Form versus function: the tale of two chairs.

As seen in desktop magazine here

You know the chair, it looks awesome, it makes your studio look cutting edge. It costs a designers monthly wage (or more) and comes with a pedigree of an industrial designer ethos. It makes the standard office chair look dull, boring and not at all sexy. The problem is that this uber-cool chair invariably isn’t as adaptable as the office chair when it comes to performing its main role.

What is the main purpose of a chair? (aside from keeping your backside warm that is). Supporting you when you sit. It needs to support your lower back so you don’t end up sore from a days work. Designers are notorious for not taking their 10 minutes break from the screen every hour, nor do they work normal office hours. Often they work well into the night. Making it pretty important that the chair is the best for them.

As someone who has hurt their back I know what it is like to need a good chair. Freelancers working on a dining table chair will end up suffering from the lack of support it gives.

What do you need in a chair? It needs to be adjustable to the right height for you to sit comfortably, it needs to have arms to both sides that are adjustable and most importantly support your lower back. I find a lot of chairs just don’t do the lower back support very well and need a rolled up towel to give support.

True there are some awesome looking ergonomic chairs around, but I have found a lot of studios purchase based on looks rather than a review against the Work Health and Safety requirements.

Everyone has their own needs for their chair, and picking one for yourself for your home office is just as important as the one you spend a good part of your day in. Think about how much time you spend in that chair, do you want the cool looking one, or the one that is a little boring but won’t leave you feeling like you have been doing three rounds with a professional wrestler?

So, what do you sit on? Does it work for you, or does it go to work on you? If you have seen something that is both functional and sexy with glitter sprinkles all over it, share a link.