Chair Design

The parsons chairs origins can be traced back to designs at The Parsons School in Paris. These basic concepts appeared in the late 19th and early 20th century. Carrington Court has been in business for 20 years and we've been making variations of our parsons chairs, dining chairs and accent chairs since we started. Over the years we have been involved in a process of constant tweaking, with minor modifications as well as changes due to advancement in furniture building techniques. Looking back, the same basic concepts are still there, but the look and quality of our modern chairs have made great advances.

Of course the greatest change over time has come in fabrics. Just as shag carpeting was popular in the 70s, certain fabric styles come and go (and sometimes come back again). This is also true with arm chairs, reception chairs, skirted chairs and even finishes. Furniture follows trends just like any other fashion industry.

Current designs focus on a few specific areas:

Skirts

Carrington Court offers a wide selection of skirts. The variety offers you the ability to pick a skirt that exactly matches the theme of your room. Selecting the right skirt and fabric combination can create a look that appeals to those interested in casual, formal or contemporary chair styles. We offer the following skirt selections:

Kick-Pleat - This is a basic four panel skirt with pleats on each corner. This is our most popular skirt choice and depending on fabric selection can work in just about any type of environment.

Box-Pleat - The skirt features pleats at each corner as well as on the center of each panel. This type of skirt works in both casual and formal atmospheres.

Triple-Pleat Skirt - This design is similar to the Kick-Pleat Skirt, with the exception of having 3 pleats at each corner. This style is often used in formal settings.

Corner Ruffle - This is a simple design that features ruffled pleats in each corner. A skirt with corner ruffles is general used in casual settings and looks very good with country-casual typed themes.

Ruffled Skirt - Often referred to as a gathered skirt. It has a variety of applications. This type of chair skirt has a feminine quality and is often used in girls' bedrooms, vanities and baths.

Striped Skirt - A modified kick-pleat skirt with a contrasting horizontal band of fabric attached to the bottom. This skirt is great for rooms where you are trying to bring out several colors. The contrast can be used to accentuate colors in the room or contrast the main fabric on the chair.

Scalloped Skirt - This is really two skirts in one. There is a base skirt with a scalloped skirt applied over it. The design allows a "scalloped" view of the underskirt, which can be made in a contrasting color. This skirt is very unique and it's design helps to liven up a room that has a lot of horizontal and vertical lines.

Legs

We also have a large selection of leg styles for both skirted and non-skirted chairs. Once again, the leg styles mixed with different skirts, finishes, fabrics and backs allow for an almost unlimited number of variations to suite your unique tastes.

Fully Upholstered Legs - This is a hallmark of the parsons chair. Fully upholstered legs are standard on skirted parsons chairs.

Finished Legs - We currently offer 3 leg finishes for dining chairs:

• Tapered - This type of leg works well in contemporary settings.
• Chippendale - Mostly used in formal settings. This leg also has decorative stretchers that run between each. With the right finish it can work in almost any setting.
• Queen Anne - This is a classic style and is one of our best sellers. The elegant, curving lines of this leg looks great in any room. A Queen Anne chair can add a touch of class to any venue.

Finishes

We have carefully selected a variety of finished to help complement any decor. We also do custom matching for an extra fee. Finishes offered:

• Brown Cherry
• Red Cherry
• Fruitwood
• Natural Maple
• Black Matte
• White Matte

Casters

For an extra fee we can add brass casters to any chair upholstered legs. This makes for great mobility on hardwood floors.

Customization

For those people who want a truly want something different, we have the ability to make basic customization to most of our chair styles. Customization of parsons and dining chairs are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and additional charges are usually required. The following list contains the most frequent modifications we make.

Customers Own Material - You send in your own material and we upholster your order with it.

Contrast - This is the use of a contrasting on any region of the chair. Most contrasting is done in the welt, border and skirt.

Fringe / Tassels - We can add fringe or tassels to many areas of the chair. Fringe is often used on the skirt. Tassels are used in pleat areas and corners of the back of the chair.

Modifications to the Back Height - We can change the back height on many designs. However, there are some limitations. If the back height is raised too high or too low, the chair may seem out of proportion. If the back height is raised above 41 inches increased shipping charges may be required.

Modification to the Seat Height - This is often done by a variety of methods, but generally speaking the seat height can be raised or lowered an inch or so.

It is our goal to help you get exactly what you have been searching for. Our designs have been created to offer you the ability to put together various elements to come up with something that is right for your home. If you have an idea or have seen a style that you would like us to consider, please call one of our consultants to see if we can be of help to you.