Leather Tub Chairs with
an Oak Coffee Table

Tub Chairs Part 2

The tub chair has a longer history than you may think

In the first of this two-part special on tub chairs we looked at the place a tub chair can hold in your house, in this second part we look a the place tub chairs hold in furniture history.

What put the Tub in Tub Chair?

There are various theories about the origin of the name tub chair. One popular belief is that it came from the shape of the tub chair itself being like a bath tub. However, the term bath tub is chiefly American, and as the original tub chairs hail from Europe it is far more likely that the name tub chair is actually a variation of the name club chair.

The term club chair came directly from its most popular usage – in the gentlemen’s clubs of northern Europe. The shape and style of the tub chair leant itself well to the relaxing nature of these establishments, and the tub chair is still a staple part of the scenery in many golf clubs and hotel lounges.

Tub Chairs – Luxury from The Ruling Classes to Your Home

The general design of the tub chair has been around for hundreds of years, but only as a wooden frame without upholstery. It’s strange to think that up until well into the 17th Century upholstered chairs were only generally available to the upper classes, so it was only the master craftsmen who were initially manufacturing what we would recognise today as a tub chair.

Over the years tub chairs have been made from countless materials in a whole variety of colours, however, the highest quality tub chairs are those that are hand made using real leather over a solid oak frame – just like the best antiques that now sell for tens of thousands of pounds.

Tub Chairs in a Golf Club

Tub Chairs at Oak Furniture Land

At Oak Furniture Land our tub chairs are the modern day alternative to buying expensive antiques. Our tub chairs a hand crafted from A-grade solid oak and top quality leather, as well as deep, cosy padding that brings you the same luxury as an antique tub chair at a fraction of the cost.

We also sell leather care kits that make it easy for you to keep your tub chairs in perfect condition for years to come.

Leather Tub Chair
with Mango Side Table

Tub Chairs Part 1

In the first of this two-part special on tub chairs we find out what a tub chair can do for your home, and give you some ideas that you may not have thought of with regards to tub chairs.

Relax in a Tub Chair – it’s what they’re for!

A tub chair is a very versatile piece of furniture that is synonymous with relaxation and the good life. Sitting back and unwinding is what a tub chair is all about. And to this end a tub chair is an ideal addition to any home.

Hand crafted real leather tub chairs are perfect in a sitting room or lounge bar area, even a snooker room. However, if you’re not lucky enough to have a house with such luxuries you should still consider a tub chair.

Tub Chairs Around The Home

Tub chairs are great for conservatories, in the corner of a lounge, and as part of your bedroom suite to give that extra option should you wish to read or watch television without lying down.

Pair of Tub Chairs

Tub Chairs at Oak Furniture Land

The tub chairs we sell at Oak Furniture Land are hand crafted from the same solid oak as the rest of our furniture and then hand upholstered with high quality real leather to make a truly sumptuous tub chair that you can really settle down and relax in. The fact that we use these same materials means that our tub chairs will compliment any room with our oak furniture in.

We also sell leather care kits that make it easy for you to keep your tub chair in perfect condition for years to come.

In the second post of this two-part special on tub chairs we will be looking at the history of tub chairs and their place in society.

Newark Solid Oak TV Cabinet

Consierations When Buying a Television Cabinet

When one is buying a television, there are various considerations – is it plasma, LCD or OLED? Is it HD ready? Does it have enough inputs for all the games consoles, DVD player and Sky box? The list goes on, but the main consideration has to be the size, and this in turn will determine the size of your TV cabinet.

Measuring a Television

The method by which the size of a television is measured can be confusing, and it’s easy to get caught out if you’re not careful. The size advertised by television retailers is not the width, but, in fact, the length of the screen diagonally from corner to corner (not including the surround). This measurement is always going to be longer than the width of a TV.

The ratio of a widescreen TV’s width to height is 16:9, but to save you working it out I have included a short list of the most popular screen sizes and their widths below. †

Now you know the approximate width of your TV you can make a more informed choice of TV cabinet for your home.

Oakdale Solid Oak TV Cabinet

Robust and Stylish TV Cabinets

Televisions are very expensive and heavy, and therefore should always be housed on a sturdy, high quality TV stand to ensure their safety. The obvious choice is solid hardwood furniture (beware of furniture retailers that sell veneered wooden furniture, as it is going to have poor quality wood under the veneer and the weight of the TV will soon crack it!).

Wooden television cabinets are ideal because they take away the modern harshness of modern technology, softening the impact of the new high gloss centre of attention in your living room.

Other Considerations When Buying a TV Cabinet

The other considerations when shopping for TV cabinets include the provision of shelves for DVD players, freeview boxes etc. and drawers or cupboards for storage.

Solid Hardwood TV Cabinets at Oak Furniture Land

At Oak Furniture Land we have a wide choice of solid hardwood TV cabinets and other living room furniture in oak, mango and mahogany. Various sizes, styles and options are available across the ranges. All TV stands are hand crafted to the highest standards, and are more than strong enough to hold even the largest televisions.

Louis Philippe Mahogany Furniture

Louis Philippe & His Influence on Mahogany Furniture

In the first of our two-part blog post on mahogany furniture we looked at its original heyday in the pre-French revolution era of the eighteenth century. In this second part we will look at its subsequent revivals, starting with its most famous protagonist, Duke Louis Philippe (elected King of the French 1830-1848).

The Revival of Mahogany Furniture

Whilst not being a furniture designer, Louis Philippe did much to encourage the development of the French furniture industry as the industrial revolution spread accross Europe, and as such the main style of furniture from this period is known as Louis Philippe furniture.

Time and a revolution did nothing to dilute the sheer magnificence of mahogany furniture design. It was almost as if the aristocracy had never left. Again mahogany furniture was at the pinnacle of the movement, and again, flowing lines with sculpted bases and cornices were the order of the day. So much so that you could easily mix and match Louis Philippe mahogany furniture with a mahogany sleigh bed from ninety years earlier!

Hand Crafted Solid Mahogany Furniture

Of course, an original piece of Louis Philippe mahogany furniture or an antique mahogany sleigh bed will cost you tens of thousands of pounds; however, unless you are a collector, there really is no point.

Mahogany Cornice Closeup

Buy Mahogany Furniture at Oak Furniture Land

At Oak Furniture Land we have designed our own versions of these French furniture classics. They are hand made from the finest solid mahogany timbers, using the same traditional techniques employed by the master craftsmen of days gone by. Everything is solid mahogany, even the bed slats! The Sleigh solid mahogany range concentrates solely on bedroom furniture, whilst the Louis Philippe range caters for all your living room furniture and dining room furniture needs.

As well as these ranges inspired by the French, we also have a full range of solid mahogany furniture inspired by the Orient. The Tokyo solid mahogany range puts a whole new twist on what can be done with mahogany furniture design.

No matter what hand crafted solid mahogany furniture you choose, you can be proud that you really are buying furniture that’s fit for a king.