Set Swivel

Retro Swivel Chair

The modern retro swivel chair is an enduring icon of mid-century decor. But though its many variations are all symbols of the period, they're also perfect in today's home.

The swivel chair was actually invented by in the 18th century by Thomas Jefferson, but until the 1950s it was generally used in office furniture only and rarely seen in the home. The mid century modern design aesthetic of convenience, comfort, and streamlined efficiency made the swivel style a natural, however, and retro decorating featured swivel chair for everything from lounging to dining.

Sleek lines, innovative use of materials, and streamlined design are the earmarks of retro modern design, and the swivel chairs that gained great popularity during the period are excellent examples.

Eames Lounge Chair
The swivel lounge chair created by modern furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames has become a true design classic. It has the rare distinction of being recognized by organizations like New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Design Institute of Chicago, but it also remains a consumer favorite.

When it was first introduced in the 1950s, everything about the chair was revolutionary, from its sleek modern shape to its molded wood construction. But though it was on the cutting edge of modern design, the Eames swivel lounge chair was developed with comfort and usability in mind. Charles Eames said he wanted the chair to be "a special refuge from the strains of modern living".

The shell of the classic style is made of molded wood, meticulously finished to highlight the natural grain. Cushioned with smooth and supple leather, the shape is sleek yet enveloping. The design of the Eames Lounge Chair is absolutely timeless, fitting in perfectly with today's decor.

The Egg Chair
Designed by famed Danish modern furniture creator Arne Jacobson in the late 1950s, the Egg Chair remains a classic style that has never lost its popularity. Jacobsen was known for spare, no-nonsense designs that used materials in new and exciting ways, and the Egg Chair is one of his finest and most well-known designs.

Combining the gleam and sparkle of the steel swivel base with smooth upholstery in bright eye-popping primary colors, the Egg Chair is built on a curving steel framework that gently hugs the user.

The Ball Chair
The Ball or Globe Chair is one of the most iconic of all retro modern furniture designs. Created in 1966 by Eero Aarnio, the Ball Chair takes the body-hugging design of the Eames and Egg chairs a step further. The hollow-ball shell of the chair, which is set on a swivel pedestal, completely envelops the user. The design radically expanded the concept of what furniture can be and do, by using a chair to create a private "space within a space".

The shells of the original Ball Chairs were made of fiberglass, with the inside upholstered in bright primary colors.

About the Author

Big, bold, and beautiful, retro wall clocks make a great addition to almost any decor. Find out more at Retro Modern Furniture.

Baby Pushchairs - Advice for Finding the Best One for You and Your Child

Many brands sell baby pushchairs, buggies, strollers and prams, and searching for the right one for your baby can be a daunting task. If you’re about to have your first child you probably won’t have gone through this process before so it can feel quite difficult, as there so many brands and styles to choose between.

To help make your decision easier have at look at these tips for choosing the best baby pushchair for you and your baby.

•    Functionality
Firstly you need to think about whether you need a pushchair, a buggy, a pram, a stroller or a complete travel system. This decision is based on the age of your child (a newborn needs to lie flat), how you travel (do you need a car seat that can be transfered to your pushchair frame), when and where you’ll be using it (every day, around town, on holiday, etc). For every day use you might need a complete travel system but on holiday you might only want a lightweight stroller for example.

•    Kids
The second decision is based on how many children you have and their individual ages, and whether you are planning to expand your family in the near future. So will you need a tandem or a twin pushchair, or the option to add another seat or a ride-on board at some stage? If you have two children you have to decide whether you want one of them to ride on an attached board, or whether you want them to sit alongside each other, or one on front of the other, if they are both seated.

•    Budget
It is important to think about how much money you want to spend and look at which brands are within your budget, as prices can vary vastly. There are many very good quality yet affordable baby ppushchairs as well as more expensive designer brands. It can be worth taking the time to look around for special offers and sales if you want a particular brand that is a bit beyond your budget. But remember that this is an investment for your baby, hopefully a one-off cost so if you do your research thoroughly and get the right pushchair it should last you the next three or four years, or longer if you have a second child.

•    Weight 
Think about the weight you'll have to push around and whether you'll have to list or carry the pushchair on your own? How do you travel, by bus, train, plane, taxi or car? Where do you live, does it have a lot of stairs that you'll have to carry the pushchair up and down? Remember to add the weight of your baby or child when you consider the weight of the pushchair, in a store or when looking online!

