What Chesterfields Mean to Me, By Bec Rourke
My dad had his corner of the house, a classic man cave. He had a beautiful three-seater leather Chesterfield Sofa, two small vino barrels and a small rounded table for his pipe to rest on.
He would regularly sit in his man cave on his Chesterfield sofa with a silver goblet glass sipping vino bianco or vino rosso and smoking his little black pipe with me climbing all over the sofa and watching him with intrigue.
Even then, when I was little I knew that there was something special about this sofa. I loved how the back and the arms were the same height. I loved the feel and look of the leather. And so many buttons to count! I liked poking my little chubby fingers into all the deep buttons.
Over the years my love for Chesterfield sofas grew and I enjoy a glass of red vino as well. I am glad to say I never had a desire to smoke pipes.
As an interior designer and decorator I love the Chesterfield sofa. It works so well with so many different interior design styles in commercial and residential interiors. They are truly a beautiful design that is appreciated and admired. I love using them in my designs!
Whenever I see a Chesterfield sofa or chair I feel a warm connection to it thanks to my childhood memories. When I learnt the history behind the sofa my appreciation of the Chesterfield sofa grew. This sofa has 200 years of history behind it which is incredible!
Legend has it that on March 24th, 1773, Lord Phillip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield was on his deathbed and his young friend Mr. Dayrolles came to visit him. His last dying words to his manservant were “Give Mr. Dayrolles a chair”. He then died. Apparently the servant was somewhat confused whether to give Mr. Dayrolles a chair to sit down on or to actually give him a chair to take home! In the end the Lord’s servant gave the young Mr. Dayrolles the chair to take home and he became the new owner of the very first Chesterfield chair. Over time Mr. Dayrolles discovered that the chair aged well like a fine bottle of wine. The chair lasted years of wear and over time became even more attractive. It was an ageless and timeless masterpiece. The sofa became very popular in English gentlemen’s clubs and it still is today. So my dad chose well selecting this timeless gentlemen’s sofa for his man cave.
The traditional iconic image of a Chesterfield sofa is with refined gentlemen sitting, smoking cigars in an established gentlemen’s clubs.
For me the image is just one man, my dad smoking a pipe in his man cave.
Interior Design & Decoration
Rebecca Rourke
www.rebeccarourke-interiorsandesigns.blogspot.com
rebeccca@homeandpartystylist.com
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