US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice knows how to spend time with VIPs such as Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos: she does so in the comfort of a wingback chair.
Wingback, or wing chairs, are high-backed, upholstered easy chairs whose panels, or "wings," project forward from the sides of the back and curve downward to meet the roll arms. Originally, the wings were designed to block drafts in old homes, and to protect ladies' skin from a fireplace's heat. (Considering this last point, it's perfect that Condi's chair is parked next to a fireplace.)

Over the past several hundred years, the wingback has gone through some design changes. To give you an idea of the variety of wingback chair designs available today, I've rounded up some of my favorites. To see them, read more.

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