•    Manoeuvrability
It’s really important to consider how easy it is to manoeuvre a baby pushchair and to think about where you’ll need to manoeuvre it. Will you be going around town, in and out of shops and other tight spaces such as doorways? If so you probably want a swivel front wheel, but a lockable one for using over rougher terrain. If you plan on covering any rough terrain, for example in the countryside, think about the suspension as well as the manoeuvrability.

•    Compactness
If you're looking at pushchairs in a shop they will probably be unfolded so you're able to look at the features so remember to test how easy it is to fold, and how compact it is when folded. Consider where you will store a pushchair at home as well as whether it will fit in your car, especially if you have a small car? Find out if it has quick release wheels for easy storage and whether you can fold and unfold it easily with one hand? If you’re looking online make sure you check out the dimensions of the pushchair when it’s folded as well as unfolded.

•    Style
Although the functional features are the most important things to think about it is also important to decide on the style you like and the colours you prefer. Styles of pushchairs also vary based on what usage or terrain they’re aimed at, e.g. 3-wheeler buggies are often considered to be more sporty and have larger, pneumatic wheels for bumpy ground.  But there are now all sorts of styles available, in 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers, from contemporary to classic, minimalist to chunky, pretty to funky, etc.

•    Extras
You might decide that you just want a basic pushchair without any extras to start with but it's worth checking whether you can add extras to it at a later date if you want to? Is it possible to adapt the frame by attaching a car seat or a carrycot so that you can move baby from place to place without disturbance? Can you add an extra seat or a ride-on board if your family expands? Some brands have whole ranges of matching extras that can be bought separately, and as your needs change it’s good to know you can adapt without having to buy a complete new pushchair. Some baby pushchairs also come with more accessories than others, but most come with a matching rain cover, sun hood and a bag or basket of some kind. Many have a range of accessories available that you can buy separately, such as cup holders, parasols, sun shades, blankets, footmuffs, insect nets, and weather shields. Remember to check what accessories are included and what you can buy as extras.

Baby's Comfort
Probably one of the most important things to think about is how comfortable the seat will be for your baby. Check whether it has multi-recline seat positions, including a lie flat position for newborn babies (not all pushchairs are suitable from birth so check what age each model is suitable for). Look out for features such as adjustable straps, an adjustable footrest, a headrest and removeable pads for the comfort of smaller babies. Some pushchairs have front and rear facing seats so think about whether your baby will feel happier facing you or looking where they’re going, or whether you want the option to be able to turn the seat around as your baby gets older.

• Comfort for You
Your comfort is an important consideration as well as that of your child. For what lenth of time will you usually be pushing the pushchair for without a break and how difficult will the terrain be, is it bumpy or smooth. Look for pushchairs with an adjustable handle height if you are tall as some handles are too low. Have a look at how the brake works, for example is it a foot operated brake leaving your hands free to deal with other things going on around you? Is it easy enough to push with one hand while holding the hand of another child? Is it easy to fold with one hand?

You may have other considerations as well but if you spend a little time thinking about these and doing some research you should be able to find the right baby pushchair to suit your needs. Use the tips here as a starting point for your search, write a list of the things you need and then compare similar baby pushchairs made by different brands before reaching a final decision.

Nikon D5100 Compared to the Canon Rebel T3i Side by side (Digital Review)

Nikon recently released the Nikon D5100 SLR, which serves an update to the
Nikon D5000. The Nikon D5100 is designed to appeal to both novice and hobby
photographers by offering a wide range of both automatic options and extended
manual creative control. The Nikon D5100 shares a fairly similar body design
to the Nikon D5000, although receives a number of updated features, among them
an almost identical 16 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor to the one found in the
popular higher end Nikon D7000. Another addition is that the Nikon D5100 now
features a larger 3-inch, 921K high resolution side mounted swivel LCD screen,
versus the D5000 with a smaller 2.7-inch, and lower resolution (230K) bottom
hinged swivel LCD screen. As of today, the 18MP Canon Rebel T3i SLR is the
closest competitor to the Nikon D5100. Both cameras feature a very similar
feature set and are intended for the same target market including entry level
to more advanced enthusiast photographers. We have now had the opportunity to
test the Nikon D5100 versus the Canon Rebel T3i, and have put together a
detailed comparison to show how these two models stack up against each ...

Digital Review

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