Hip to be curved
The Ted salutes those about to rock
With a subtly rocking base and a shape harking back to mid-century design, the Ted offers a little whimsy along with a lot of relaxation. We spoke to designer Hildy Kovacs for the lowdown on this fun and functional piece.
The small stature and bubble-like curves of the Ted makes an instant impression, inviting young and old to take a seat. Great as a feature chair in a bedroom or living room, this chair has the look of a modern art piece, its rounded cushions echoing the shape of a Jeff Koons balloon sculpture and speaking to the retro forms of 1960s and ‘70s furniture.
The rocking base on the Ted is not always obvious at first glance. However, once people sit down, Hildy says “they can’t help but begin to move back and forth.”
“It’s really the perfect calming chair for busy times,” she says. “When you’re stressed, the natural sense of movement can be so soothing – it seems to deescalate emotion. Perhaps it takes us back to the gentle rocking of the womb?”
A lot of hard work went it delivering this comfort. Making the base design meant balancing weight distribution across the frame and involved some precise engineering. The intention was also to create a chair that could fit in smaller spaces, which meant ensuring the footprint was compact while allowing for robust cushioning.
This cushioning can be upholstered in a wide range of fabrics, but “you can’t just put anything on there.”
“It’s important to choose a hard-wearing fabric that will withstand the test of time,” says Hildy.
A textured fabric with geometric patterning works well with the Ted’s bold style, and this can then be matched with a range of eight stain options for the timber base, enabling designers and their clients to create a result that will look absolutely stunning.
When asked about the name, Hildy’s response is both straightforward and insightful.
“It doesn’t take up too much space, and it’s warm and fuzzy and cute and comfortable. Ted just seemed to fit.”
Indeed, this cute and soothing chair does have a teddy bear quality to it. However, so too does it emanate the confident style of contemporary art – and it’s this juxtaposition between simple fun and sophisticated design that makes this chair so endearing.