By Megan Murray
Occasional chairs are used across our Houses, offering a comfortable place to sit in the bedroom while getting ready, or to gather friends in a cosy corner of the club.
Here, Soho Home's Senior Creative Director, Gareth Lewis, shares how these pieces have become a signature of Soho Home and the story behind the new Jonas chair.
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What can you tell us about Soho Home’s design process?
'Soho Home was created because members wanted to buy decor from the Houses, so the products have always echoed what you'll see in the clubs. Now more than ever, we're working incredibly closely with the interior designers to create pieces for upcoming Houses, which are also available to buy - it's all one process and there's real synergy there.'
How do you ensure that Soho Home’s occasional chairs are comfortable?
'Nick Jones sits in every design we make to check how comfortable it is. Soho House is known for being a home away from home; a place to settle in and put your feet up. So, we have a rule for Soho Home that everything should be relaxed and loungey. We do this by ensuring the seat is deeper and more generous, and the arms are extra wide. We also accentuate the rake, which is the angle between the seat and the back, so that you can really lean into it. And a lot of consideration goes into the fill of the seat cushion to make sure that it doesn't flatten out, but allows you to sink in.'
The half cushion is quite unusual – why did you include this in the design?
'We're really happy with the chair's half cushion, and that it serves a dual purpose. A lot of skill goes into the hand-weaving of the roped back, so we wanted to show that off while considering comfort. Revealing those details takes the chair to a different place, and it's designed to support your back.'
Any tips for styling the Jonas chair at home?
'I would position it so that you can see the back when you walk into the room to show off the rope detail. Place it next to another Jonas with coordinating upholstery, opposite a sofa. Add a large rug for depth and a small side table between them.'
