The Luxembourg Collection
If you have visited le Jardin du Luxembourg you might recognise these chairs. It is a style that was brought to my attention after visiting Hauser and Wirth, an art gallery in Somerset, where the Luxembourg armchairs and stacking chairs are used in the outside seating area. This collection is named after the style of chairs found in that famous public park in Paris, characterised by wide slats on the seats and backs, and a curvy tubular frame. The Luxembourg collection comes from a French furniture brand called Fermob which specialises in outdoor seating. Their style is modern and sleek, clearly inspired by mid century shapes, but also more traditional French styles.
I recently went to a friend's house and found that she had 3 Luxembourg stacking chairs in her garden along with two side tables and a bench. The setup looked great nestled between plants on a gravel platform. Since exploring the collection, I have noticed these chairs more and more outside galleries and independent cinemas. The collection is extensive, including benches, tables, stools and a range of colours, making it extremely versatile.
But how do we feel about it? My first thought is that it is simple and feels quite classic. My favourite piece is the armless stacking chair because it appears well balanced and elegant, whereas some pieces seem top heavy. I like the clean lines and the choice of colours. Having sat in these chairs multiple times I can say they are pretty comfortable as well.
It is an expensive brand, costing £130-£230 for one of the simpler chairs depending on colour. You could easily spend £2000-£3000 for a whole setup.
Fermob has many collections of furniture and they are all worth looking at.
While the Luxembourg collection feels easily likeable, some collections are more stylised. But even the more decorative styles manage to look clean when presented in a monochromatic cactus green. From my browsing, I came across the Airloop table with sinuous legs which give a feeling of weightlessness. I would love to own this table! This Flower table also stood out to me because of its distinctive base.
Fermob is obviously the place to go for beautiful furniture inspiration for outdoor spaces (of course these pieces could be used indoors as well). I could dedicate a whole article to their Ange chair... and I probably will.