Hello Lisa.

Welcome back to yet another edition of THE PENCIL CASE! Each issue focuses on a theme to encourage a fresh look at garden design and graphics. To celebrate summer let's learn a bit about the lovely WEBBED LAWN CHAIR. ♥︎

Photo above from Structured Rebellion

A CLASSIC SUMMERTIME STAPLE

The webbed lawn chair is a classic staple of summertime Americana. You may remember them from backyard barbeques, pool parties, or dragging them along to watch the fireworks in July. These durable and functional chairs may have even been passed down in your family. But, where did this iconic chair come from?

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Post-World War II veteran, Fredric Arnold, sought out to create a simple, yet more stable version of the classic folding chair. Using the abundant surplus of aluminum tubing from aircraft production, a rough design was created.

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By the late 1950s, the chairs were refurbished, now including the fabric weaving, and began mass-production throughout the US. They were affordable, simple, and extraordinarily durable (amazing since they were so lightweight), making them a common occurance in American backyards.

The image to the above left is from a Sears catalogue in 1963.

WEBBED LAWN CHAIR FUN FACTS 

The timeless design of the webbed lawn chair has been recognized by The Museum of Modern art, who sells the chairs in their official store.

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The folding lawn chair itself can be traced back all the way to ancient Egypt.

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The rise of the webbed lawn chair coincided with the growth of American suburbs after World War II, when homes with expanded lawns were suddenly more affordable (Valet Magazine). 

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The classic style is still being produced and sold today by brothers Mark and Gary Pokrandt, owners of Lawn Chair USA. They are being made with the same technique and durability, bringing back that American nostalgia.

WEBBED CHAIR INSPIRATION

A lot of the information above came from this post on A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LAWN CHAIR byValet Magazine.

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I am loving this article on A SHORT HISTORY OF THE LAWN CHAIR by Alli Armstrong. It says "short" in the title, but I think it's filled with lots of great details.

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Here is another cool post on THE HISTORY OF THE LAWN CHAIR by Surface Magazine. It highlights the same company I mentioned above: LAWN CHAIR USA. I am in love with all the color options.

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There are many great retro shops that also sell these fabulous chairs. Check out STRUCTURED REBELLION for a few options (plus so much more).

Photo above from Structured Rebellion

LET'S DO THIS!

Do you have a lovely collection of webbed lawn chairs? Feel free to tag me on Instagram @paper.garden.workshop so I can share the fun.

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Need design inspiration? You're welcome to join our 10x10 GARDEN DESIGN TIPS email journey for only $10.

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If you know someone that needs design inspiration, please feel free to share this newsletter. Anyone can subscribe right here. I also keep a VAULT of past issues in this secret location.

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I hope you have a nice holiday break!

Happy summer,

Lisa

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PAPER GARDEN WORKSHOP

Thank you to Mandy Orgler for writing this content and creating the lovely graphics in this newsletter.