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Adirondack Chairs
Relax Outdoors In These Classic Seats
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
I was trying to find a few bits about the history of the Adirondack chair today before writing this book, and one sentence from good old Wikipedia jumped out at me:
Adirondacking is a term used in the southern U.S. to describe public picnics at which people sit primarily in Adirondack chairs. It is also used to describe using public Adirondack-chair displays outside home-improvement and grocery stores as a leisure break while shopping.
I CHALLENGE! I've lived in the Southeastern United States for half of my life and I've never heard this. Seriously, have you ever heard someone say they were "Adirondacking"? And if so, were they talking about going up to Blue Mountain Lake for a vacation or picnicking in a cumbersome chair in Georgia? Or are they saying "Hey Honey, let's go up to Home Depot and go Adirondacking so we can people watch all of the parking lot action"? Who writes this stuff and why do they think they can just make up weird verbs? Ah well, they are still great looking chairs. Here are a bunch of them in different styles, placed in different settings from around Houzz.
Adirondacking is a term used in the southern U.S. to describe public picnics at which people sit primarily in Adirondack chairs. It is also used to describe using public Adirondack-chair displays outside home-improvement and grocery stores as a leisure break while shopping.
I CHALLENGE! I've lived in the Southeastern United States for half of my life and I've never heard this. Seriously, have you ever heard someone say they were "Adirondacking"? And if so, were they talking about going up to Blue Mountain Lake for a vacation or picnicking in a cumbersome chair in Georgia? Or are they saying "Hey Honey, let's go up to Home Depot and go Adirondacking so we can people watch all of the parking lot action"? Who writes this stuff and why do they think they can just make up weird verbs? Ah well, they are still great looking chairs. Here are a bunch of them in different styles, placed in different settings from around Houzz.
| White Adirondack chairs at the bottom of a sloping lawn, facing the sea. This is classic New England — in this case, Cape Cod. |
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| This is a modified Adirondack-style chair which has been put on a rocker base. The pop of color against the contemporary house is a wonderful accent on this wooded lot. |
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| When Thomas Lee built the first Adirondack chair in 1903, his innovations included the peculiar (at the time) slants to the back and the seat, as well a the wide arms. Today these are the base elements for an Adirondack chair, while the number of planks, the shape, and the colors available may vary. Complimentary slanted ottomans came along later. |
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| This is a more modern interpretation of Adirondack style; it uses fewer planks and the top of the back is more of a straight line than the usual curve. |
| Here is an even more contemporary version of the classic chair. It's a great fit for the home and landscape architecture — straight lines with a bit of nostalgia for more rugged times. |
| I love the pairing of this version of the chairs with the architecture. They are both modern interpretations of classic styles. |
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by Don F. Wong
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| Likewise, how great is this lone Adirondack chair on the edge of the built property, facing the wild woods? The color plays off the roof of the vernacular-inspired home. The chair is the icing on the cake here.
Speaking of rugged nostalgia, the Adirondack chair was invented around the same time the wealthy were tiring of their gilded Newport mansions and "roughing it" at their camps in the Adirondacks instead. The chairs were a perfect match for camp architecture. |
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| Adirondack chairs were first created in Westport, in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. It's fun to see that they've spread to palm-tree populated regions. |
| All that is missing here are four buddies, moonlight, and a cooler of cold brews (or marshmallows — whatever floats your boat). |
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by Aquascape Inc.
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| Adirondack chairs are a great option for dotting around a property in special spots. Here one can enjoy the comfy slant while fishing, or even just sitting back and enjoying the splash of the waterfall and the lovely view. |
| These chairs are so versatile that when painted a crisp white or a glossy black, they can mingle with the most dignified porch furniture and classic columns. |
| Remember those "Da Bears" skits on SNL? I think every man has a bit of that inside of him, and that bit wants to sit in this configuration in front of the fire with the rest of his tribe. The only thing missing is a plasma screen tuned on to ESPN over the fire. |
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| Finally, I thought I would end with this sweet shot. Don't the chairs look like a couple that's been together forever, sitting out and enjoying the view of the garden that they built? Or have I just been looking at furniture so much that I am delirious?
More outdoor living inspiration: Northwest Style: Staying Cozy Outside Exterior Lighting: Take the Drama Outside |
Ideabook published on April 11, 2011.
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A great post. Thanks Becky.
I know two other phrases I associate with Wiki - early hip hop/rap music ("Wikiwikiwiki!!!" and my friend Wicki, who now has to put up with people calling her "Wikipedia" all day long.
Becky it seems every time I open a topic I love, you have posted it! This one has us all over it. Couldn't wait to share our chairs! At one point we had a dozen, purchased for the wedding we had in our back yard. They sat just past the tent as a way of reminding people they were getting close to the edge of our cliff. Sit and enjoy. And they did! They were full all night and still are, most of the summer.
if you live near Cape Cod, you must own adirondacks from this store. Made on site, the painted finishes are perfect as are the finishing touches.
Judy, that place also has the cutest building! It reminds me of "La Garage" in Wiscasset Maine. My family has a little cottage in Mashpee.