The Ladder-Back Chair – Rustic Charm Or A Piece Of Furniture History?

You might look at a ladder-back chair and think that it’s nothing special, it is after all just a simple wooden chair, and maybe you’d be right. However the fact that they’re still used by café’s, bistro’s, and restaurants throughout the world, plus they still remain a staple piece of furniture in countless homes is a testament to its design. But what makes the ladder-back chair so special?

Longevity

Did you know that ladder-back chairs have been around in one form or another since the 12^th century and have been widespread in the UK since the 17^th century? Here fashionable furniture makers of the time enhanced the design by utilising expensive woods such as maple and walnut instead of sycamore to appeal more to the upper classes. Throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth, and 20^th centuries the chair remained very much ‘en vogue’ and even to this day is still the mainstay of many cafe owners looking to embrace that rustic style.

Simple design

With the ladder-back chair, what you see is what you get! There are no intricacies or ornate carving here. Instead it consists of a series of gentle curves and straight lines which come together to make a simple, but surprisingly robust and comfortable chair. In fact because of its simplistic design the ladder-back chair became the world’s first mass produced chair of a sort, as local craftsmen could turn out a chair in a matter of hours rather than weeks. Even now its simplistic non-fussy design fits in with a wide array of cafe styles, themes, and designs making it the perfect accompaniment.

Lightweight yet robust

Because the ladder-back chair consists of a collection of horizontal spindles set between two uprights, plus a seat and four legs it’s surprisingly lightweight. As a result it makes for the perfect cafe chair because it can easily be moved around as and when the needs of the business dictates. Moreover, its compact design means that it doesn’t take up a lot of space. When making the best use of your space can be the difference between running at a profit or a loss, it’s easy to see why the ladder-back chair is proving popular even now. Finally it’s surprisingly robust and commercial grade varieties in particular are built with a busy service in mind.

Having read this, I’ll bet you won’t look at a ladder-back chair in the same way and might even want to embrace it’s rustic charm. If you’re considering ladder-back chairs for your cafe, restaurant, or bistro, then you’re in luck. Here at Cafe Furniture Melbourne we stock a wide variety of commercial grade cafe furniture including the ladder-back chair. In fact we have some new varieties that are just in. Why not take a closer look by visiting www.cafefurnituremelbourne.com.au. Alternatively if you need help or are after something specific, then give our friendly but experienced team a ring on 03 9357 9688. We look forward to helping you.