Chair 1: My Bed
Arguably my favorite in this list, my bed is the primary spot for most of my life once I’m home. This ‘chair’ is easily transformed to fit whatever activity I’m engaging in; if I’m working, I can add some pillows behind me and use a laptop table, whereas video games allow me to lounge and shift my position as needed. This bed has a lot of emotional attachment tied to it as well, as it’s the main place my dog Rosie tends to hang out. She seems to hold this ‘chair’ in high esteem as well, as she spends all her time on it, and loves digging through the blankets to make that perfect puppy-cave. When sitting on the bed, my entire room is visible in front of me, whereas when sleeping, I may turn to one side and shut out everything by facing the wall. I love this spot!
Chair 2: Burger Boss Booth
This chair was located at a fast-casual restaurant in which I met a friend. While the booths afforded sitting, their physical constraints were extremely limiting, especially to those of taller stature. My friend and I were constantly bumping knees with each other, and the table associated with the system was too small to hold two trays of food. The benefit of these booths were their high backs, however, as they seemed to create a much more intimate space for us to have a conversation. The seats were comfortable although small, and gave the illusion of privacy within a crowded restaurant.
Chair 3: Waiting Room Couch
This comfortable leather couch was soft and seemed to encourage you to sink into it while waiting for the doctor to see you. The waiting room was strangely warm, working at odds with the leather material. This made it feel a bit sticky, but that was more than made up for by how soft and cushy the sofa felt. The context of the doctor’s office made this seat feel a bit strange, however, as one wouldn’t usually think of that type of place as a communal, social space, but this sofa seemed to suggest otherwise. It felt oddly dissonant with the area in which it was housed. That could have been done purposefully by the staff, in order to help patients feel “at home” and comfortable by associating the office with their living rooms, but that’s just conjecture.
Chair 4: Honda HR-V Driver’s Seat
Although I stated earlier that my bed was my favorite spot, this is easily trailing closely behind. The seats in my car are made of a very breathable material, which is a godsend for someone, such as myself, who tends to sweat. Further, the seat’s adjustable allowances let me customize my commute to the most comfortable extent! This seat allows me to adjust the pitch of the bottom, the angle of the back, the height of the head rest, as well as how close or far I am to the steering wheel. While most chairs seem small for me (as I’m somewhat tall), this chair allows me the most comfort due to its flexibility. This is one of the best seats in the house…or rather, on the road!
Chair 5: Steelcase Series 1
This chair could have easily outshone the qualities of any chair on this list, if not for the kiss of death – its materials. While the body and netted material of this chair have a wonderful, contemporary look and feel, the choice of heavy, industrial-feeling woven fabric for the back completely destroys anything it touches. The material is so unforgiving and rigid that it actually physically degrades material which rubs against it! Pilling on shirts, sweaters, jackets, and coats has become expected thanks to this chair – it’s gotten so bad that many of my coworkers actually bought blankets specifically to act as a barrier between their apparel and the chair’s material. Apart from that glaring and unfortunate design failure, the ergonomics of this chair are amazing. Full, movable back support and a wide range for both height and the placement of the elbow panels make this chair extremely comfortable in any position!
Your post reminds me that again the chair’s location (i.e the surrounding physical space) is an added factor on how one might feel when they occupy it. Of course other factors you’ve already described here in terms of material affordances, social meaning (restaurant, doc’s office etc.) , but the most obvious one is the emotional factor – the fact that your bed doubles or triples up as your chair, bed, and Rosie’s cave! Thanks for your post!