Get the Look: 30 Modern Rocking Chairs

A few weeks  ago I did a small roundup of modern rocking chairs to accompany a decor story in the Boston Globe. (Every Monday my lovely colleague Jaci Conroy writes an interior design article for the Globe and I pull together a corresponding group of furnishings & accessories.) I found so many great modern rocking chairs + contemporary rocking chairs that I figured a blog post was in order.

These all have great styling and are a far departure from traditional rockers or overstuffed gliders for the nursery. We have an Eames molded plastic rocker in sky blue on the Cape that we bought for my son, though I think it’s in our room now. Sometimes I use it on our little deck. I didn’t include that iconic example here, but there are other examples (mid-century modern furniture replicas), like the #16, the Swerve which has jaunty cut-outs and a full wooden base.

I love the look of  #5, a very spare rocker from NYC shop Matter, and of love the tall mint-upholstered one by Normann Copenhagen. And if only I could place that blush colored Artifort rocker in the model apartment I’m decorating. Probably thought, the one that makes the most sense for my lifestyle is Gus Modern’s GT rocker (#13). It is definitely a contemporary rocking chair in style, but with enough cushion to be comfy.

Shop 30 modern rocking chairs from StyleCarrot partners and other favorite shops.

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

1 Comback Rocking Chair by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell, $890 at YLiving.

2 Taxed Rocking Chair by Segis, $1,309.99 at AllModern.

3 First Rocking Chair, $3,170 at Matter

4 Buttercup Rocker by Blu Dot, $899 at Lumens.

5 Era Rocking Chair by Normann Copenhagen & Simon Legald, $1,860 at A+R.  

6 Terra Rocking Chair by Antonio Forteleoni for ATIPIC, $1,172 at AllModern. 

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

7 Outback II Rocking Chair, $329 at CB2.  

8 Hand-Woven Rocker, $299 at Urban Outfitters.

9 Geneva Wood Patio Rocking Chair by Safavieh, $216 at Target

10 500 Series Rocking Chair by Artifort, $4,006 at YLiving. 

11 Stingray Rocker by Thomas Pedersen, $4,537 at Danish Design Store.

12 Luxembourg Rocking Chair by Fermob, $1,024 at Horne. 

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

13 GT Rocker by Gus Modern, $1,150 at 2modern

14 Rapson Rocker by Ralph Rapson for Loll Designs, $1,159 at YLiving.

15 Aquios Bentwood Rocking Chair by CorLiving, $102.05 at Overstock

16 Swerve Rocking Chair by Modway, $299 at IFN Modern

17 Regatta Rocking Chair, $499 at Crate & Barrel.

18 POÄNG Rocking Chair, $169 at Ikea.  

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

19 Risom Rocker, $2,470 at DWR.  

20 Version 5 Rocker by A. Jacob Marks for Skram, $5,302 at Lumens.

21 Voido Rocking Chair by Ron Arad for Magis, $985 at YLiving

22 Mod RockerBy Iglooplay, $326 at 2modern

23 Mid-Century Rocking Chair, $599 at Land of Nod. 

24 Mod Lounger by Lisa Albin for OFFI, $599 at YLiving

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

25 Rocker Chair by Guidecraft, $109.95 at AllModern.

26 Sleepytime Rocker by Nursery Works, $499 at YLiving

27 Rapson Greenbelt Rocker with Arms by Ralph Rapson, $1,695 at YLiving.

28 Wicker & Chrome Mid-Century Rocking Chair, $850 at Chairish

29 Springwood Rocking Chair, $799 at Land of Nod

30 Mademoiselle Rocking Chair by Artek, $1,538 at 2modern

Contemporary & Modern Rocking Chairs

31 Windsorrondack Single Rocker by Board by Design, $4,100 at Aha Life

32 Rocking Chair in Scrapwood by Piet Hein Eek, $921 at The Future Perfect. 

33 Rocking Chair by Adrian Pearsall,$3,000 at Azalea Modern, 1stdibs.

34 Upholstered Mid Century Rocking Chair, $281.71 at shopladder, eBay. 

35 Rocking Bent Wood Chairs, $1,875 at S.Julian, 1stdibs.

36 Do Do Rocking Chair by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poltrona Frau at Switch Modern.

Get the Look: 42 Modern Desks For Your Home Office

I’ve been so focused on Florida (though not nearly enough, as I’ve yet to order rugs, shades, or decide on the pink problem in the bathroom), that I’ve neglected organizing and upgrading in Boston. Coming back in the fall from the Cape, I’m always bothered by the amount of stuff we have. Too. Much. Stuff. It’s particularly striking because not only is the place on the Cape a lot bigger, being a house instead of an apartment, it’s white and virtually empty.

