When Pianos Try to Be Guitars: How to Make an Upright Piano Look Hip

I love the piano but I think we can all agree they’re not known for being the cool kid at the rock concert.  They’re big, rectangular boxes that you need to sit or stand fairly still while you play them with a limited amount of head banging.  I’ve been seeing quite a few upright pianos featured recently in the design world and they’ve been looking mighty fine.  One thing all of these hip pianos have in common?  They’ve lost the bench.  Some of these piano scenarios seem a little silly – I mean where did all these benches go?  Who sits on these tiny chairs and plays?  You can’t argue with the way they look though.  I also took two photos of my own piano – one with the bench, one with a chair – so you can judge for yourself.

Upright pianos seem to like a touch of the unexpected.  Anything with a little bit of age or character gives them a much needed edge.  I prefer art hung asymmetrically above them for the same reason.  Ditch the piano bench, find a cool chair and settle in at the piano for a while.

“The piano ain’t got no wrong notes.”
― Thelonious Monk