chakkis, poufs & hassocks

So a while back, I was working with a client who wanted an “upscale coastal” living room. She wanted fun and easy living, a little “ethnic” – yet “classy”.

“And I want a pouf.”

To which I responded, “What’s a pouf?” She pointed to one in a magazine.

“Oooh!” I’d seen them lots of times in the West Elm catalogue – just hadn’t made the connection…..

Later on, we found a really cool…..something…..we though would look really cool in her home…..

It took me forever to find out this was a “chakki”. It had been mislabeled a “Moroccan ottoman”. In fact, the wooden base is actually a traditional Indian wheat grinder.

Vintage ones can still be found for a pretty penny, and converted into a stool, or a low table…..

We decided to forgo the antique route, and opted for one available through Serena & Lily.

Here’s a sneak peek of the “upscale coastal” living room in progress, complete with chakki…..

En route to finding that pouf (which, by the way, is French for “stuffing” – not near as interesting as “chakki”), while looking for more “ethnic, coastal” stuff, we came across this “hassock”……

But this is not any hassock; it’s a coco feather hassock! (Even cooler in person. The “coco feathers” actually stand off the round base…..)

We thought it would serve as a counterpoint to some of the softer furnishings going on…..

And here it is in the room…..

“Hassock” is an old English word meaning “chunk of turf”. It was the original stool, made from what was handy back in the day. It evolved into a kneeling stool…..

(hassocks in Salisbury Cathedral)

…..and how in the world it went from that to the the coco feather hassock is anyone’s guess. My client says, “I think I partly bought it cause I love saying the word hassock…..”

But even more than being cool, this fun, moveable furniture makes the room more comfortable. My client says, “It’s gone from being the room nobody wants to be in, to being the room everybody wants to be in.”

We never found a spot for the pouf, but that is often the case with a project. Something sparks your imagination, but leads to a whole world of other things. However…..

I now have a client whose home I might describe as “upscale boho” – who might need a pouf….. She’s got a cool fireplace and a vintage sofa angling off it. She just needs some soft, movable furniture to sprinkle in without blocking the TV. And she’s sort of outgrown the floor pillow thing. So…..