Heavy duty | Kate R.

A good chair for making things

When my father went to college in the 60s, he ended up getting this chair. He used it for years, then my mother took it over for her stained glass work. It was in our garage for my entire childhood and I always loved the lines and weight of it.

When the day came for it to leave my mom’s house, I happily grabbed it and I’ve had it in my studio ever since.

I love it because it feels sturdy and well built. It’s deceptively simple in how it’s made until you go to raise or lower it and you see how clever the engineering is. The parts are heavy duty metal and “they don’t make them like they used to”. Plus, I associate it with my parents creating good things and doing hard work. I guess I love it for a mix of design, function, and sentimentality.

They don’t make them like they used to.

Design and America explores American perspectives on beautiful design. In each post, individuals share a thing that is their most beautifully designed functional belonging. They get to own and express their personal standards for what that means. To learn more and/or share yours, start here.