It’s Katie’s birthday as we write this, and as she’s an unabashed and unrelenting birthday princess (birthday is a misnomer, it’s more a birthweek or even month), we thought a post on peacock chairs – the thrones of bohemian decor – was particularly apt.
Peacock chairs show up fairly frequently on Craigslist, and we’re often tempted, but we each have a hard time imagining them in our current homes. While bohemian decor is expansive and can include elements recognizable from lots of other styles, the converse isn’t always true; some staples of bohemian decorating are only ever at home in a bohemian setting – and we think that may be the case with peacock chairs. Today we’re taking a closer look at when and why they work, and considering why we haven’t snatched up our own.
This classic peacock chair looks like the perfect perch for watching frigates and boobies soar above the crashing waves. Though one must occasionally get up from this airy cathedra to prune back the jungle and preserve the view, leisure rules supreme.
From “Gypsy” by Sibella Court, image found here
In this space the white peacock chair looks like the ultimate thrifter’s throne. We’d like to count ourselves among this royal family.
As demonstrated in these next few photos, peacock chairs pair well with other bohemian staples — pom poms, piano shawls, and sheepskins.
In this room instead of being draped in sheepskins and shawls, the chair is left to its basic form. It’s like a sturdy stalk for the plants it accompanies.
There’s no question that all of these spaces, and the chairs in them, are lovely and inspiring – so what’s our hesitation? We think it comes down to the fact that peacock chairs are truly throne-like, in that they look more ceremonial and ornamental than comfortable. It’s a little strange that something almost synonymous with a laid-back setting confers such a rigid and upright posture. That said, they’re almost pretty enough to have just for their sculptural qualities, but it’s hard to imagine them in spaces that aren’t 100% bohemian – and our design tastes and styles are just too varied to be 100% anything. What do you think, could a peacock chair work in your home?