Regardless of what room in our home we happen to be in, we’re going to find at least one or more chairs. Whether it’s dining room, club, recliners, office chairs or folding chairs, we just can’t seem to do without them. While shopping for chairs might seem much easier and less time consuming than furniture shopping for a new bed, there are still some guidelines to keep in mind before making a purchase.
Dining Room
Dining room chairs have always been around, whether it’s been around the dining room table, or the sofa around the kitchen, or the chairs in the family room. They’re usually fairly simple and can be similar to the wider, sturdier chairs found in more formal settings.
Club
Club chairs are normally very long and expensive looking. In fact, some would look like they’re for a very high room. These are normally found in bars and lounges because they’re the perfect size and shape for those occasions.
Recliners
What are recliners? You’re probably asking yourself if they are some kind of new age chair. The truth is that recliners originally came in the form of beds that were built with the help of reclining mechanisms. This allows people to be able to sleep comfortably on a bed without them rolling over the bed or sitting up and down to read.
Today, recliners are still durable and comfortable, but they take on new shapes and design patterns for the modern era. Most modern recliners look more like any ordinary chair found in the home. This doesn’t mean that you can’t afford to indulge in style when shopping for chairs, though. Modern recliner styles come in all sorts of colors, themes, patterns and fabrics to cater to every possible taste.
Office Chairs
Shopping for chairs for the office can be just as hard as shopping for furniture for the home. Chairs in the office tend to be far more fragile, due to the nature of the job. Over the years, office chairs have become more designed around the requirements of the work place, to better protect the user.
The result is that office chairs have become far more ergonomic in their design. Chairs for the office should be able to support the user while also affording her the correct posture to avoid back problems, and maintain her fitness for a long period of time.
The height of the user is also very important in chairs for the office to prevent the user from slouching over them. User gravity is controlled by the ergonomic design of the chair. The concept of ergonomics was first drawn in the early 20th century, and is a science that followed closely upon the work place.
Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment so that the resources available are used efficiently and the equipment is practical to the user’s requirements. This study began in the early 19th century and evolved quickly, leading to the first office furniture designed in the 1920s.
One of the most important elements of ergonomic office furniture is the ability of the equipment to accommodate the human body. The height and the forward curve of the seat, as well as the ability of the back to support the user’s natural spine, are two very important elements in helping the user feel comfortable while at the same time securing the office furniture.
The trend in the industry of ergonomic office furniture is to get away from the vertical and cylindrical designs of years past and look for something in the middle range. High end ergonomic office furniture will still have a high peak, but will also look more like standard office furniture than something meant specifically for the workplace.
Foot rests are an important ergonomic design element in ergonomic office furniture. There are a wide variety of foot rests available on the market, so now may not be a bad place to start.
Shoulder straps are also available as part of some of the better ergonomic chair models. Waist height is adjustable as well, another ergonomic feature.
Styling options are important for ergonomic office furniture, too. The faux leather look of many of the better ergonomic chairs is popular. Look for chairs with interesting styling, especially if the buyer is looking for a contemporary look.
Some features of ergonomic office furniture are sought after because they improve the comfort of the user. Stool designs, for instance, help to improve the appearance of the user. Leather options are improving, as are fabrics and other materials.
Some features of ergonomic office furniture are sought after because they improve the efficiency of the equipment. Claspers for the feet are now coming into their own, for obvious reasons.
There are, of course, many other reasons that buyers are looking for ergonomic office furniture. These features will add significantly to the value of the furniture, so it is important to take the time to research any product.
