Five Years Later, This Anthro Swing Chair Still Gives Me Childhood Summer Vibes Year-Round
Latham Thomas explains it all.
Published Jun 8, 2023 1:54 AM
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Growing up in California, I spent a lot of time in parks—and I used to live on the swing sets. Now as an adult, I find swaying so soothing to my nervous system that in my first home I immediately put a hammock outside. And then when we moved into our Brooklyn townhouse in 2017, one of the first things I got was this Peacock hanging chair from Anthropologie. This time, I wanted to bring the outside in, so I suspended it in my bedroom and designed the rest of the space around it.
My “cocoon” hangs in the corner of my bedroom, a space that’s blessed with generous western exposure. Even though the current version has a cushion included, mine didn’t back then, so I piled sheepskin throws and pillows inside to add lots of layering. That makes it extra cozy when I crawl in to read a book, gaze out the window, or listen to music. Even without the layers, you could comfortably sit directly on the woven part because of the supportive way it’s constructed.
Peacock Hanging Chair
Something to keep in mind: When I brought the chair home, I knew the installation would be a bit of a pain. My building is prewar, so there are a lot of beams running throughout. I didn’t want to take a chance on choosing the wrong place to anchor, so I brought in a contractor. One of the things I love about this chair is the sturdy base—it’s constructed to support all bodies, so it was important to me that it was installed properly so anyone of any size could feel comfortable. And everyone does.
In fact, it’s held up surprisingly well over the years. My little nieces jump in it and my 19-year-old, 6-foot-5 son curls up inside to scroll on Instagram. Truth be told, in the end, the installation wasn’t a terribly difficult process, and you can put it up with a single bolt you can find at any hardware store (it doesn’t come with hardware). In my case, the original 24-inch rope it came with wouldn’t hit the right height because of my high ceilings, so I swapped that out with a longer option that’s leather wrapped so it’ll never unravel. Plus I love the aesthetic that little detail adds.
It’s been almost five years since I hung this chair and it’s still going strong. I chalk it up to the durability of the cane and bamboo. At this rate, it’s on pace to last as long as my favorite childhood memory of swinging in a park.
