Comparison Guide: Modern Classic's Exhibition Chair

 Modern Classics  

Our Barcelona style lounge chair we call the Exhibition Chair is offered in top grain Italian leather, a frame made of solid bar, #304 Stainless Steel, polished to a mirror-like finish. For an extra charge, we offer powdercoating the frame in 8 standard colors. You may also provide your own upholstery materials for your specific project. The list prices for the Modern Classics brand are significantly lower than all other comparable brands, most notably the Knoll chair sold by Design within Reach (DWR). Furthermore, we do not charge for sales taxes and standard shipping is free to the contiguous US on orders over $5,000. Lead Times: Due to the high demand for these chairs, we often times are out of stock on some colors. We weld and polish the frames in the USA and do all the final assembly and packaging here too. There is about 40 hours of labor that goes into each chair. Most times there is under a 8 week lead time.

 Design Within Reach 

Design Within Reach (DWR) sells the original replica of these chairs as made by Knoll in Italy (aka., the "Signature" or "Barcelona Chair" model.) DWR offer their Barcelona chairs are offered in top grain Spinneybeck leather in 6 colors and a chrome-plated steel frame. Each piece has an signature etch of Mies van der Rohe, which is their trademark. They do not sell a loveseat or sofa version of this chair. The list price for the DWR brand is significantly higher than all other comparable brands. Lead Times: The six standard leather colors are generally in stock.

  Low Market Chairs 

Barcelona style chairs can be found all over the Internet, and are notably because their prices are well below $600. The low market chairs are offered in one or two colors: black and white, and are note known for the use of soft foam, real leather, or correct dimensions. Their chairs use a chrome-plated steel frame. You can also find loveseat or sofa versions of this chair, with similar quality issues. Lead times: Generally in stock.

 Modern Classics  

Our frame dimensions are modeled from original 1964 engineering - production drawings, and are the closest to the designer's original intent of the model updated from his original 1929 version model. Our seat cushions are 18.5 inch deep, the deepest among the competitors and our seat slope extends from 17 inches in the front to 13 inches at the back, allowing it to be easy to get in and out of the chair while adding an extra comfortable sitting experience.

 Design Within Reach 

The Knoll brand chair dimensions have been altered through the years. The current version has a very sloped seat, making it difficult to get in and out of the chair, along with a poor sitting position.

  Low Market Chairs 

Low Market Chairs' chair frame dimensions seem slightly smaller in overall size than our version and the curve on the back legs is not correct. Not to specifications.

 Modern Classics  

We offer 20 imported Italian leather colors as standard, with the option of providing your own leather or selecting from our wide range of color and texture selection of stock European leather colors for a surcharge.

  Design Within Reach 

The chair that DWR sells only has a choice of 6 leather colors as standard, although there is the option to selects from the entire Spinneybeck leather collection for a substantial surcharge. Not offered in Fabric or in your own materials.

  Low Market Chairs 

These models are typically offered in only 1 or 2 leather colors: black and white. Upholstery might be leather, bonded leather, or vinyl; in any case, not quality A level Italian or USA leather.

 Modern Classics  

Our Frames are precision formed with No. 304 grade stainless steel, welded and hand-polished to a mirror-like finish in our Bellingham Facility. By using higher grade #304 stainless steel we achieve a more natural appearance metal feature than plated chrome as well as a more environmentally safe steel compared to "plated chrome". Stainless steel is easy to maintain, inherently corrosive resistant and repairable by hand polishing offering a near life-time of trouble fee use. Besides the hand-polished look, we can powder coated finish in a variety of standaard colors, as well as you can request a custom color too.

 Design Within Reach 

Their chair frame is polished chrome hand-ground and hand-buffed to a mirror finish. The chrome plating process of metals has been noted as a generally unsafe manufacturing process for our environment and when scratched or chipped, the steel will rust and it cannot be easily repaired, whereas stainless steel is easy to maintain, inherently corrosive resistant and repairable by hand polishing offering a near life-time of trouble fee use. The Signature Model has sharp corners on all frame edges, because they use mild steel. In addition, each DWR chair has the Mies van der Rohe signature etched in the back leg, which is their trademark. There are no options besides the polished chrome look, i.e., no powdercoating.

