House in Progress: The Office Chair Conundrum

So here's the deal: I work from home as a freelance writer pretty much full-time. (Yeah, I know -- I'm lucky; but if you saw last year's tax return, you would not be jealous.)

At left is the Jules Chair from IKEA, in which I spend upwards of ten hours a day. I bought it because I thought it was cute, and it only cost $40. But I simply can't take it anymore. It's just not a proper work chair, and my back and tailbone are screaming in protest. I desperately need a functional, comfortable, and ergonomic desk chair.

But here's the thing: I think most desk chairs are kind of ugly -- even the coveted $949 Aeron Chair. Since my office is in my home, I can't bring myself to buy, and than have to look at, some ugly black-and-hard-plastic thing on wheels. So I'm on the hunt for a good desk chair that's also -- and this is key -- attractive.

I'd really like something in white or a poppy color or fun pattern. It absolutely has to have lower-back support and a padded (or at least pliable) seat. I'm tall, so it has to be height-adjustable, or at least be on the higher side. It doesn't need to be on wheels or to swivel, but those would be nice options. I'm hoping to keep it under $250.

Here are a few I've been looking at:

Perforated Airgo Chairs, $179, from Pottery Barn Teen.
Pros: These chairs come in white, light green, orange, light blue, and pink, and I love the polished armrests and base.
Cons: Those armrests don't actually look so comfortable. And my ass, sadly, is no longer teen-sized.

Lilly Office Chair, $169, from CB2.
Pros: Fresh and clean in white and chrome, and a great price.
Cons: I'm not sure what "pliable white Hirek® techno-polymer composite" is, but it doesn't look as cushy as I want.

Holden Chair, $249, from Crate + Barrel.
Pros: Comfortable, adjustable, and tasteful.
Cons: It's not black, but the color is still a bit too dull and masculine for me.

Swivel Leather Desk Chair, $299, from West Elm.
Pros: It looks cool and comfortable, and the seat is adjustable.
Cons: The color. I could've sworn West Elm had this in white the last time I looked, but now it's not there. $299 is also a little more than I'd hoped to spend.

Allak Chair, $80, from IKEA.
Pros: I sat in this at our local IKEA yesterday, and it's actually very comfortable. Plus, it's white, and the price can't be beat.
Cons: I don't really love the gathering on the leather seat, and the black plastic arms and base look cheap and cheesy.

Nominell Chair, $129, from IKEA.
Pros: I like this in green.
Cons: This is lacking armrests, and it's a bit on the slight side for all-day sitting.

Skruvsta Chair, $139, from IKEA.
Pros: I love the retro shape and the fun print (this comes in white, too).
Cons: It doesn't offer as much back support as a higher-backed chair would.

Patrik Chair, $179, from IKEA.
Pros: So cute.
Cons: I tried this on for size, and the seat is a tad narrow for my child-bearing hips.

Vitra Hula Hoop Chair, $915, from Design Public.
Pros: Super-stylin'.
Cons: The price -- no way am I paying this much for a chair, as cool as it may be. (Plus, the IKEA Skruvsta has a similar look for a lot less.)

Egoa Task Chairs, $648, from Design Within Reach.
Pros: Fun colors, elegantly slim profile.
Cons: The price.

Hudson Swivel Chair, $1,415, from DWR.
Pros: How cool is this in polished aluminum?
Cons: No padding. And the price.

Eames Aluminum Management Chair, $1,998, from DWR.
Pros: I love the fresh spring green leather (it also comes in white, orange, red, power blue, camel, and chocolate) and the polished base.
Cons: The price.

Have thoughts on these, or any other suggestions? Please post a comment and clue me in (and don't forget to include any relevant links). I'll let you all know what I ultimately decide.

Thanks!

eBay Find of the Day: Blanc de Chine Guanyin Lamps

See that cool Asian lamp on Nancy Drew's bedside table, below? I went on a hunt for something similar on eBay this morning, and bingo!

This pair of Blanc de Chine Guanyin figural lamps stand an impressive 20 inches tall. (FYI: Blanc de Chine is French for -- you guessed it -- white Chinese porcelain, and Guanyin is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.)

They're not in perfect shape (one of the figures is missing her thumb, and the other has a glued repair near the base). But they still cut striking figures and would look great with a set of flared pagoda-style shades in the color of your choice.

Current bid: $35 for the pair.

Set-Design Drool: Nancy Drew

Nick and I took the kids to see Nancy Drew this weekend, and I have to say, the sets were the best thing about the movie. (Even so, our daughter is now devouring her third Nancy Drew book in as many days, and anything that gets her excited about reading can't be all bad ... )

Taking place mostly in the fictional Draycott Mansion -- the formerly glamorous, now timeworn and supposedly haunted Hollywood Hills home of a movie star who died under suspicious circumstances decades earlier -- the set oozes old-style Hollywood elegance.

Production designer Tony Fanning modeled the mansion's interiors on the work of Billy Haines, decorator to many a silver-screen star from the late 1930s through the early '70s, including Joan Crawford, Carole Lombard, Gloria Swanson, and even Ronald Reagan. (If you're not familiar with Haines, be sure to check out the great book Class Act: William Haines Legendary Hollywood Decorator.)

The rooms feature lots of Blanc de Chine and other Asian accents, dark metallic finishes, silk and velvet fabrics, and ornate furniture (hallmarks of the current Hollywood Regency look popularized by designers like Kelly Wearstler). But all of it is washed in an aged, sepia tone that gives it the look and feel of a Hollywood that's long since disappeared.

