I recently had the good fortune to purchase this “Windsor Settee” made by Kale Vogt at Lost Art Press (also @furniturebykale). Kale has already written extensively about the design, construction, and history of the piece, which you can read here, so I won’t repeat any of that right now. Same about Lost Art Press. Go read for yourself and be forever enlightened if you are unfamiliar. 

Now, I came across the settee in my email one day in May, as Kale was auctioning it to the highest bidder through a post in their website. My first impression when I saw it was that I had to have it. I don’t know exactly why. It just spoke to me in a language I understood yet which I cannot articulate back to you. I almost did not submit a bid, as I figured I would be unlikely to prevail. But, alas, here we are, sitting pretty. Aside from the practical need for such a thing in my office at this time, I also am 100% on board with the idea of supporting other independent woodworkers and craftspeople to the greatest extent possible. One other thing that I think is super cool is, as we were conversing via email on the shipping and seven other kinds of what have you related to getting it here, Kale mentioned this was the first settee they made. Numero Uno, of, I’m sure, many to follow in the future. But I got the first one. Ha.

So, I thought I would write about my experience and impressions thereof after sitting a bunch. It’s rare that I would buy a piece of furniture for myself rather than just make it, given my interest in that sort of thing, but chairs and other such sitting/resting contrivances fashioned from deceased trees are not really in my wheelhouse right now.

Is it a Good Sit, or What?

Here’s the first thing. When I took it out of the crate upon delivery, I was rather taken aback by its weight – or lack thereof. It is incredibly light for its size. Which, I guess makes sense because look at it…its more air than wood. 

Now, you might be thinking, those spindles or sticks that create the back are very thin and fragile looking. I would hesitate getting into that contraption and taking it for a spin. And yes, they are thin. But fragile? I think not, my fine furniture friends. The whole thing has a remarkable amount of strength. It also has a high degree of flex to it that just sort of takes your body weight and abides. A nice wooden hug. This is, no doubt, by design. These sticks are thicker toward the bottom, near where most would find their lumbar vertebral members. Makes sense, right? Like somebody sat down and thought that out and tested it and refined it. They all have a sculpted, hand wrought look/feel, as I suspect they were not turned on a lathe.

The arm rests have this bit of curve at the front with a little extra meat on their bones. Gives one a bit more purchase for gripping tightly in the event the game of chess you are playing while seated takes a turn toward misfortune.

The seat is quite comfy even for a long sit and think, which after all, is what one really ought to judge it by as practical object with a job to do. Room for 2 adult humans, or maybe three depending on size or level of sobriety. Multiple human children? Yes, again depending on size and one’s risk acceptance/avoidance threshold. Cats? Oh, you better believe it. Dogs? Possibly small ones. Fish?  Tough call.

Design, style, looks – it just works. It is incredibly well made. What else can I say.

Oh. Yes. I should say, at first, I thought I might make this my desk chair. A really wide, high backed chair to sit in and feel important. I tried it. It works, but my desk is a bit odd and a bit higher than what one would ordinarily have, and the settee’s seat height is a little too low for me to comfortably type with my arms level on the desk. This is not the settee’s fault. I did feel important, though.

So, perhaps one day I’ll see if Kale would be willing to take on a project and make a matching desk chair of sorts, one that would complement the settee’s design but function better as a desk chair with a desk that has slightly askew proportionality relative to my current human anatomy. I’ll have to save my pennies, except, well, they don’t make those anymore, come to think of it. Hmm. Gold doubloons in trade?