Need a special chair to call your own? The roomy armchair might be the answer to your prayers.
Armchairs started out in ancient Egypt in the homes of the prosperous. The richer the householder was, the bigger and more ornate the chair. The armchair was considered to be an indicator of how much wealth and power a person had. Even into the 1950s, armchairs were more for show than they were for sitting.
Today, armchairs are common furniture.
Although you might like the look of armchairs which are antique reproductions, the experts advise that these might not be well made.
Shop for an armchair that has a firm cushion on the seat and on the back.
If you are short in stature, you may want to choose a chair that sits lower to the floor. Make sure, however, that you can get up easily.
Sit down in the chair and place your arms on the armrests.
If you can sit there comfortably for at least 10 minutes, the chair suits your body style.
checklist
Carry this checklist of pointers with you when you go shopping for a new armchair:
1. Is your back supported by the back of the chair? Are you sitting on the bones of your bottom and not on the bottom of your spine in a slouch?
2. Is the chair wide enough for your shoulders and hips and high enough if you want to sleep?
3. Are your arms resting comfortably on the armchair without pushing your shoulders up?
4. Can you stand up easily from the chair?
5. Does the seat of the chair fit the length of your thigh? leaving a gap of 2.5 cm behind the knees (this gap will help you to stand).
6. Do your feet rest comfortably on the floor without pushing your knees up?
7. Does the chair feel steady when you get in and out?
Once you've found an armchair that properly fits your body style, check the frame.
The best frames are made of hardwoods like poplar, cherry, maple and ash. Stay away from a pine frame because pine is a soft wood.
Look for an armchair that has a dowel and glued-together frame instead of heavy duty staples.
Information sources: www.associatedcontent.com and www.devon.gov.uk.com
