The concept of hospitality furniture encompasses a wide range of products: reception seating, funky chairs, comfortable beds, versatile tables, to name a few. And these aren’t confined to a just a hotel’s interior space, it also extends to its outdoor areas, including the poolside. Chairs especially have a significant influence on contributing to guests’ poolside experience. Lounging by the pool in a comfortable chair, soaking up the sun’s rays, sipping a cool drink – now that’s a relaxing scenario.
Something that made ripples in the furniture design industry recently was the news that the celebrated New York architect and interior designer David Rockwell debuted a furniture line called Uni Form for Appoggi. He created the collection especially for the poolside areas of Aloft, a planned chain of hotels owned by the Starwood Hotels group.
The pieces in this indoor-outdoor collection – a club chair, ottoman, and bar stool – are constructed from woven recycled nylon fiber supported by steel frames. They are available in solid white and stripes, but plans are intact for the introduction of a burnt-orange rendition. According to Rockwell, his pieces aren’t only designed for comfortable seating; they actually encourage the user to “shlump back and relax.” And with the ottoman, obviously to put up his or her feet too.
Another example of modern hotel chairs suitable for shlumping back and relaxing is the GM Voido SD12 rocking chair designed by Ron Arad. Available in warm orange or cool grey, it is made of polyethylene, making it safe for outdoor use. Remember that image of lounging by the poolside in the sun, sipping a cold drink? Well, it just gets better when you add the ability to rock safely in your chair. The GM Voido SD12 has the following measurements:
- Height: 78 cm
- Seat Height: 50 cm
- Width: 58 cm
- Depth: 114 cm
Looking at these creations by Rockwell and Arad, it isn’t hard to agree that these chairs weren’t made just for sitting.
