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Comfy modern-ish living room recliners? Eames/Ekornes/etc?

j

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I need a better, more ergonomic place to sit while I work in the living room. The couch is killing my back, and my Ekornes chair doesn't seem to fit me right. I've always loved the look of the classic Eames recliner/ottoman, though even a repro may be a bit over budget. The Ekornes is in great shape so I can probably get a couple/few hundred for it toward a new one. Does anyone have suggestions? How comfortable is the Eames (repro) over long periods of time?

I'd prefer leather and bent wood construction, no big nasty velour lazyboys, but with decent padding on all contact surfaces (no wood arms). I'm willing to sacrifice some style points for good ergos but it can't be ugly. It would probably be best if it were something possibly available used.

Thanks for any help.
 

bigbjorn

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I'm not wealthy but, last year, my wife and I splurged on a 50th anniversary Eames 670/671 lounge chair. It was a huge expense, but it is truly an astounding chair - and on a per hour basis, it's actually starting to look pretty good! If you can find a used one, I highly recommend it. A used Eames Soft Pad lounger can sometimes be found much cheaper and is also a very comfy chair. And look for ones without ottomans - the orphaned chairs are usually cheaper and orphaned ottomans come along often.
 

A Y

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It's not a recliner, and may be available at huge expense with leather, but I found the full-pad Bertoia diamond chair to be really comfortable. You're probably going to have go sit in some chairs.

The Eames works for some people, but not if you're too tall.

Are you going to be working on a laptop on your lap?

--Andre
 

designprofessor

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"Test drive" some of these classic designs.
I found Le Corbusier to be uncomfortable.
Barcelona Chair -get the ottoman, I'm always looking for something to prop my feet up on something with this chair. Again, not the best chair for stay at home 2 hr. movie viewing.
 

haganah

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The Eames is not too comfortable actually (even an original).
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by haganah
The Eames is not too comfortable actually (even an original).

huh? This chair?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011101696.html

It is actually incredibly comfortable. More so than any other design icons

What accounts for the enduring popularity of this chair and ottoman, introduced in 1956? Unlike other chairs that are also considered "icons of modern design," this one is uncommonly comfortable, so much so that when you sit in it, you're not aware that you're actually sitting on something.

The chair has three upholstered pieces, each attached to a curved plywood shell. The larger one is the seat; the smaller two are back supports. All three are strategically angled to maximize your comfort. Charles and Ray Eames, the husband-and-wife design team behind the chair, had a remarkable understanding of ergonomic principles long before these were developed into a science in the 1970s.

Bill Dowell, a certified professional ergonomist and director of research at Herman Miller, characterized the relationship among the pieces of the lounge chair as "profound." He explained that the angle of the seat takes the weight off the base of your spine while the lower back piece supports your lower back; this makes you feel relaxed. Meanwhile, the angle of the upper back piece that supports your chest allows you to be active -- you can comfortably read, chat or look straight ahead and watch TV.

The ottoman, which aesthetically enhances the chair, also has a health benefit, Dowell said. If you sit or stand all day, blood collects in your feet. When you put your feet on the ottoman in the evening, blood circulates back to your torso and out of your extremities.
 

j

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Yeah, I will be working on a laptop on my lap. I'll look into the options mentioned. I was surprised by how comfortable the Barcelona chair is, but I think I want armrests. Then again, the nice thing working on the couch is that I can have the mouse next to me with my arm in a comfortable position. It would be nice if there were a few other options for not-ugly comfortable chairs.
 

haganah

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Originally Posted by gdl203
huh? This chair? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...011101696.html It is actually incredibly comfortable. More so than any other design icons
It's more comfortable than a Wassily or a Barcelona, that's true. But try laying in it for a long period of time (maybe you already have and it didn't bother you). I tried doing a search to see if I was the only one that felt this way and came up with a couple of links but maybe I'm in the minority. Either way I don't think people buy it for comfort and do it more for looks. The womb chair is more comfortable to me. I also don't like that you can find the chair (and knockoffs) everywhere you go but now I'm nitpicking. http://www.ergoweb.com/news/detail.cfm?id=1217
 

haganah

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Originally Posted by j
Yeah, I will be working on a laptop on my lap. I'll look into the options mentioned. I was surprised by how comfortable the Barcelona chair is, but I think I want armrests. Then again, the nice thing working on the couch is that I can have the mouse next to me with my arm in a comfortable position. It would be nice if there were a few other options for not-ugly comfortable chairs.
You think the barcelona is comfortable? Impressive.
 

j

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Originally Posted by haganah
You think the barcelona is comfortable? Impressive.
I don't know if I'd like to sit in it for long periods, but I was expecting it to be much less comfortable than it is, considering the shape and look of the cushions.

Has anyone tried the PC-6 Perfect Chair? It doesn't look too bad but might take up too much space.

perfect-chair-motor-recline-chair.jpg
 

greg_atlanta

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Eames Lounge Chair is NOT comfortable for reading/laptop/etc. It forces you to slouch forward.

I have an old Ikea Poang chair which I want to replace, but I have not found anything nearly as comfortable. The newer version is cheap/shoddy and a little too small, but for $200-300 it will hold you over until you find the perfect chair. I'm still looking.......
 

itsstillmatt

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I find the Saarinen Womb Chair to be the most comfortable of the group, but it is a love or hate design. The Eames chair is also quite comfortable. All of them need to be sat in, because a lot of the comfort factor has to do with the size of the person sitting.

The classic that is least comfortable is the Egg Chair, which is, IMO, also the most beautiful. I feel comfort is overrated, so we have the Egg chair.
 

Gus

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Originally Posted by gdl203

It is actually incredibly comfortable. More so than any other design icons


I am 6' 2" and I found it to be uncomfortable for any period longer than an hour. It forced my shoulders forward creating bad posture. I sold mine years ago for that reason.

For that reason I urge you to try any of chair before buying it to be sure it fits you. Especially if you are tall.
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy
I am 6' 2" and I found it to be uncomfortable for any period longer than an hour.
I'm 6'2" too and frankly could not tell how many evenings I've spent in this chair watching movies - probably 100... Always found it extremely comfortable, way more than a plush sofa.

I love the Le Corbusier chaise longue but I think it's best used when fully reclined and don't particularly like sitting in it when it's upright. Best chaise longue ever for a rest or nap IMO
 

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