  Low Market Chairs 

Their chair frame is lower grade stainless steel, machined-polished and has a dull, milky finish. Does not look like chrome or very good stainless steel. 10mm thick steel instead of 12mm steel means easily susceptible to bending. There are no options besides the polished chrome look, i.e., no powdercoating.

 Modern Classics  

Our Cushions are upholstered with 40 individual panels, which are hand-cut, hand-welted, and hand-tufted with leather buttons about the size of a U.S. dime coin. Our Cushions have leather on top, back and sides, with no seams on the front and top corners. Our back and seat cushions are slightly taller and deeper to the frame, so they look good when someone is seated in them (no folding inward or excess pillowing of the cushions) or when the chair is unoccupied. Our back cushion has the proper curve to match the frame. We use luxury grade HR (High Resilient) Multi-Density Foam in our cushion construction giving our customers a very comfortable sitting experience - the most comfortable on the market! This foam is an environmentally and people safe material produced by a major world-recognized foam manufacturer. Our foam is rated by independent certified testing laboratories and tested for commercial safety grade fire and smoke standards for Europe and USA. Additionally, the foam is wrapped with Dacron polyester fiberfill for additional softness and seat comfort.

 Design Within Reach 

The Signature Cushions are upholstered with 40 individual panels, which are hand-cut, hand-welted, and hand-tufted with leather buttons about the size of a U.S. dime coin. Cushions have leather on top, back and sides, with no seams on the front and top corners. Their current chair version have shorter back and seat cushions and appear to overly exposed the frame when seated in it. Back cushion has the proper curve to match the frame; seat cushion has scalloped back edge to match the curve of the frame. Because they use extremely hard foam, their leather has a very tight fit. They say they use highly resilient urethane foam with down-like Dacron polyester fiberfill on the outside. However, their chair cushions have extremely high foam density, which make their cushions extra hard and not very comfortable.

  Low Market Chairs 

These models is seat and back cushions are too big for the frame, making it uncomfortable to sit in. Back cushion does not have the proper curve to match the frame; seat cushion is not scalloped back edge to match the curve of the frame. These models are upholstered with 40 individual panels, but use corded piping between the panels. Corded piping is a fake way to create the hand-welting, and are uncomfortable to sit on. Buttons about the size of a quarter and some models have visible from the back. These models uses inexpensive foam with no Dacron polyester fiberfill wrapped on the on the outside of the foam. Foam density is high, making the cushions extra hard and not very comfortable.

 Modern Classics  

Our chair belts are dyed to match the specified upholstery color - 17 belts are used for cushion support. Belts are attached to the chair's frame with sturdy high grade anti-corrosive Aluminum rivets. Back cushions are held in place with 4 snaps; seat cushions are held in place with three snaps. Snaps are stainless steel. Our belts are genuine cowhide and are fnished on all sides. Belts are about 3.0mm thick and are strong to prevent sagging.

 Design Within Reach 

The Knoll chair uses leather belts that are finished on both sides. Back cushions is held in place with 4 snaps; seat cushion is held in place with three snaps. Snaps are zinc plated steel, not stainless steel.

  Low Market Chairs 

These models upholstery belts are bonded leather belting or hollow tubes, dyed to match specified upholstery color - 17 straps are used for cushion support. belts are attached with zinc-plated rivets. Back cushion is held in place with only 2 snaps; seat cushion is held in place with three buckles. Snaps are zinc plated steel.

 Modern Classics  

We offer the extreme flexibility on this model for customizing, with modest up-charges. First, there is the upholstery material. You can provide your own fabric or leather. You can ask us to check with our leather supplier for a specific leather color. We can powder coat the frame using one of our standard colors, or your own selection.

 Design Within Reach 

DWR offers limited flexibility on this model for customizing. You can provide your own select from a broad range of Spinneybeck Leathers, for an additional up-charge. There is no other frame choice than chrome or stainless steel.

  Low Market Chairs 

These models offer no customizing options. There is no other frame choice than chrome or stainless steel.