when in antwerp

how incredible is this chair? it's the antwerp chair from anthropologie, in spectrum swirl. i love the traditional lines of the chair itself mixed with the bold and modern mix of bright colors and suzani and paisley patterns.

it would look so gorgeous in a bedroom, a dressing room, even as a desk chair with a shiny, angular desk like the ava, below, which pottery barn shamefully discontinued.
and look at the back!

the only problem is that the price is as high as the style (though the price has been reduced)...the same chair in the bloom print is much cheaper, but not nearly as stunning.

so...i think the chair has to serve more as inspiration than, say, acquisition. what i think works so well is the solid base fabric punctuated a celebration of colors and patterns. though it wouldn't be the same look, i think a nicely related look could be achieved with a solid color chair in a traditional silhouette mixed with some more worldly and bold pillows and maybe a throw.

chairs like this are fairly easy to find...i spotted these two at homegoods a while ago, and the prices are miles away from anthro's. the first one has pretty much the exact same shape as the antwerp.


then i could add a couple pillows, like these:

and a throw (scarves and pashminas work too)...

the nice thing about piecing this look together on your own is that it can be an ever-changing installation, cycling in new colors and patterns as the mood strikes. imagine the shame of spending big money on a chair and getting bored.

do you have a piece of neutral furniture you use as a base for colors and patterns?

chair and top bolster pillow photos from http://www.anthropologie.com/, ava table from www.timeinc.com, crystal pillow cover photos from www.westelm.com, suzani bolster, red pillow and black suzani pillow from www.wisteria.com, remainder of pillows from www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com, scarf photos from www.tradeindia.com and www.iansnow.com