Manhattan Home Design Reviews | The Barcelona Chair and Loveseat: Why Choose Them?

Manhattan Home Design Reviews . Choosing between two amazing pieces of furniture can become an unexpectedly complicated job, but when you have some of the most iconic collections in the history of furniture design at your fingertips, the task probably becomes much easier. In this post, we want to tell you a little bit about the differences between two pieces from the Barcelona Collection, one of the leading references in iconic design.

The first thing you have to keep in mind, before evaluating the specific profile of each design, is that you should not necessarily choose only one, but also both, especially if you are designing a not-very-large space. In that regard, the Barcelona loveseat and the Barcelona chair are two iconic pieces of furniture designed by Mies van der Rohe for the Germany Pavilion at the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, and they both can easily be part of your interior design project.

Barcelona Collection
The Barcelona Collection

Both the loveseat and the chair are identified by their simple, modernistic design and use of high-end materials. The most distinguishable difference between the two pieces is the size. The Barcelona loveseat is larger and is designed to accommodate two people, while the Barcelona chair is an individual seat.

Differences and Similarities

The modern loveseat is made of two separate interlocking elements – a frame of chrome-plated steel and a seat and backrest covered in leather. The frame is made from a single piece of chrome-plated steel tubing that is bent into a framework with symmetrical horizontal and vertical lines. The seat and backrest are upholstered in two pieces of leather that are hand-sewn together. 

The Barcelona chair is made of two elements – a frame of two chromed steel tubes, and a seat and backrest covered in leather. The frame is made from two pieces of steel tubing that are bent into a framework with symmetrical horizontal and vertical lines. The seat and backrest are upholstered in two pieces of leather that are hand-sewn together.

Barcelona Loveseat
The Barcelona Loveseat – Back

The overall design of the Barcelona loveseat and chair are similar in styling, but the size difference is the major difference between the two. The Barcelona loveseat is larger and is designed to accommodate two people, while the Barcelona chair is an individual seat. The loveseat also has a wider frame and thicker leather upholstery than the chair. 

Overall, the Barcelona loveseat and the Barcelona chair are iconic pieces of furniture that have stood the test of time. Despite the similar design, the major difference between the two is the size, with the loveseat being larger and designed for two people, and the chair for an individual.

Barcelona Chair
The Barcelona Chair

As you can see, both in an aesthetic and functional sense, choosing this combination may represent the great solution you needed to hear. After all, the designs of the Barcelona Collection marked a before and after during the evolution of aesthetic styles in interior design & decor of the last century and began to be followed and praised by all kinds of lovers of modernism, minimalism, practicality, and the beauty of simplicity. They are highly prestigious designs that can be part of your floor plan to take it to the next level. Both the Barcelona chair and the Barcelona loveseat are part of the Manhattan Home Design catalog in different versions.

Manhattan Home Design Reviews | The Barcelona Loveseat Black Italian: an Iconic Display of Modernism

Manhattan Home Design Reviews. For many critics, even the dimensions of the legendary Barcelona loveseat are a source of recognition, worship, and reference. Many feel that the piece represents “an extremely simple way to delineate space,” a direct and iconic display of modernism, and one of the most memorable products in the history of furniture design. In this article of Manhattan Home Design Reviews, we want you to get to know the Barcelona Loveseat Black Italian and discover why it continues to hold such fascination even today, nearly a century after it first appeared before the public eye in 1929 at the Barcelona International Exposition by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich.

For some critics, one of the most outstanding features of the Barcelona loveseat is the versatility of its aesthetic appearance. You can place it next to a wall, next to a window, or even in the center of the room as an undisputed focal point, and in any of those spots, it will still look amazing and remain incredibly functional. Plus, because of its minimalist character dimensions, it won’t take up too much space. In addition, the low profile of the seat allows a clear view of the expansive views from the windows. When early modern design enthusiasts started giving this modern loveseat a try, it didn’t take long for the design to become a cult object.

barcelona sofa
Barcelona Loveseat

Transcending Time and Borders

Like the Barcelona loveseat black Italian, the other versions of the piece, which are covered by other types of upholstery, have also enjoyed great success, such as its tan leather or white leather versions. It’s such a celebrated design that, like other pieces in its collection, it has been used in all kinds of audiovisual productions, Hollywood movies, photo sets, magazines, and is a favorite of many professional models and photographers. 

Take just a moment to reflect on the many ways in which this design could benefit not only your floor plan and interior decor project, but also your personal and even professional image, if you decide to install it in your company or office spaces. Having a Barcelona loveseat in your layout or any of the other designs that are part of their collection is making a style statement and proof that legendary designs clearly have a special opportunity in the areas you use on a daily basis. Never forget that your guests, clients, and even friends and family who have the opportunity to share the use of your office or home will take away an impression of you based on what they may know.

barcelona loveseat
Barcelona Modern Loveseat

Never underestimate the power of a modern sofa or a modern loveseat with the emblematic value and significance of the Barcelona collection and its enormous legacy to the history of design; pieces that have transcended time and space, conquering different generations in many corners of the planet and securing its place of honor among the models that set the course of history. The Barcelona loveseat and other pieces from the Barcelona collection are available in several versions in the Manhattan Home Design catalog.

