Hollywood – home of the stars. And what a history it has. Back in 1853 the only man made structure in the area was an adobe hut. Then, in 1886, while on their honeymoon, H.J. Whitley and his wife Gigi coined the name Hollywood. The next year it was used officially for the first time by H.H. Wilcox on a deed as the name of his 160 acre farm.
The community started to grow when, around the turn of the century, filmmaking began to take off. The first Los Angeles studio was established in 1909 and then, in 1910, director D.W. Griffith made the first film ever to be shot in Hollywood. It was a one- reel melodrama about Mexican colonial era California and was called “In Old California”. By 1920 Hollywood became world famous as the center for movie making in the United States.
And soon fashion, romance, intrigue and adventure became synonymous with movie making. Then, like today, people were intrigued with the stars. Everybody wanted to know what they did, where they went, what they ate, and how they decorated their homes. And many folks started incorporating the romantic themes of Hollywood movies into their own decor.
One of the most timeless furniture statements of style that came from that era, the chaise lounge chair, is enjoying a resurgence in the twenty-first century. Chaise lounges were first associated with Hollywood casting couches in the 1920’s. And some people, in their mind’s eye, still see images of Jean Harlow and Greta Garbo reclining on them.
Traditionally made of wood and fabric, the chaise lounge has evolved. Now not only are there bedroom chaise lounges, there are outdoor chaise lounge chairs and chaise lounge sofas. And on top of it, many are no longer made of wood. They are also constructed out of polywood, a product made of recycled plastic containers.
It seems that almost everybody is going green these days, so it’s not surprising that these recycled milk jugs are taking Hollywood by storm. Polywood is rather amazing. Though it looks like lumber it’s actually a nonporous material that never needs to be painted, stained, waterproofed, striped, or resurfaced. It won’t crack, rot, splinter, warp, or absorb moisture. To keep it clean all you need to do is take a little soap and water to it and it will sparkle like new.
You would be astonished if you knew how many actors, singers, dancers, directors and producers have polywood furniture in their homes and on their lawns. There was one rather risque party recently – you might have read about it in the tabloids – where the whole garden was decorated with polywood Adirondack chairs and Adirondack furniture. And, if you snuck into the bedroom you would have seen a polywood chaise lounge opposite the king size bed.
Yes, there is polywood in Hollywood. You can easily find a wide range of polywood pieces to enjoy in your home on the Internet.
