Office Chairs

Introduction and Background

For your office environment, the furniture you put into it will play an important role! The piece of furniture that you will most likely spend most of your time in is your office chair. An office chair is a chair that usually can swivel and be adjusted to various heights and angles. Office chairs say so much about the person who is using it by its style, look, comfort, and sturdiness! There are many different varieties of desk chairs, office chairs, leather office chairs, fabric desk chairs, chenille, wood, and other materials to suit your taste and needs for the office. With so many different types of office chairs and so many different office chair brands to choose from it is important to find one that fits your personal needs! Let's start you on your path to finding your perfect office chair!

To find an office chair that fits your needs you are going to have to consider a few options. One option is comfort. Depending on how many hours you will be using your office chair each day, you will want to get a chair that will feel comfortable to sit during your whole working experience each day. If you are a heavy chair user or use the chair for many hours each day, I'm talking to you Mr. or Mrs. Computer programmer, receptionists, etc. You are going to want to look for a chair with a synchro tilt mechanism, which is a fatigue reducing device on the under side of the desk chair seat. Because of this device, whether you lean forward or back, the chair moves with you to provide support. The effect is that your back is supported at all times. This is key to body support so you will feel comfort rather then discomfort while working, which is key to letting you focus on the task at hand rather then feel discomfort which causes the mind to think about that rather then your work.

Now let's say that you are a moderate chair user. I'm talking to you Mr. or Mrs. Middle manager! You're the one that's running back and forth between your desk and other areas of the office. So you're not in your seat all day but you're still going to want to consider a desk chair that's going to give you the comfort you need while you are there. The perfect chair for you is going to be one that has a knee-tilt mechanism. Knee tilt mechanisms will allow you to lean back in the chair but still keep your feet planted flat on the ground. In chairs without this devise, your feet typically are lifted when you lean back and can lead to discomfort over time which isn't good for you. The type of chair I'm talking about is also usually more stylish than your typical task chair. Lastly for you Mr. or Mrs. Executive, let's talk about your chair. With an executive chair, you will want the same features as the person who uses a the chair for moderate usage but your chairs are going to be larger, more comfortable, and stylish because you are an executive, so you must show that in your chair!

Consider these general office chair rules when purchasing your next chair. First the chair you sit in must be able to have your feet rest comfortably on the floor, and your thighs should be fully supported and square with the floor. Secondly, your back should be comfortably supported by the chair and the angle formed by your upper legs and torso should be between 90 and 105 degrees. Third, tilting back should be easy, but not too easy. You don't want to get an injury from tilting back too suddenly or far in your chair. Lastly, you are going to want to have a chair that should permit frequent posture changes.

History

A short history about the office chair. In the mid-1800's many businesses began to expand beyond the traditional model of a family business, which had just a few members running the business. When businesses started to expand, additional office support was needed to keep up with things like orders, bookkeeping, etc. So as office work was expanding, an awareness of office environments, technology, and equipment became part of the cultural focus on increasing productivity in the office and for the business. This awareness gave rise to chairs designed specifically for these new administrative employees; the modern office chair was born! The original office chair was strategically designed to increase the productivity of clerical employees by making it possible for them to remain sitting at their desks for long periods of time. A swiveling chair with caster wheels allowed employees to remain sitting and yet reach a number of locations within their work area. This eliminated the time and energy expended in standing, getting up and moving around, etc. The wooden saddle seat was designed to fit and support the body of a sitting employee, and the slatted back and armrests provided additional support to increase the employee's comfort. Like our modern chairs, many of these models were somewhat adjustable too and provided the maximum comfort and thus the maximum working time. A great invention! Also, the culture of the office also demanded that a distinct difference exist between the chairs that the employees used and that of the chief executive. When swivel chairs were widely used, the executive sat in a straight-backed chair with no mobility to demonstrate his status as the boss! As design of the office chair eliminated the arms and added cushioned seats, the executive chair became a large, upholstered chair with closed arms and wide with luxurious seats. Even today, the size of an office chair demonstrates the status of the user. Moving into the 1970's ergonomics became an important design consideration. Today, most office chairs often have adjustable seats, armrests, backs, back supports, and heights to prevent repetitive stress injuries and back pain associated with sitting for long periods. Ergonomic chairs should fit an individual's needs and provide support where the individual needs it. For this reason, one type of ergonomic chair is not the best for every body type and chairs should be tested before purchasing.

Different types of Office Chairs to Choose from

Let's now talk about the different types of office chairs that you will be able to choose from. Great name brands such as La-Z-Boy office chairs, Office Star, Boss, OFM and more make and produce many great chairs from leather office chairs, fabric desk chairs, chenille, wood, and other materials to suit your taste is available.

Let's say you want an all wooden office chair. These kinds of chairs are perfect for the home office or traditional office. People often refer to these wood desk chairs as banker's chairs. Many wood office chairs and desk chairs feature a padded seat and some are all wood for the solid wood look.

There are also big and tall office chairs fit the big and tall person! Now larger people can work in comfort without having to squeeze into little chairs! You will also want to pick up a chair mat that goes on the floor under your chair.

Chair mats have hundreds of cleats on the underside of the mat that grip the carpet to keep chair mat in place. Chair mats fold in half for easy handling. There are also desk chairs with wood trim. These chairs are perfect to match wood furniture and still have a comfortable leather or fabric upholstery.

There are also drafting chairs or drafting stools. These kinds of chairs are great for architects, retail applications, server rooms and many more types of work.

Again the Ergonomic chair is a great choice! These chairs have features that ensure you a correct posture and fit and are ideal for people who work long hours while sitting, or who have back conditions.

Executive leather office chairs are great in their beauty and style and will make you feel like the CEO! These chairs have supreme comfort and excellent styles. Executive leather office chairs typically have high backs and are very comfortable.

Fabric office chairs are known for their flexibility and function. There are many colors and patterns to choose from with these chairs.

Guest chairs and visitor chairs are perfect for waiting rooms or on the other side of your desk. They also work great with many of our L and U shaped desks. These guest chairs are a perfect place to sit for your clients or co-workers and great in waiting rooms and reception areas as well.

Home office chairs in micro fiber and modern and great! This excellent and elegant upholstery fabric has the look and feel of ultra-soft suede. The surface is 100% nylon with a polyester and cotton substrate which guarantees a high resistance to abrasion. Microfibres fabric breathes actively, which allows it to adjust to temperature and humidity, ensuring the best comfort!

Mesh and ventilated office chairs are also very popular. These office chairs offer you comfortable ventilated seating. Many people prefer these chairs over leather because of the breath ability of the fabric.

Reception chairs and waiting room chairs are the perfect way to greet your patients or clients with chairs that are inviting, comfortable and warm area for waiting.

Stacking chairs are great for special events or for meetings, etc. Stacking chairs are available in a wide variety of fabrics and plastics at value prices and are a great addition to any office.

Traditional Office chairs are known for being very comfortable and over sized. Some people refer to them as lawyers or judges chairs.

Task office chairs are meant for medium duty use and a perfect for home offices and small offices.

Summary

The furniture you put into your office plays an important role in your everyday office life! With so many different types of office chairs and so many different office chair brands to choose from it is important to find one that fits your personal needs! Good luck finding the office chair that the style and comfort that is perfect for you!