Here, in addition to crown moldings and bookshelves lined with coffee table books (one of the best perks of being a blogger), there’s , well, everything. The piles of dishes still not put away from the bar mitzvah in February (because, after all, we’re having another one this coming February), our bicycles in the living room until it gets too cold to ride and we store them, etc.

I’ve been promising my younger son that I would work on his bedroom. Meaning, I would clear out all the outgrown clothing and extra bedding I’ve been keeping in there. Done! He has the upholstered armchair that I used to nurse them on when they were babies. It’s taking up a ton of space that would be better used for a desk. He’s starting to get a fair amount of homework, plus, like me, he’s very organized, so I think he’d love to have drawers where he can store supplies.

Our other son has a little desk from IKEA, which when it’s cleared, he actually likes to use (not for homework, though). When he was away at a boarding school program this summer he lived in student housing, with a room furnished in typical dorm style (by a company like Peelmount) that outfits dorm rooms with sturdy wood beds, desks, and dressers. It’s kind of incredible that those designs haven’t changed, in like, ever. Blocky oak stands the test of time, I suppose. In any case, I’m not looking for anything as practical as all that. A small, affordable, modern desk is all we need.

Here are 42 modern desks, almost all of them well-priced (and one very extravagant example) from StyleCarrot partner sites and other great resources.

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S H O P P I N G 

1 Soft Modern Writing Desk by Sauder, $210 at All Modern.

2 MICKE desk, $49.99 at IKEA

3 at All Modern.

4 Phillip Desk by Arteriors Home, $2,520 at All Modern.

5 Finch Desk by Gus Modern, $1,044.75 at Burke Decor.

6 Half Pipe Writing Desk by Offi, $899 at All Modern. 

7 Ayers Writing Desk by Reual James, $1,338 at All Modern.

8 Jacques Desk, $3,495 at Jonathan Adler

9 Homework Desk by Niels Bendtsen, $1,595 at DWR.

10 Reef Writing Desk by Tema, $720 at All Modern

11 Paul McCobb Style Birch Desk, $2700 at Chairish. 

12 Pilson Paprika Desk, $199 at Crate & Barrel.

13 Eames Desk Unit (EDU) by Herman Miller, $1,419 at Room & Board.

14 Rustic Storage Oak Desk, $499 at West Elm.

15 Radford Adjustable Desk in White design by Safavieh, $495 at Burke Decor.

16 Offi Wave Writing Desk, $999 at All Modern.

17 Royal Blue Vintage Campaign Desk, $795 at Chairish.

18 Executive Desk with Cabinet by Jesper Office, $2,374 at Bluefly.

19 Shutter Hall Desk, $1,350 at Furniturea.

20 Marco Desk, $799 at Crate & Barrel.

21 Delphine Desk, $1,950 at Jonathan Adler

22 Hanh Left Desk by Euro Style, $552 at Burke Decor.  

23 Eames Desk Unit (EDU) by Herman Miller, $1,419 at DWR.

24 Contrast Drawer Desk by Assembly Home, $369 at Urban Outfitters.

25 Slim Desk in Orange, $449 at Room & Board.

26 Nelson Swag Leg Desk by George Nelson for Herman Miller, $2,149 at DWR.

27 Mid-Century Desk in Thai Blue, $399 at West Elm.

28 Cant Writing Desk by Blu Dot, $599 at All Modern.

29 Poltrona Frau Fred Desk, $ stat Switch Modern.

30 Format Desk by BDI USA, $1,299 at All Modern.

31 Green Josephine Desk by Cost Plus, $199 at World Market.

32 Reclaimed Pine Cross Base Desk, $499 at West Elm.

33 Manon Desk by Italian Modern, $539.99 at All Modern.

34 Reale Desk by Moe’s Home Collection, $781.76 at Bellacor

35 Junction Desk by Gus Modern, $1,255 at Burke Decor.

36 Emmerson Reclaimed Wood Storage Desk, $1,299 at West Elm.

 37 Scrub Desk by Autobahn for De La Espada, $5,185 at Matter.

38 Fairfax Desk, $495 at Serena & Lily.

39 Companions Writing Desk by StudioIlse, $3,145 at The Future Perfect.

40 Lark Desk, $695 at Serena & Lily.

41 Pontus Desk by Pinch, $11,257 at The Future Perfect.

42 Remix Desk by Gesa Hansen , $3,065 at Matter.

Design Diary: Leah Fish Does Up Her Brother’s Bachelor Pad

Photographer Dan Cutrona pitched this place to me for a local magazine’s “Men’s” issue, but since said man was transferred to the Midwest, we weren’t able to do it. It’s a great place in the South End, furnished by Boston area designer Leah Fish for her brother Ed Fish. Ed, 30, purchased  the two bedroom condo when he was getting his MBA at MIT. He asked his sister to keep it modern and clean, with nice furniture and unique artwork. The condo was to epitomize his life’s next phase—although a student, he was more grownup than frat boy. Leah did a superb job putting together the perfect environment for a single guy who likes to entertain, and doesn’t need the hassle of high maintenance. Let’s have a look.

