A chair design originally created for the New York Public Library has taken on a new life as a signature part of another historic library’s redesign and refresh project in Connecticut.

Founded in 1891, the Hotchkiss School is a private co-ed boarding school in western Connecticut. The school’s Edsel Ford Memorial Library was built in 1953 following a generous gift from the Ford family, many of whom were alumni. The library was designed in the Georgian style and features solid-oak bookcases, chandeliers, and quiet study alcoves.

 

But according to a blog from Thos. Moser furniture company based in Maine, when Cory Stevens took over as director of the library in 2021, the facility needed updating. Stevens said she had long admired Thos. Moser furniture and was particularly enamored with the NYPL Branch Chair design.

“I knew of Thos. Moser’s reputation well before this adventure,” she said. “Even as a child, I vividly remember the ads in The New Yorker.”

Stevens’ goal for the Hotchkiss library project was “to modernize the space while preserving its timeless grandeur,” according to the Moser blog.

 

Her vision of the new space and its furniture crystalized after she attended a meeting at the New York Public Library’s Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, where she “fell in love” with Thos. Moser’s NYPL Branch Chair. 

That chair dates back to 2018 when Thos. Moser won a contract for chairs for New York Public Library branches. Previously, the New York Public Library hadn’t commissioned a reading chair since 1911 when the landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street originally opened its doors. The 1911 Rose Reading Room chairs are  still in use today, so Thos. Moser felt compelled to create a chair “just as enduring as the original.” Additionally, the New York library had three new design requests: the chair needed to be durable, easy to clean, and comfortable for patrons to enjoy for several hours.

 

The chair that Thos. Moser designed and built for New York was the chair that Stevens gravitated to when she visited the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library and thought about updating the Hotchkiss library in Connecticut.

“A year and a half later, the refresh was moving forward; we made sure to include the chair for our ‘sit test’ options for the reading room,” she said. “The NYPL Chair with cushion was the clear favorite selection; there wasn’t even a close second choice.”

But it wasn’t just a case of Moser cranking out more editions of the iconic NYPL Chair. For Hotchkiss, there were a number of custom requirements. Chair cushions would be upholstered in the school’s signature “Yale Blue” color, which offered a bright-hued highlight to set off the library space and when paired with complementing custom tables.

Additionally, at the request of the architect and school, Thos. Moser incorporated a custom reveal on the legs of the reading tables and coffee tables. Other customizations included carving out the center leg of each of the reading tables to conceal wire and data management in a sleek and practical way. That way the furniture could meet modern technological requirements without disrupting the room’s classic aesthetic. There was also an added reverse bevel on the table to match the angle of the chairs, allowing the chairs to fully tuck beneath the table.

Stevens told Moser she was especially pleased with how the new oak furniture complemented the existing wood in the library, which could not be easily updated. 

“The wood of the Thos. Moser furniture works really well,” she said. “It doesn’t compete with the paneling.” 

 

She said she also appreciated the flexibility of the new pieces, noting that the design allowed for maximum comfort and ease of use.

According to the Thos. Moser blog about the project, “The renovation was not only about aesthetic appeal but also about creating a space that could support students’ academic needs.”

Apparently over time, what had originally always been intended as central reading room was gradually filled with book stacks. The renovation aimed to restore the room to its original purpose as a full-fledged reading room, and the reading tables and chairs provided additional seating in a vital academic space.

 

The Thos. Moser team took pains to keep the project from disrupting student schedules, ensuring that the installation process was both timely and respectful of the library’s ongoing use.

Reflecting on the project, Stevens offers this advice to other institutions considering Thos. Moser for their renovations: “Do it! You’ll be so happy you did.”

For its part in the process, the furniture company said, “The successful collaboration between Hotchkiss and Thos. Moser has revitalized the library and ensured that it remains a space where students can study and collaborate for generations to come.”

HGA Architects-Boston, Melissa Dickson and Michelle Miller, served as project specifier. Products used, included custom reading tables and NYPL Branch Chairs with upholstered seats, and custom coffee tables.

Tables were sized to the room and customized for power and data integration, as well as to match the NYPL Branch Chair design.

To learn more about Thos. Moser furniture, visit thosmoser.com.