Chaise Lounge has Longue History - By: Kathy Moran

Among the most popular outdoor furniture in America is the chaise lounge. However, as with many of our favorite things, this lounge did not originate in our country. Well, actually, part of it did – the lounge part, that is. The correct name of the beloved patio chair upon which we lounge is chaise longue ('shAz-'lo[ng]), which translates literally from French as “long chair” – and you must admit, that’s a good name for it!Perhaps the fact that it is usually called a lounge, and commonly pronounced as “chase,” is indicative of our pursuit of leisure. In any case, the chaise longue originated in 16th century France, as an elongated chair with four legs, and a slanted back for reclining. Although earlier versions of it, upon which royals, such as Cleopatra, relaxed, are known to have existed in ancient Greece and Egypt, the chaise longue differed, in that it was designed so that people could lie on their backs, rather than on their sides.In the beginning, the chaise longue was often made out of curved wood and woven caning, or rattan. As it evolved throughout Europe, naturally, there was much experimentation with the design, as well as the materials, as it was adapted for diverse surroundings and uses.It is believed that the chaise longue made its first appearance in this country somewhere around the 1830’s, amid the huge waves of immigrants that were coming ashore. Once again, it underwent a series of changes, especially after the dawn of the 20th century, when many new materials, such as plastic and tubular steel, became widely available. As it was mainly used indoors, the large variety of rich fabrics and upholstery materials also allowed endless incarnations of the chaise longue.Eventually – and inevitably – this country’s love of outdoor living led to the creation of the familiar chaise lounge that graces countless patios, porches, decks, gazebos, poolsides, and cruise ships, today. Although nobody really knows for sure the exact moment that it made the transition from being a “long chair” to a “lounge chair” (not to be confused – I hope – with a “lawn chair,” although I wouldn’t be surprised…), today, it’s one of our favorite pieces of outdoor and patio furniture.Since something this special deserves an exceptional showcase, CedarStore.com offers a spectacular gallery of comfortable, attractive chaise lounges, with and without arms, in cedar, pine, teak, and polywood. CedarStore.com also features gorgeous sun beds and steamer chairs, as well as thick, plush, colorful cushions that are resistant to moisture, mildew, and fading.Visit CedarStore.com to see their entire selection of cedar, pine, oak, cherry, teak, polywood, vinyl, and aluminum outdoor chairs, porch swings, garden benches, rocking chairs, picnic tables, accent tables, gliders, dining sets, bar and bistro tables, stools, and chairs, and everything else you will ever need for your outdoor décor.To contact a design consultant or a customer service representative, call 1-888-293-2339, or e-mail contact@cedarstore.com.

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Chaise Lounges | Adirondack Chairs | Outdoor Furniture

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Kathy-Moran/5533

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