Sitting comfortably — An Elegant Sufficiency

Whilst here in Oslo, we’ve been really comfortable in the Amerikalinjen Hotel. It’s stylish and thoughtfully decorated to give a nod to the heritage of the building, from where many emigrants set off for the USA.

There is quite a collection of art throughout the hotel. Most has an American theme to it and in our room was a guide to the pieces to look out for, of which this was one. I assumed - wrongly, it seems - that I’d be able to find those same details online once I was home again, so I didn’t scribble any notes. From memory however, this work is in protest about choices made to prevent global warming by the last US government. Subject matter aside, I thought it was a striking image for a public place and rather liked it!

Of greater significance was an array of documents framed and displayed on the wall of our room, which I’d noted as soon as we arrived without knowing their heritage. I’ll admit that it was also because they weren’t hung straight and my first effort to straighten them failed!

The small book about the hotel’s art collection in our room explained that these were part of a collection of documents found in a metal box uncovered during the renovation.

Wonderful contemporary photographs too, I can only imagine the excitement shared by the owners when they were uncovered.

But not quite in the same style as the more colourful, modern look of the public areas and of course, far better to have in quieter spaces where they can be looked at in detail.

For the public areas of the hotel were very Scandinavian modern in style.

One room in particular was furnished with a single brand/designer’s work. My eye immediately fell on those two furry chairs, which were rarely left unoccupied. How comfortable were they to sit in? We are looking for a chair for one of the new - currently empty - areas at home and whilst I didn’t think we were really after something quite so characterful, we were interested to give one a try.

The two similar chairs in the reception area were more frequently available and so my Hero and I took the opportunity to sit a while. Very comfy, but a bit like sitting on a bear’s knee! a little reminiscent of that troll painting in my last post too….

More practical - if a little more staid - were the plainer, conventionally upholstered chairs nearby. We gave them a try and found them comfy, though we were hoping for something more striking really.

We’d both liked the chairs in the Museum cafe and found them comfy too, though they were b-i-g and possibly more dining chair style.

So on Monday morning, our Oslo passes expired and most galleries and museums closed, we decided to wander into the city and take a look in the grand department store we’d dropped into during our last visit. Though we were not specifically shopping for a chair, of course this was a good chance to take a look and try one or two in the “iconic furniture department”.

It wasn’t long before someone was sitting very comfortably.

But come on, we’d better try a few different designs whilst we are here! Hmmm…this one assumes we are all going to lean the same way, doesn’t it?

It wasn’t long before we returned to the chair which had caught our eye as soon as we spotted it. We called over the young salesman to ask for details and learned that it’s an iconic Danish design and yes, probably the most comfortable chair in the store. We learned that the staff enjoy watching customers give it a try and observe how it “wraps around” most of those who sit it it.

I liked that!

Clearly, we couldn’t buy it here but sitting in the cafe nearby, we did a bit of a search online and found that it was stocked by a London furniture shop we have used previously and who were offering a generous discount for Cyber Monday.

The rest is history. We decided it was our Christmas present and it will arrive in January!