Regular readers will know that I have a special affection for products that tax my linguistic apparati. Hence, I’m rather smitten with Kristin Drohan’s Kathryn Bar/Counter Stool. Even had I only read the description—which reveals the double mysterious descriptors of “Klismos” and “Crypton,” terms that sound suspiciously Greek to me—I’d still have been taken in. Luckily, it took only minimal investigation to discover that the former is, in fact, an ancient Greek chair with curved, tapered legs and concave backrest; while the latter is a high tech kind of super fabric that incorporates eco-friendly fibers and yarns into a functional upholstery that repels spills, resists stains, and puts the kabosh on odor and bacterial growth.

Kathryn Bar/Counter Stool. Designed by Kristin Drohan.

Gorgeous Bar Stool with Greek Form and a French Flair

The above should suffice to express the functional side of Kathryn’s take on a cultural icon. But one needs view the piece in all its gorgeous living color to fully appreciate the aesthetic impact. The Crypton fabric is a dead ringer for brushed velvet, which, as manifest in one of Kristin Drohan’s panoply of enticing colors (charcoal, black, scarlet, chocolate, sienna, and blue) imparts a luxurious, nay, decadent, tinge to the whole ensemble. The next adornment of note is the highly stylized vintage French emblem in linen that graces the chair’s backside (your choice of three storied designs). And the final touch is the cool nail head trim that sets off the fabric like an illuminated marquee. All of these attributes make Kathryn decidedly Greek and definitively French, giving it a Euro feel with yet a good dose of the millennial hip—perfect in equal measure for connoisseurs of history and contemporary A&D.

About the Manufacturer: Kristin Drohan’s vocational titles include both interior designer and “green accredited professional,” so it’s no wonder her focus is on creating “stylish, durable, comfortable, and healthy furniture.” She sees her role in the A&D community as filling a somewhat neglected niche—that of green furnishings that aren’t overtly “contemporary” or overly “casual.” Her pieces thus have a classical feel. All Drohan’s furniture is made in the good old U.S.A., downhome in Hickory, NC. Preferred materials include kiln-dried hardwood frames from certified American forests and high-performance fabrics like Torale Luxe and Ultrasuede Eco Design, both of which synthesize eco-friendliness with a posh look and luxurious feel.