In short, to die for. (The movie, though? Not so much.)

That's Random: The World's Ugliest Dog

Every year, the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California crowns a physiognomically-challenged canine with the dubious title of World's Ugliest Dog.

This year's winner: Elwood, a rescued Chinese Crested-Chihauahua mix from New Jersey.

Elwood may be homely beyond words, but his owner says he's beautiful on the inside. The Yoda lookalike puts his sparkling personality to work as a Good Will Ambassador for homeless and special-needs animals in his home state.

(Photo by Deanne Fitzmaurice, San Francisco Chronicle.)

Over and Out: The View From Here

This is the view from my desk at sunset. Nice, isn't it?

Even so, it's one I've been seeing a bit too much of lately. I think it's time to unplug and rejoin the human race for a few days.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Trendspotting: Mah-velous Melamine

Melamine tableware has been around forever (it was standard issue in military mess halls during World War II). But lately these lowly, lightweight plastic plates have taken on a decidedly glamorous look.

There are plenty of fun, kitschy designs out there, too, of course -- Pop Ink has some great ones, for instance. But these newer patterns are luxe enough to use for more formal occasions as well as for casual dining on the patio. (I recently trotted out my Working Class Studio Ironworks Plates -- below, $6 each -- for a dinner party and got nothing but compliments on them.)

So in honor of the official start of summer, here's a collection of melamine plates that will glam up your next picnic or barbecue -- and look just as great on a candlelit dinner table:

Jackie Shapiro French Bull Ring ($45 for four), Crush ($39 for four), and Mosaic Dinner Plates ($45 for four), available from Plum Party.

Bongenre's Winchester Mandala ($40 for four), Louis ($45 for four), Tangier Sun ($40 for four), Coral ($45 for four), and Wilde's Lacunuae ($45 for four) 12-Inch Plates.

Pop Ink Wallpaper Plates ($40 for four), available from Velocity Art and Design.

Fish Pond Buffet Plates ($24 for four), from Anthropologie.

Jonathan Adler Origami Salad Plate ($10), Peacock Salad Plate ($10), and Origami Dinner Plate ($14).

Thomas Paul Coral ($29 for four) and Folk ($36 for four) Dinner Plate Sets, available from Velocity Art and Design.

Thomas Paul Gothic Dinner Plates ($36 for four) and Gothic Tray ($18), available from Elsewares.

Metallic Spiral Salad Plates ($15 for six), Metallic Dinnerware Collection ($15 to 18), Fusion Dinner Plates ($24 for four), and Red/Gold Dinner Plates ($12 for three), from Target.

eBay Find of the Day: Sea Fans

Did you see the post on Karen Robertson's framed sea fans (pictured below) on the Katiedid blog? Robertson's tinted fans are so beautiful, but I have a feeling they cost a pretty penny.

Then the cheapskate in me recalled seeing dozens of dried sea fans on eBay for just a few bucks each. I like them just fine in their natural state, but I bet you could soak these fans in a little dyed water and dry them flat in the sun for a similar tinted effect.

Lay their delicate, lacy forms on a tabletop or dresser for a bit of contrasting texture and interest (the black specimen pictured above would look great against a light-colored surface, while the lighter Bahama fan shown here would look striking against deep-toned wood or another dark background).

Other ideas: Tuck the fans' stems into narrow-necked vases or bottles for an otherworldly display, or frame them as Robertson does to create unique, naturalist art for your walls.

Current bids: $6 and $11, respectively.

(By the way, if you don't already have Katiedid's lovely blog on your bookmarks list, click on over and check it out.)

Retail Therapy: I Spy Vintage Decor & More

Remember the great vintage store I mentioned, where we picked up our new credenza the other day?

Formerly the Drug Store on Mission, Lynnore Goldfarb's funky shop has a new name, I Spy Vintage Decor & More, and a new location on San Francisco's Market Street.

Neither fussily high-end nor secondhand skeeve, I Spy strikes the perfect balance for a vintage furnishings store: Its aesthetic leans toward the bold and slightly kitschy, but its selection is well edited and thoughtfully presented. The store features well-made, frequently signed items dating from the 1920s to the 1970s, with the emphasis on the latter half of that time span.

Housed in a shop formed by five adjoining rooms, the home-like space allows Goldfarb to create vignettes with her wares, topping Danish dining sets with midcentury pottery, ceramics, and glass, for instance, and grouping vintage sofas with complimentary lamps, occasional tables, textiles, and accessories.

One room serves as the I Spy Gallery, which is currently exhibiting contemporary work by artist Dana Robson (aka Aquarabbit). Other art includes flea market finds such as paint-by-numbers masterpieces, big-eyed Kewpies, and vintage botanicals, still lifes, abstracts.


I Spy's prices are fair -- it's not the place to bargain hunt, but you won't be scandalized by the price tags, either. Pottery and glassware is generally under $100; vintage draperies are about $200 a set; art and lighting ranges from $70 to several hundred dollars; and furnishings are a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, depending on vintage and provenance. More importantly, though, the shop's vibe is fun and friendly, and its wares colorful and interesting.

It may be just the place to find (as we did) that retro treasure you've been hunting down for ages, or to discover some little tchotchke that you didn't know you needed -- but that you can't leave without.

I Spy is located at 1845 Market Street (at Guerrero) and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12 to 7 p.m.; the phone number is 415-282-0544. I Spy's website isn't quite up and running yet, but you can check out the store's MySpace page here.

Update: I Spy is closing its doors as of August 30, 2007.