contributed by Charles Duran [owner, Positive Space / design junkie / colorful character]
One of the most recognizable furniture styles continuing to captivate both designers and collectors even almost three hundred years after its conception is the Louis Chair. Philippe Starck, t
he most famous modernizer of this chair, has designed the Louis Ghost for Kartell, the Kong for Emeco, and, most recently, he combines both English and French influences with his RobinWood line for Sutherland. But watch out, Philippe! Pieter Jamart of Sixinch has created a line of Louis XV-inspired furniture that stopped people in their tracks at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair.
As my team and I set up our booth — which contained these Jamart creations — at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York last month, other exhibitors even stopped to ask: “What are these chairs made of”” The answer is an innovative polyurethane coat,
which clings to the entire chair’s surface, just inviting admirers to touch. Jamart took his idea even one step further by creating a coating that is rated for outdoor use. He has been working on his rubberizing recipe for years, and it has been completed at the perfect time because a refreshing trend has arrived in the interior design and fashion worlds: People are no longer scared of color.
Color Me Versatile
Brightly colored pieces are popping up in the cold and monochromatic interiors of yesterday, and with his technology, Jamart has given us the gift of unlimited chromatic choices. The Belgian team in Antwerp — where Sixinch is manufactured — can match any Pantone, RAL, or NCS color. Turquoise, canary yellow, or pink Louis patio furniture anyone”
Adding color to once stark spaces will no doubt create a more humorous, light-hearted environment, and I don’t mean humor in the Mel Brooks sense of the term. Your guests will not laugh uncontrollably and jump up and down on your acid green settee, but they might find a sense of 
amusement as they admire the timeless, yet distinctly modern, pieces while their subconscious selves are enjoying mental snapshots of crayons and rainbows.
Along with the reintroduction of color to the world, modern and traditional are merging to create a new style, and the Sixinch Louis series is a perfect example of it. Jamart has taken a classic frame—one of timeless style and function—and added science and color. But he has done something even more innovative. He has turned a classic style into something that is both whimsical and super cool; a piece versatile enough to grace a child’s room or a Manhattan nightclub. Keep your eyes open as you will soon see these pieces in some hot spots around the world.
Historical Introspection
I have watched with great interest how the world of design has evolved in recent years. As we go through periods of financial hardships, wars, and political change, we can open a book and see that history does indeed repeat itself. Fortunately, we can always rely on the artists and designers to add their own twist.
Through the centuries, innovation in art has accompanied periods of social change or unrest. The furniture designed during the reign of Louis XV was no exception. Louis XV was one of the most unpopular kings in French history, and he managed to upset and segregate every social group in his country; however, the designers of this era created a soft, ornate, and elegant style of furniture that only happens out of craftsmanship, focus—and love. Sixinch continues this tradition of love. But this time around, it is packed in plastic.
