Hospitality Furniture

I have a fondness for chairs that look like animals. I guess they remind me of my younger days, when I scoured playgrounds and parks in search of those little ducks and horses on springs. I had so much fun on those things. Now that I’m a mom, animal-inspired furniture makes me think of how much my own kids enjoy the little springy horses and ducks. So, when I see a chair that looks like a pony or some other cuddly critter, I immediately start planning how I could redecorate their rooms with these chairs as the centerpiece.

The Eames Plywood Elephant chair is a prime example. It makes me want to overspend my credit limit gathering up a collection of animal-shaped seats that can be arranged into a sort of sittable petting zoo. But since Christmas has left my budget a little thin, I’ll just pass my enthusiasm on to you. It’s cute, isn’t it? Yes, it is.

The web site where I found the chair provides a little background information: “Charles and Ray Eames were fascinated by elephants. Many images of these gentle giants are found in Charles’ photographic documentations of Indian culture and the circus world. The Plywood Elephant was designed as a toy for children, but also as a striking sculptural object that makes a statement in any environment with its vigorous curves and delightful character. There is a playful charm in the way that the Eameses used juvenile motifs to create a vibrant, cheerful idiom that appeals to adults as well as children.”

I agree! Can’t you just imagine these seats at a kids’ zoo? Or outside in the play area of a fun restaurant? I don’t even need to mention how much fun they would be in a preschool or daycare. If you own a business where children are welcome, enrich their stay with a fanciful chair like the Eames Plywood Elephant.