guest post: sam of the peak of tres chic

Since I am in Paris today, I thought it would be fitting to have the always chic Sam give us all a brief history lesson in style and fashion. Parfait, n'est pas?  


Bonjour, Urban Slant readers!  This is Sam from The Peak of Tres Chic, a lifestyle blog I curate that focuses on interior design and fashion.  I am thrilled to be here posting while Julia is off traveling the world.  I just adore Urban Slant and like to live vicariously through Julia and all the other New Yorkers who get to experience the city every day. 

If it wasn't already apparent from the title of my blog, I just adore French style.  Tres chic is French for "very stylish", or "very cool."  I have always been mesmerized by how effortlessly stylish the French are. 

 Since Julia is in Europe and because I want to pay homage to beloved France, my post today focuses on the Louis-style chair.  But first, a small history lesson (I promise I won't bore you!)

Although comfort is a huge priority when purchasing furniture these days, this wasn't always the case!  In fact, it wasn't until the reign of Louis XIII that furniture actually became comfortable for the first time.  Furniture was named after the reigning monarch at the time.  In previous centuries, royalty always defined fashion and design, what was "in vogue" and what was out.  Fashion came from the top down.  It wasn't at all like today- when we often see street style represented on runways.   Lucky for us, Julia Rothman provided a visual representation of the different Louis chairs on her website.

Here's a dining room I love that features the Louis XIII chair.  

As you can see, King Louis XIII's style of chair was rigid, short in the back and square in shape.

I would reccommend using King Louis XIII style chairs at kitchen tables or at desks.  However, when decorating a more casual space, these chairs will likely be too rigid.  I would choose the more relaxed King Louis XV in rooms where people will be relaxing, watching TV, or lounging.

Next up is the King Louis XIV chair. King Louis XIV was the infamous Sun God.  During his reign, chair styles became larger to accommodate the more ornate fashions of the day.   As you can probably guess, the Louis XIV was often very ornate and opulent.   Although I had trouble tracking down a good interior representation of this chair, I thought this King Louis XIV-like chair was too gorgeous not to feature.  How wonderful is the Kelly Wearstler fabric?!

I also adore this King Louis XIV chair.  Gorgeousness, no?

The King Louis XV chair is by far my most favorite and also the most popular today.  After the death of the Sun God, French design became much simpler and quieter.  Comfort became the main priority.  Madame de Pompadour starting coming around the Palace of Versailles at this time, as a mistress to King Louis XV.  Her influence on the King and on French design was very prominent. 

Last but certainly not least, the King Louis XVI chair.  These chairs always have the fluted leg shown above in the picture.  We see a transition from the Rococco (curved back) to the Neoclassical again (straight back).  Although King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both imprisoned and eventually killed, the Neoclassical trend they favored had a lasting impact.

 Which Louis-style chair is your favorite?  Seeing all these pretty chairs makes me want to go re-tour the Palace of Versailles.  The French had such opulent taste, then!  

I hope you enjoyed my post and weren't too bored with a small history lesson.  

Thanks again for having me, Julia!

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Historical Information from here.