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Redecorating The White House

January 25, 2009 By now you probably know that interior designer Michael S. Smith, designer to the stars, has been picked by the Obamas to redecorate the private quarters of the White House.  "He takes classic modern and he makes it usable to people today," says Key Hall, chief executive of the fabric house Cowtan & Tout. "His homes are very inviting and very livable."
Michael S. Smith is also the interior designer to John Thain, ex-Merrill Lynch CEO, about whom Susan Dickenson wrote, in Redecorating on a Bail-out Budget, spent $1.2 million redesign his office.  She is flabbergasted at the cost of the items: a $15,000 sofa, two guest chairs for $87,000, etc.  You could buy all the inventory on our 4,000 square foot showroom floor for the price of the two chairs!

I came across Chicago interior designer Alessandra Branca who has a vision for the third floor in the White House which was added on by President Coolidge in the 1920s. 

...the light-filled room now known as the Solarium has been used as a tea parlor for first ladies and was transformed into a classroom for Caroline Kennedy. President Eisenhower barbecued on a grill on the flat roof outside; the Carter family was known to sunbathe there.

His plan would emphasize American made furnishings including a Klismos chair made in Chicago.  I described the Klismos chair back in 2007 here.  What peaked my curiosity was Branca's inclusion of a 'Bobbin Armchair."

The bobbin armchair, a revival of early 17th century Jacobean furniture, is fast becoming an interior-design staple.

I had never heard of a bobbin chair.  A little research turned up this picture:

Described as a 19th Century unique hand-carved beechwood bobbin armchair with turned legs, arms and back, standing on front casters with gorgeous leather upholstered seat, back cushions and armrests bordered in nail-head trim

Do you have any information on the Bobbin Armchair?  We'd love to read more.  You can comment directly or wemail me at landfair3554@comcast.net

Posted by Mike Landfair on January 25, 2009 | Comments (4)