Manhattan Home Design Reviews | 5 Reasons That Make The Arco Lamp a Desirable Product

Manhattan Home Design Reviews. When it comes to iconic designs, the Arco lamp has a lot to offer. Not in vain is it one of the best-selling and most prestigious products in the world. In this edition of Manhattan Home Design Reviews, we want to explain that point and simply give you 5 reasons why this design may be exactly the modern floor lamp that you were hoping to find on your way:

arco lamp
The Arco Lamp

1.- It’s a highly functional design. And we mean it. It seems incredible how a floor lamp design can adapt so well to environments as different as the study, the living room, the dining room, and even the bedroom. As you can see, since it’s a fixture created to improve task-based lighting, you can use it for specific activities and make these places even more efficient.

2.- Its Carrara marble base. For some, it may seem like an extravagance, but the truth is that the function of this amazing piece of marble is not only aesthetic: it’s also what gives support, firmness, and balance to the entire structure of the lamp and makes it much easier to move, thanks to the hole that its designers very cleverly added. Also, haven’t you seen how beautiful it looks?

carrara marble
The Carrara Marble Base

3.- Its dimensions. Very functional floor lamps usually have large dimensions, and this is no exception. In fact, it is its 95-inch height (at the highest part of the arch) that allows it to efficiently provide overhead light. This is something that, at the time of its launch, was not seen in any other lamp in its category, especially since the user can move freely around its reflector head, thanks to its wide distance from the base. It is a lamp that will make things easier for you.

4.- Its imposing steel arch. When you see it gleaming in the middle of your living room or any other area you decide to use it in, you’ll understand why this steel arch has so much aesthetic value. Its shimmery finish will add sparkle, pizzazz and a touch of rare elegance to any layout it’s a part of, which is an amazing bonus. The combination of stainless steel with Carrara marble also represents one of the most outstanding successes of this design.

modern floor lamp
The Arco Floor Lamp

5.- Its iconic value. There’s no lover of the Mid-Century Modern style who has not heard of the famous Arco lamp by the Castiglioni brothers or who has seen dozens of models inspired by it. The Arco floor lamp is not only practically the most famous lamp of Italian origin in the world, but it’s also a benchmark within its style, which means added value for collectors, specialists, and admirers of good taste.

If these five reasons are not enough to understand why the Arco lamp should be in your home or office, we invite you to discover them yourself, giving it a vote of confidence and making it your new great acquisition. We assure you that you won’t remain indifferent.

Manhattan Home Design Reviews | Wood: a Resource That Can Transform Your Layout

Manhattan Home Design Reviews. You may have heard it said many times and you’ve likely seen it yourself in almost all the most popular decorating styles and the most claimed design trends: wood is always present. It’s that this material has had a great role and a place of honor within the world of interior design and decor since its inception and throughout the centuries. Any mid-career professional furniture designer or interior decorator will quickly recognize the aesthetic value that only wood can offer. However, very few people know the secrets of this wonderful resource and the properties that earned it its wide reputation. In this Manhattan Home Design Reviews post, we’ll talk a little about the benefits of wood and how you can use it to your advantage for your interior decor project.

Wood is an element that comes directly from nature, specifically from trees, and as such is unique, because it’s a material that only time and the ecosystem as a whole are capable of forging through the years. Some trees take hundreds of years to reach their most optimal and amazing states, allowing them to develop incredibly strong and extremely beautiful trunks. These logs are used for the manufacture of first-class parts and are quoted on the market at high prices. Some woods from trees such as pine, cherry, oak, and mahogany are highly requested for the manufacture of pieces of all kinds. Others like the American Walnut stand out for their undeniable beauty and smooth texture.

modern decor
A Stunning Interior Decor Project With Wood

What Makes Wood So Special?

Many furniture pieces, especially chairs with sophisticated designs, are manufactured using special techniques to give them a specific shape. In the middle of the twentieth century, a wave of architects and designers who began to gain a lot of fame for their creations led the movement of innovative designs that’s currently known as the “Mid-Century Modern” style and, to this day, continues to be one of the most requested and adopted trends worldwide. Pieces that became world-famous have wooden components that are especially appreciated for the whole process they go through before being assembled into the piece.

classic lounge chair
Classic Lounge Chair

Some products from Manhattan Home Design, like the Classic Lounge Chair, use plywood, which is molded in the workshops to give it its appealing curved shape. The plywood or walnut veneer components of this chair are introduced into a conveyor that applies glue to both sides. One veneer made for this chair can have up to seven layers of plywood. These veneers then go through furnaces where the high temperatures allow them to give the shape that they will finally have. Thus, the result will be a high-quality chair, considered by many to be a luxury piece, with incredibly attractive wooden components not only for its sculptural design but also for its bright colors and its lacquered, shiny, and gleaming surface.

modern lounge chair
Classic Mid-Century Chair

The above is just one example of the many wonders that wood allows us to do. The development of industrial techniques and specialized processes to make it look better and make parts more and more functional were mainly the drivers of its development and its use in tables, doors, dressers, stools, beds, shelves, desks, media centers, sideboards, and even complete architectural projects. If you haven’t had the opportunity to know all the advantages that wood can offer you, it’s never too late to experience all the benefits that this material can give to your spaces.