The Cherner Chair Company

As the Smart Furniture Cherner Sale comes to a close tomorrow, we wanted to pay homage to The Cherner Chair Company and its rich design history.  

Best known for its iconic molded plywood furniture, The Cherner Chair Company blends two generations of innovative design to offer the best of both the past and the present.  
Norman Cherner, the man behind the world-famous “Cherner Chair,” is recognized for his work as architect and designer.  While he is celebrated most for his furniture design, Norman Cherner pioneered the way for prefabricated housing in the United States.  He designed, produced, and assembled one of the first prefabricated homes in the country for the U.S. Department of Housing in 1957.  A published author, Cherner studied and taught classes at the Columbia University Fine Arts Department and the Museum of Modern Art in New York while growing his personal practice.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Benjamin Cherner has devoted his career to architecture and design and is expanding upon his father’s legacy.  After hearing repeated requests that his father’s work be reissued, Benjamin teamed up with his brother, Thomas, to form The Cherner Chair Company in 1999.  


The collection of Cherner chairs, stools, and tables today include original designs from Norman Cherner along with new additions from Benjamin.  The company continues to use the same attention to detail found in Norman Cherner’s original work, and all Cherner products are hand assembled with sustainable materials.

The Knoll Annual Sale Begins Now.

Dunking For a Cause

Today, the Smart Furniture team had a unique opportunity. Stephen Culp, founder of Smart Furniture, was put (not without his water wings) in a dunk tank to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.  

Five Smart Furniture employees turned out to give it their best shot...

...and our persistence paid off!

The day was a huge success!  Not only did Stephen put his swimmies to use, but the event raised over $7,000 for a great cause!

Choosing a Dining Table That’s Right For You

When looking to purchase a dining table for your home, there are a lot of factors to consider.  More than likely, you hope at some point to entertain guests, family, or friends around this table.  We understand you want a beautiful piece of furniture, that fits seamlessly into your space, and comfortably accommodates your dinner guests.  We’ve written this post so you have a handy guide that can walk you through the steps of deciding which table is right for you.  

There are several factors to consider before you buy:

Function:  First let’s talk about the function of your table.  Will this be a table that fits in a larger dining room or a kitchen nook?  Do you want your table to expand to fit any number of guests, and do you have the room for that?

Shape:  Next, what type of table do you prefer?  Round, oval, or rectangular?

Now that you know what you’re looking for, let’s dive into the specifics.  

A standard 47” round table fits 4 people comfortably.  Add just 10” to that, and you can put an additional 2 people around your table.  The great thing about dining tables today, is you can have the best of both worlds, given you have the space to accommodate an expanding table with leaves.  Take the Skovby Round Expanding Dining Table.  This table utilizes 3 leaves that are stored in the tables base.  With a twist of a lever, the table separates and expands to fit your needs in moments.

Skovby Round Expanding Dining Table SM 32

If a smaller round table doesn’t fit your needs or preferences, a rectangular dining table is a suitable alternative.  A 69”-long table can hold 6 people, and if you choose a table that extends with leaves, you can seat up to 8 people comfortably at a 109”-table.

If the above two options - a round or rectangular table holding between 4 and 8 people - doesn’t suit your needs, there are plenty of alternatives.   For example, if you can’t decide between a round or rectangular table, and you’d like the option to seat between 6 and 16 people, there are dining tables for you out there, believe it or not.  The Skovby Oval Expanding Dining Table can transform into a rectangular table, and has several leaves that can hold a crowd - giving you the ultimate flexibility when it comes to hosting your guests.

At Smart Furniture, we understand how important it is to have options that fit your individual needs.  With the introduction of Skovby chairs, tables, and sideboards, we hope to provide you with the options and flexibility to design exactly what you need for your space.  

Studio Trends: September

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Announcing The Ugliest Chair in America Contest Winners!

It's been an exciting month around here with this contest. We've really enjoyed looking at all your submissions (the blow-up chair? Aztec Discomfort? Classic.), and the voting was fast and furious. Over the course of the contest we were able to give out a bunch of gift cards (to runners-up Kim Bailey, Amy Hollis, Drew Burrows, John McDonald, and Toni Woollweever) and condolence prizes, all to deserving, funny, cringe-worthy entries. But, of course, there can only be one winner; only one chair can truly be called the Ugliest Chair in America.

Drum roll please...And the winner of a brand new Stressless Recliner is...

The Chair of Shame, from Jessica Miller!

Jessica’s entry, a ratty, grey, broken down and scuffed up masterpiece, received 1,142 votes and 236 comments on facebook, not to mention a few thousand sympathetic nods of the head. Your living room definitely deserved a Stressless intervention Jessica, and Smart Furniture is excited to make it happen!

And now, the runner up. Please turn down the lights...

Old Pal Stickley, from Becca Friedman!

For her "faded, soiled, scuffed and scarred" antique, Becca will be the recipient of a $500 gift card to Smart Furniture to spend in any way she chooses. Old Pal Stickley received 375 votes and 78 comments on facebook (and a bunch of non-professional antique appraisals!).

Well the contest is over, and it’s been a great ride. Congratulations to our winners, and be sure to stay tuned for more Smart Furniture contests in the future!