Get Ready! Here Comes the Great Kendal Refreshing Chair Fair!
The concrete is poured. The framing is up. Walls are coming down. Walls are going up. What more excitement could there possibly be? Well, here it is: a Chair Fair!
A What?
A Chair Fair. An exposition of seating possibilities. A display of fanny rests. A bevy of beneficial butt bases. In months gone by, we’ve seen mock-ups of new rooms and old, furnished in varying styles of movables and un-movables, alike. One of residents’ greatest concerns was chairs. Why? Because we sit and . . . read, talk, laugh, play games, rest, dine, dream, snack, meet, think great thoughts . . . all in chairs. So, it’s important that we, the most-frequent sitters, tush-test the possibilities. And this is the opportunity for one and all to do so.
So, What’s the Drill Here?
The design team outfitting the new and refreshed spaces have identified 10 possible chair styles each for the lounges (Bistro and new community room) and for the Bistro and Formal Dining Room (aka, FDR).
What Criteria Did the Design Team use for These Chairs?
Well, first off, they feel the chairs need “to look and feel like home.” Second, they need to be built to ensure safety and be long-lasting. These two priorities fall into the category of “Senior Living Furniture.”
The chairs chosen were made by companies that specialize in commercial-grade senior living furniture, designed to be extra sturdy, safe, and comfortable. All of which means:
They have strong frames and joints—so they’ll last for years—full armrests to help us get in and out easily, and no sharp corners.
The seat heights on the chairs are higher, and the cushions a bit firmer, than “typical” furniture—which makes standing up easier and safer.
Many chairs also have “clean-out” spaces and moisture-protection, so spills don’t get trapped, making them more sanitary and easier to keep looking nice.
First step: the Kendal Interior Design Committee meets and is shown approximately 20 chair styles in total. There will be casual dining chairs, formal dining chairs and lounge chairs for the Bistro Lounge, the new community room, and the FDR and Bistro. Next step—and this is where the Chair Fair comes in—we, the folks who will be actually using the chairs, get to come to a central place, look at the chairs, feel the chairs, sit in the chairs, get up out of the chairs—in other words, test them out.
And then we vote.
Important note: We will be voting on the sit-ability of the chairs. You will not be seeing the upholstery that will be used. The test will be do they—as chairs—meet the necessary physical necessities.
When Does All This Happen?
The Interior Design Committee comes together. They will peruse the choices and come up with the several worthy individuals for each category. It is from these that the community will choose. The Interior Design Committee meeting happens on September 25th.
Before you ask, here’s a review of the members of the Interior Design Committee:
Mary Lou Alpert, Margo Berger, Marilyn Bottjer, Jane Hart, Barbara Roggemann, Jackie Wilke as well as the members of the Project Team, Hildegarde Gray, Hank Schacht, Uriel Schlair, Fred Coppola, Jean Eccleston, Bob Michael and Ellen Ottstadt.
Okay, and When Do We See These Chairs?
That date is scheduled to start the morning of Friday, September 26 and will be located in the Bistro Lounge. The chairs will be available for approximately one and half weeks. Voting will start on the 26th. Yes, it’s coming up fast. Start practicing your sitting. And before you ask, couches will be considered at a different time and date. Something to look forward to!