Designed for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1958, the Danish architect of the hotel, Arne Jacobsen, used new technologies to shape fluid curves and single-piece molded shells for his furniture designs. The Swan Chair was specifically designed for the hotel as its swivel base allowed guests to spin in their seat and gain a panoramic view of the busy hotel’s interior.
Swan Chairs are generally upholstered in leather or wool compounds. Wool is an ideal choice for furniture fabric as it is durable, beautiful and luxurious. With the wool structure of the chair it allows it to feel warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Spills will not penetrate rapidly with wool because it is naturally water repellent and so if caught quickly accidents can be cleaned up before they enter the fabric at all. Wool is naturally antistatic and does not attract dirt, hair and other contaminates, unlike synthetic fibers.
Vacuum your wool furniture once a week to remove dirt and maintain its natural beauty.
Use the following method to remove stains and dirt:
• Blot wet stains with a clean cloth until as much of the liquid as possible has been removed. (For dried on stains, vacuum the area to be cleaned beforehand).
• Make use of a high quality wool detergent. Follow the directions on the detergent to make up a normal strength cleaning solution.
• Soak a clean cloth in the cleaning solution, then blot and gently rub the stained area in the direction of the fabric. Blot with a clean dry cloth to remove the cleaning solution. Repeat this process until the stain is removed.
• Rinsing by blotting repeatedly with a clean cloth dampened with clean water and then blot the area dry with a dry cloth. Let the damp area dry off completely in a well ventilated spot before returning it to use.
• For stubborn stains that are more difficult to remove, blot the stain with a small amount acetone, benzene or turpentine on a clean white cloth. Test the product in an inconspicuous area, such as the underside of the seats or cushion first. Use as little of these products as possible as they can severely damage the foam padding and fabric if used excessively. Follow up by removing the cleaning agent from the cleaned area as recommended above.
• Never rub the fabric as it will cause unsightly pilling and will leave a mark as visible as a bad stain.
• If the stains persist, call a professional.
As prevention is always better than cure, try to avoid situations where food or drinks are served while people are seated in the chairs. To keep your Swan Chairs looking brand new for as long as possible, make use of fabric guards and protective coatings from the start. Most of these applications have their best effect when they are applied as soon as you get the furniture, rather than after they have become soiled. Have your furniture professionally cleaned once a year and re-apply the fabric guard.
