Finding the right chair, for the right place which is perfect for you.
I recently became slightly obsessed with finding the right chair. Following a series of injuries I’ve had to take some time out to sort a series of spasms in my hip, back and shoulder, I set to writing. I think it is fair to say that modern lifestyles, sedentary jobs and changes in body shapes have taken their toll on our health, wellbeing, fitness and posture.
Background:
There is a wealth of information out there about the importance of the right seating position at a desk, in front of a computer and even in the ergonomics of car seating; but if you happen to have limited mobility, be an avid reader, video gamer, foodie or fan of TV and film you are likely to spend a large proportion of your free-time sitting.
Modern production methods and the decrease in artisan crafts (although
resurging in recent decades) means that furniture design has taken a ‘one size fits all’ approach and put style ahead of comfort. One of the things that strikes me most, and which I adore, about older furniture (particularly mid-century modern and clearly visible in Ercol furniture) is the wide array of size and shape which allows the owner to find the right chair, for the right place which is right for their body.
The experiment:
In this series, I’m going to look at a variety of Ercol models and how their various features either work or do not work for an individual’s body dimensions. My brother Gareth and niece Lily, have very kindly doubled the Thomas side of the Thomas Norris team to model some chairs.
The people:
So, a little about us. My brother is a year and a half older than me, and takes after our Mum, he is tall and slender with a long body and long arms. He benefits from good health although due to his height does have some back pain. I on the other hand take after Dad, am average height, broad and a little wide with a relatively short body – also, due to medical conditions and a series of injuries in my childhood and teens (I’m dyspraxic so fall over a lot!) including sciatica and scoliosis (thanks Mum for those genes!), two fractured vertebrae (clumsiness and snowboarding are not a good combination!) and a slipped disc mean that chronic pain means how I sit is very important. It would be hard to find two people with more different body shapes and requiring such different things to find comfort.
The chairs:
So, to the chairs. As I currently have them in stock, we will look at the following models:
Ercol Armchairs:
(478) High Double Bow Back Easy Chair
(203) Easy Chair
(472) Chairmaker’s Chair
(305) Tub Chair
(335) Easy Chair
(477) Low Double Bow Back Easy Chair
To read the results of our little experiment, as they are published, follow us on Instagram, Facebook or via the website
@thomasnorrisrestorations
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