Chaise your dreams

Chaise lounge: the words spell opulence and fantasy. Almost 'Hollywood–esque' in connotation, one can picture Marilyn Monroe sprawled on a velvet upholstered one, delicately biting into a bunch of grapes.

Cleopatra fitted the bill of the reclining diva even better, perhaps. One can conjure images of her lounging on one, waiting for the servants to prepare her for her infamous bathing rituals.

If you are thinking Egypt, you might be right on the button on this one. The origins of the chaise longue can be traced back to the land of the Nile, where it was first seen. Going through history's annals, one can find pictures of Egyptian pharaohs, royal in demeanour, resting on - you have guessed it - the chaise longue.

Experts, however, are divided on its real origins. Most insist its history is anything but fancy. During the early 20th century, this furniture, also known as the 'cure chair/lounger/recliner' or 'chaise longue', was used in private and public sanitariums in Europe. These institiutions housed a large number of patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, a disease rife at the time. This demand continued up until the mid 1950s.

Iconic proportions

With the coming of new drugs to treat the disease, the institutions closed down, spelling the end of the cure chair. But furniture lovers all over the world were hooked to it.
Soon it was to take on iconic proportions in popularity, especially for Modernists who admired its open, structural form.

This fusion of the day-bed and the chair caught connoisseurs' fancy and various art movements featured it extensively. It was especially popular during the Rococo period. This particular movement lent itself beautifully to the chaise longue with its love for asymmetry and contrast in elements. The French still call it the chaise longue but in English, it is often referred to as the chaise lounge.

Originally, chaise longues were neither easy nor economical to construct. The metal armrest was bent by hand, which made the chaise longue unavailable to the public because of its relatively prohibitive price. It also had to be shipped in full assembly, which meant problems transporting them.

Today, modern machinery and intuitive engineering have allowed the chaise longue to be constructed and distributed much more economically.

Superior comfort

These chairs provide a superior level of comfort, more than other chairs. There are many variations in the market, with wood, steel, chrome, upholstery and resin being the prominent ones. Of course, the list is endless. There are Asian-inspired longues which can be plain and sleek and those with a lot of carving.

There are some which are modern, with no arms at all, a la Le Corbusier, while some have up to four back positions and others, a knee-bend section that allows you to elevate your legs for extra comfort. These, of course, are more functional than aesthetic and best contained in the patio areas. For beauty and comfort anywhere in your home, the chaise longue is hard to beat.

- Devjani Cox is a UAE- based interior stylist and writer