakman for Pastoe, the Netherlands.

http://www.pearlsofdesign.nl/exchange/smat_item.php?p_artnr=20060126002

Did you find anything else already?

greets Paulien

Great Knock offs here for $162.00

http://www.chairs1000.com/Side-Wire-Chair-Bertoia.htm

Hi Grace!

I love this Wire chair too.

Here there is a Modern Furniture website with very good price: $247.00