The Womb

I recently worked on a Womb Chair. In case you’ve never heard of the Womb Chair, here’s a little background: Finnish architect Eero Saarinen designed the Womb Chair in 1946 for Florence Knoll, of the family that founded the NYC-born Knoll furniture company,  after the latter requested “a chair that was like a basket full of pillows – something she could really curl up in.”

It warmed my heart to hear the story behind this particular womb chair. It was a family piece; my client’s father was an architect and had a passion for furniture designed by architects. After he died, my client’s mother started a habit of curling up and sleeping in her husband’s old womb chair.

I was so happy my client brought me this piece to be redone, rather than just getting rid of it. It’s going in her daughter’s home. We were able to give it a new life, in the same family, just two generations later.

Back in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, furniture was made better than it is today. It’s true what they say: “They don’t make ‘em like they used to.” The Womb Chair was designed to be soft and comfy and to give peace and respite to whoever sits in it. 

A sustainable approach to adding furniture to your home is to look at what you may already have, especially if it has a good story. Finding a great piece at a thrift store or on Facebook Marketplace is also a way to sustainably source furniture. Most vintage furniture you get is going to be sturdier, longer-lasting, and more beautiful than anything new you can find.