Tub Chair

Contrary to how it may sound the tub chair does not refer to a chair that’s used in a bathtub. It actually refers to the design of the chair. It is created to be somewhat barrel shaped in appearance, which is why it looks like a tub. The arms of the chair generally curve outward to create a flowing movement in the design. The chairs are made to be upholstered pieces and are used as traditional easy chairs. They are available in many fabric patterns and can be made of leather also.

You can also find plastic tub chairs. Some of these models are similar to a stool design as they have a pedestal type of base. The pedestal style is very reminiscent of the 60’s era and would fit in with a retro styled room. Most of the pieces are made to fit one person or are singles, but you can purchase a double that will fit two people. You can also have them custom upholstered with your choice of fabric. The prices of these chairs depend on the style and fabric used in the construction. They range from $50 to over $100 and can be found at most home furnishing stores.

A tub chair is a deep chair that is semicircular in form. The back of a tub chair has an elegant curve similar to the curve of an old-fashioned claw-foot bathtub. The arms are an extension of the back of the chair. These are beautiful, comfortable, and popular chairs, and they can be found new and used, with various types of upholstery and coverings.

It is no wonder that tub chairs are highly coveted for an Art Deco look. Art Deco, the popular design movement that ran from roughly 1925 to 1940, had its influence on industrial design, architecture, and interior design as well as film, graphic arts, and other visual arts. The three main adjectives that describe Art Deco style are modern, functional, and elegant. One could use those same words to describe the tub chair, even though its history dates to far earlier than the Art Deco movement.

One furniture designer whose name is associated with the Art Deco look tub chair is Josef Hoffman, even though he came from a slightly earlier era. Hoffman taught at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. Hoffman's later Koller Chair, from 1911, has a strong Art Deco look, and is in fact very similar to the tub chair of today. Even the earliest tub chairs of the French courts of the 17th and 18th centuries had a look that would be at home in an Art Deco style statement. Its clean lines and curves show a simplicity that is both functional and elegant.

Whether done in fabric or leather, tub chairs make a great addition to any Art Deco theme. Done in classic Italian leather with high density foam cushioning, few pieces of furniture can match the classic tub chair for comfort and understated luxury. And the best part is, if the decor changes, there's a very good chance these versatile chairs will look just as at home in its new surroundings.

The tub chair was used in the French courts of the 1700s. But even before that time, a furniture maker in Boston named George Bright made a similar chair that were used in Boston's state house. These were about one meter high, and maybe 65 cm deep. In other words, they were not as wide as they were deep. The tub chair closest to the one that is still so popular today was found in the court of King Louis XV, where it was a chair that was solely for the comfort and enjoyment of royalty. The style grew in popularity and became a staple in higher class pubs and clubs throughout Europe.

As the tub chair grew in popularity, it became smaller and more portable. In America, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York were the lucky places that had the style first. The high back of the oldest tub chairs descended until it was more of an armchair, or "easy chair" style, but it took longer to catch on in America than it did in Europe, where the English and the French fancied it most. However, today, the tub chair is found worldwide in many incarnations, and is constantly being modified and adapted to every kind of lifestyle.

Tub chairs can be fantastically comfortable. Made correctly, a tub chair can support the back muscles and help in spinal relaxation. And their high level of comfort is matched by their great beauty and ability to fit into any style decor. Once mostly favored by older people and those with spinal problems, they are found today in households of every description and used by people of all ages.

Tub chairs can be found in just about every type of furniture store and in some mass retailers. They are also sold over the internet, and are sold used on auction sites like eBay. But don't equate "used" with "cheap." A pair of Eames tub chairs from the 1960s can fetch well over $2,000! The two main "divisions" of tub chairs are fabric tub chairs and leather tub chairs.

While less expensive than their leather cousins, fabric tub chairs are nonetheless elegant, stylish, and radiate understated luxury. The most modern fabric tub chairs are rather minimalist in design, but that means that they are extremely versatile in terms of decor, looking right at home in a formal living room, a casual den or a luxurious bedroom. They don't take up a lot of space, either, and their clean lines can visually enlarge a space. Though you'll often see tub chairs in furniture stores paired, with a low coffee table between them, they don't necessarily have to function that way in your home.

Be sure to sit in any fabric tub chair that you might want to buy, so you can make sure it is comfortable enough to use. Take a close look at the upholstery to check for flaws or tears. Some people make their fabric tub chairs even more versatile by making or buying fabric slip covers for them. This can be a great way to update a tub chair that shows some wear, and it can also be a great way to change the look of a tub chair to suit the room or the season.

Leather tub chairs are the most popular. If they are made from high quality leather and are cared for properly, they can last through multiple generations. In fact, they tend to get more beautiful with age. They are also generally more expensive than fabric tub chairs. If you want to buy a leather tub chair, you should of course sit in it and make sure that it is comfortable and fits you well. Check out the quality of the leather used. Coverings made of cheaper leather will eventually break and crack. If high quality leather is used, there is usually a slight leather smell to the chair. Although you can get tub chairs made with faux leather, they will tend not to age as well, so consider how long you may want to keep it.

Tags underneath the chair will tell what quality leather was used, whether it was full grain or top grain. Full grain is the better quality, and it does show off the hide's natural imperfections, but that is what gives a great leather chair its character. Top grain leather has usually been treated to make it stretch further, so it won't look as "natural" as full grain leather. Sometimes top leather is stamped with marks that look like imperfections to make it look like higher quality leather. Additionally, because tanning done on less expensive hides removes natural oils, the leather will generally not hold up as well over time as full grain leather.

Lower quality leather will often be dyed to achieve a look that is more like full grain leather. But as a rule of thumb, if a hide has had more processing done on it, it is more likely to split or crack. Tub chairs made with full grain leather will tend to age gracefully and hold up beautifully if they are cared for properly.

The Kohler Club tub chair is designed to mimic the style of designer Mela Kohler, a famous artist of the Art Deco era. For those who think they want a tub chair, but aren't sure where to begin, then the Kohler Club tub chair is a good place to start. They retail for about $500 and are leather covered with high density foam cushioning. They can be had in chestnut brown or black leather with wood feet stained espresso brown. The seat is 19 inches off the floor, and the entire chair is 32.5 inches tall. The span between the arms is 28.75 inches at the widest point and 25.5 inches at the narrowest, for a graceful curved back.

The Kohler Club tub chair is covered with American cow-hide leather that is treated with semi-aniline dye, which permeates deeply into the leather. This gives the leather a "self-repair" quality where leather scratches can be repaired by heating the scratched area to allow the dye to bleed into the scratch. The final polyurethane coating on the leather means that ordinary maintenance only involves wiping the chair down with a damp cloth. 

The leather covering is stitched using double line stitching with high tensile thread. The evenness of the stitching speaks of high quality manufacturing processes. These chairs also feature mortise and tenon joints in the corner blocks. High density foam makes for a firm yet comfortable seat. Between the foam and the underside of the leather is a protective material called Fortrell that protects the leather from chafing on the foam and is also a fire retardant.