Stories

Our Grandfather Chair. This story is about a special Grandfather Chair circa 1920’s that came into our lives in the early 1960’s. A Grandfather Chair is one that entices you to sit in it, to lean back against the raised back and side arms, to gain full support for your legs, arms and body in total comfort, to then, relax, or read your favourite novel or to enjoy a refreshing nap.

In the early 1960’s after moving to a flat in Applecross, which I had sparsely furnished with items donated by family members, I felt the need for a comfortable lounge chair to relax in after dinner, to read, or listen to my favourite records. The need led me to a downstairs used furniture shop on the north side of Hay Street near to King Street in the city. There in the corner half hidden behind other items of furniture was a grandfather chair, which attracted my attention and more so after I sat in it. My offer of ten pounds was duly accepted. It was then I realised it would not fit into my small car for transport to Applecross. A bright idea came and led my return to the office where I told my boss of the problem and asked whether I could borrow his Valliant station wagon to which he agreed. The Valiant station wagon has a forward bottom hinged tailgate door with a wind down window. I then returned to the furniture shop with the wagon, loaded the chair into the rear, leaving the back to protrude out and above the roof of the wagon. A right royal position for transporting of a VIP I thought.

Following our wedding my wife and I moved into a 1900’s built two-bedroom house with a large central lounge room complete with a wood fireplace. The chair took pride of place in the lounge room near the window where one could sit and read or just relax. With the birth of our family, it became the sitting area with a child resting on each arm snuggled into my body. A place for reading and bed time stories and in later years for watching cartoons on our 20-inch B & W cabinet TV. With time the aged patent leather covering wore and started to tear in several locations resulting in the need for a refurbishment. Sadly, the outcome from going to a local furniture repair shop did not bring the chair back to its previous comfort or looks. So much so that we moved it to a semi-storage area at our current residence where it sat, rarely used for many years.

Late in 2024 an advert in the newspaper caught our attention with a pictorial advert by furniture rejuvenators, Parker Interiors which showed a refurbished chair like our grandfather chair. A phone call to gain information, followed by a lengthy visit from their principal Frank Parker late in November 2024 resulted in an acceptable quotation and selection of fabric from the infinite number of samples provided. With the pending Christmas break the chair was delivered to Parker Interiors in Canning Vale mid-February 2025 and the finished product was returned by Frank Parker in early-April 2025. The refurbished Grandfather Chair on return was a mind-blowing sight, beautifully restored of luxurious comfort, outdoing any new show-room product.

To ensure the 100-year-old chair would be dearly loved and appreciated for many years to come we gifted it to our daughter at Easter in 2025 to place in her unit alongside a window wall to allow her or others to sit in extreme comfort and to relax while taking in the scenic view and sunsets from her living room. As said by a legendary Bard, A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER. Thank You Parker Interiors, you excelled!