Shopping for furniture is no fairy tale but it often reminds me of the one about Goldilocks. Size is one thing but style is another aspect of finding the right chair. "This one is too big. This one is too small. That one is too formal. That one is too casual and that one is just too-too." In addition, there is the "warm and fuzzy" feeling.
Here are a few things I look for when helping a client choose the right chair - or sofa:
1. Inside seat depth should not be too short or too deep. It is easy to determine - check where the front edge of the seat meets the back of the knee. A seat that is too deep and you look like Lily Tomlin's "Edith Ann." A seat that is too short and you look as if you are ready to jump out of the seat.
2. Outside seat height should not be too short or too tall. Do your feet touch the floor? Do your knees point upward? Is it the seat height or the seat depth that is causing a problem?
3. The pitch (angle) of the back of the chair: Some people like to sit straight up; others like to slouch. Everyone's comfort level is different. The older we get the more back support we need.
4. Arm height is important if you read or do hand work in your chair and, especially if you have difficulty getting out of a chair due to an injury or the aging process.
5. Back height: Do you like to rest your head back or do you like to rest your arm on the back cushion? Are you very tall or very short?
6. Exception to the rule-of-thumb: I also ask my client "How do you really sit in a chair (or sofa)?" knowing that today's culture is very different from what it was years ago. Sometimes the answer to that question alters the advice given in #s 1-5.
Style is another matter and a very personal one, which I will address next time. What I will say here is that a personal preference for or against a style is often emotionally or psychologically charged. That is a good lead in to the "warm and fuzzy" feeling. When you happen upon the chair that feels good, it makes you smile like Goldilocks and you know "This one is just right!"
Your favorite place to sit is probably the second most important piece of furniture that you will buy. (In case you are wondering, your bed is the most important piece of furniture - more about that later.) It is worth investing in what works for you. Cut corners somewhere else but do not short-change yourself when it comes to your chair (or sofa) - your body will thank you in the end (no pun intended).
