Attention! Present Arms!

When I was roaming around at HighPoint Furnishings Market in October I noticed two new arm styles forupholstered chairs that were generating a lot of excitement, especially for me!One of themI’m calling the "bell curve" because the arms flair out, away from the chair,almost as if it were getting ready to give you a hug. Check it out below.

This curvylook is very soft and feminine, and it mixes well with other arm styles. I especially like it with a trackarm, as that is such a clean and simple look. Consider it with a English arm aswell.   

The otherarm style I nicknamed "arms akimbo" because the arms have been cut out and looka little like someone standing with their hands on their hips. See what I meanin this aqua chair below.

Thissee-through look is common in dining room and desk chairs but now it’s trendingstrongly in occasionalchairs forliving rooms and family rooms. It strikes me as more masculine than thebell-curve style, but the upholstery softens it up. 

Thecut-outs also lighten the profile of the chair, making a big, heavy upholsteredpiece look less weighty. They add a new visual element to the piece too: Youcan see through the arms to other furnishings in the room. That means placementis absolutely crucial, similar to positioning a mirror so it reflects somethingbeautiful in your room.

I’ve beenpicturing a pair of open-arm chairs next to a sectional, or placing a pair ofthem flanking a fireplace in such a way that you can see through the arms intothe fire. I like this arm stylefor a bench as well.Oh thepossibilities!