The Chair Brand We Love
HOW IT STARTED
My background is in marketing. I studied clinical psychology at university and on graduation was one of the first generations of ‘consumer insight marketers’. I had a great career, worked on brands from Frosties to Barbie, but in 2016, in a moment of ‘now-or-never madness’ I quit my job, cashed-in my pension and set up Cheeky Chairs.
I have always loved carved and framed wooden chairs. It’s something I inherited from my Dad – he had an incredible collection of 18th and 19th century chairs. I love the beautiful elegance in their carved shape and the incredible joinery skill required to create it. There is nothing like the feel of smooth wood and the depth of natural grain.
Carved or framed chairs are the unsung heroes of the household, and are all too often banished to a dark hallway, a spare bedroom or hidden under a dining table. Worse still, they are blandly dressed to blend and co-ordinate rather than to shine.
We’re enjoying a renaissance in traditionally crafted furniture and furnishings using traditional methods and natural materials. This artisan revival means craftsmanship is being more widely celebrated as customers look for something unique that also tells a story.
WHY THE BRAND IS UNIQUE
Each model puts a stylish contemporary twist on a classic design. But each chair is a unique combination: the customer chooses the model, fabric (uniquly we can work with the majority of luxury designer fabrics) and colour to create a truly one-off statement piece.
Our frames are beautifully made with the utmost care using traditional joinery techniques and only the best materials. All our wood is sustainably sourced and kiln-dried. All our seats are created using traditional upholstery methods too.
Our seats are stuffed with only natural materials including ginger coir stuffing and pure wool, so they are naturally soft to sit on. Our unique combination of highly skilled joinery, meticulous upholstery using traditional, natural materials and stuffing and our fabulous designer fabrics makes a Cheeky Chair a creature of comfort and quality, as well as a statement of beauty.
In all honesty, I don’t think we have a true competitor. There are plenty of companies that make armchairs and sofas in designer fabrics but no one else seems to put them on framed chairs.
WHAT'S POPULAR NOW
The most popular chair is the Darwin. It adds a stylish contemporary twist to the classic Windsor chair and is such a unique shape. Handmade in solid English ash, we use traditional steam bending and spindle molding techniques. The perfectly balanced shape makes it an extremely versatile chair, with customers buying them for an office or bedroom, as well as dining rooms.
The most popular stool is the James. Painted shaker-style cabinetry continues to be a big trend in kitchen design. Our customers tell us finding a wooden bar stool to match their kitchen can be a real problem. The James is a classic shaker shape, but with clean crisp lines to give a contemporary twist. As with all our chairs, we will paint it any colour of the rainbow to match our customer’s kitchen or island.
THE NEWEST PIECES
Our Turner counter stool is the newest model in our collection and the first piece I designed entirely myself. The frame is made for us in my village. It’s named after Kathleen Turner because of her fabulous legs and great bum! The Turner is traditionally crafted in solid English ash with an oiled finish and the Victorian style button seat is incredibly comfortable. It’s slim enough to tuck under any counter or in a corner and is the perfect perch for any kitchen.
WHAT ELSE IS IMPORTANT
Buy less but buy better. As we become more eco-conscious it hopefully means an end to fast-furniture and disposable décor, as people buy fewer, but higher quality, pieces. There is so much truth in the saying ‘you get what you pay for’. This is never more so than when it comes to chairs and bar stools, which will be sat on day in and day out. So, choose chairs that can one day be refurbished rather than replaced and that will last a lifetime.
For more information visit CheekyChairs.com
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