I had long intended to scratch-build the chairs for my 1:12 tea shop, and was hoping to re-size this 1:24 tutorial from Little Architecture (which is actually the Sibbo/Pinnockio chair by Yngve Ekström), but after a great deal of math, some trial and error, and months of dawdling, I saw the mid-century modern dining chair on Arjen Spinhoven's website, and realized yet again that anything I can do, Arjen Spinhoven can do much, much better.
The kit does go together fairly easily, and the resulting chair is not only beautiful in itself, but sturdier -- less vulnerable, I mean -- than Jane Harrop's mid-century chairs, charming as those are.
The real-life design is the Fresco chair by Ib Kofod-Larsen -- it's uncanny, how well Spinhoven has re-created it in 1:12 scale. The back rest on the original chair is upholstered, which Spinhoven has decided not to simulate, but that is a minor detail -- the 1:12 chair looks very good with a wooden back -- but if one has a steady hand, I'm sure this could be done with paint, as with the seat.
As handsome as these would be in a teak-colored finish, I had in my mind's eye a set of black chairs, as a subtle difference from the various other wood tones in the shop. I painted mine with a base coat of black, then after a light sanding, a second coat of 1:1 the same black paint and satin varnish, for just a little sheen. I will probably age these a bit, but I'm enjoying them as they are for now!
