The Ellipse Armchair by Peter Holmes is inspired by the curves and drama of Art Deco architecture and design. Wanting to create a chair that would envelop the sitter, Holmes constructed a low-slung wooden frame that combines beech and birch plywood with turned beech legs.
A consideration from the start was the upholstery fabric. The fabric needed to have sufficient stretch in both the warp and weft, but without the fear that it could ‘loosen’ over time. Bute Fabrics pure wool Tiree range offered the perfect solution.
The back upholstery is a combination of serpentine springing, rubberised hair and cotton wadding. The seat upholstery has an elasticated webbing at the base with a reflex foam and featherdown interior cushion.
Peter Holmes lives and works in Edinburgh. He is a member of the Association of Master Upholsterers. His company Be Seated, based in Leith, specialises in producing bespoke upholstered furniture along with the restoration of antique pieces; Holmes’ speciality is post-war ‘mid-century’ furniture.
For DES 2018, Holmes collaborated with designer maker Namon Gaston to produce the Oxbow Lounge Chair which was recently awarded the prestigious Design Guild Mark. The Design Guild Mark is awarded by The Furniture Makers’ Company to drive excellence and raise the profile of British design and innovation.