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Ed on his new Eames lounge. Definitely a splurge, but Leah knew he’d have it forever. The vintage floor lamp is from Reside in Cambridge.

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The living room needed to function as a place for watching sports on TV, but also socializing with friends.

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Chair by Gus* Modern from Addo Novo in the South End.

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The sleek credenza, also from Addo Novo, is a nice counterpoint to some of the more organic and vintage pieces. A terrarium by Lynzariums sits on top and an Alex Katz print (a forever investment), from Beth Urdang Gallery on Newbury Street, hangs above.

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The coffee table is a gigantic piece of teak that Leah found at Hudson in the South End, for which she had a piece of glass cut for the top. The antique kilim rug is also from Hudson.

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The vintage dining table and chairs are from Reside. They like the industrial feel of the chairs, which they Leah had reupholstered in black leather.

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It wasn’t in the budget to do anything to the kitchen, but the dark wood cabinets were fine, and the appliances high quality.

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Ed spent a summer interning in Japan with a famous ceramicist. The photo, taken by their mom’s friend, is of Ise, a sacred shrine.

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The metal staircases add an industrial vibe. They didn’t need to refinishe the dark brown floors.

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The half bath’s wall-mounted sink is space-conscious. A large window lets in a blast of light.

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This staircase leads up to the roof deck. The abstract artwork, from the Howard Yerzertsky Gallery in SoWa, is by Brian Zink, who works in Plexiglass. It was a big purchase, and Leah points out that the photo doesn’t do it justice. She says, “It’s very crisp and contemporary. The thick panels of Plexiglass are very precisely cut, and give off a shine that makes it interesting.”

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The roof deck has the ultimate Boston guy touch—two chairs from Fenway Park.

Photography by Dan Cutrona

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Get the Look: 20 Modern Sleeper Sofas

I’ve done a number of sofa roundups of a variety of sofas from gray sofas to blue velvet sofas—but I have yet to pull together a collection of sleeper sofas for you. With summer guests on the horizon, I think it’s a good idea to examine some sofa bed options.

Choosing sofa beds can be tricky, since the sofas need to be deep enough to accommodate some type of mattress wide enough to pose as a bed. This means they can be bulky; hardly the contemporary look I favour. There are a number of options that go beyond the futon, but stay simple and sleek. Even the more comfortable upholstered sofa beds for sale these days have a streamlined silhouette.

I wrote a post on daybeds a while back, so I haven’t included any here save for one sectional piece that’s admittedly more of a daybed than traditional sleeper. On the Cape I have DWR’s Twilight in green which I love, but as for my old sleeper-sofa with the thin mattress and metal bar that pops out of the sofa – not so much.

Sleeper sofa design has improved, but still, if you’re shopping for a traditional sleeper, look for constructions that solve that issue. Mitchell Gold sofas tend to be great compromises for a plush upholstered sofa with a bed inside. [Availability of items checked and updated on 1-18-17]

Modern Sleeper Sofas With Beds

Modern Sleeper Sofas With Beds

Modern Sleeper Sofas With Beds

S H O P P I N G

1 Elliot Sofa Bed, $169 at Target. (unavailable)

2 SOLSTA Sofa Bed, $179 at IKEA.

3 Bay Sleeper by Busk&Hertzog, $2,200 at DWR. (unavailable)

4 Elke Convertible Sofa, $999.99 at Room & Board.

5 Henry Sleeper, $1,299–$1,699 at West Elm.

6 Twilight Sleeper Sofa by Flemming Busk, $2,100 at DWR.

7 Gus*Modern James Sleeper Lounge, $1,850 at Lumens.

8 Mexico Futon Sofa Bed, £189.99 at Argos.

9 Blu Dot Paramount Daybed, $1,804 at YLiving.

10 Twin Sleeper Chair, $1,795 at JC Penney.

11 Alex III Sleeper at Mitchell Gold Bob Williams.

12 Chevron Futon, $199.99 at Target.

13 Sliding Sleeper Sofa by Pietro Arosio, $3,875 at DWR.

14 LifeStyle Solutions Convertible Sofa, $560 at Hayneedle.

15 KIVIK Sofa Bed with Footstool, $958 at IKEA.

16 Eden Convertible Sofa, $999 at Room & Board.

17 Blu Dot One Night Stand Sleeper Sofa, $1,999 at Lumens.

18 Patti Foam Sofa Bed at Homebase. (unavailable)

19 Artek Sofa-Bed 550.

20 Niels Bendtsen sleeper sofa, $2,540 at Hive.

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