Comfortable Seating: Our Expert Advice

r.o.i. Design has been supplying clients with furnishings for more than 20 years and the need for comfort in seating is crucial, especially when you can’t test out the sit.

Here are some helpful tips we have learned when shopping for comfortable seating.

Upholstered Seating

Something to look for in comfortable upholstered seating is the dimensions. The overall height plus the depth of the seat needs to total 38” to 40”. So, if the seat height is 19”, then the depth of the seat needs to be 19 to 21”. If the seat height is 20”, then the depth of the seat needs to be 18 to 20”.

Some other items to consider are:

An older person may need a taller seat height and less seat depth. Arms are essential for helping a person get themselves up out of the chair.
A younger person is more likely to sit at a lower height but may need the option of a back cushion.

In a commercial setting, it is important to use durable fabrics. Technology has come a long way and r.o.i. Design recommends using Crypton woven fabrics or vinyl-coated fabrics. We recommend no less than 30,000 double rubs (an industry standard of wearability), but we specify fabrics closer to 100,000 double rubs for our projects.

Break Room Seating

While most companies want their employees to be comfortable, don’t plan on break room seating to be used for more than 30 minutes at a time.

Chairs with a poly shell that has some movement in the back improve comfort.
An upholstered seat in a wipeable fabric is nice but take into consideration how it changes the seat height (see the note above on dimensions for upholstered seating).
A chair with a metal sled base will be easier to move and more likely to keep its structure than a four-legged chair.
Four-legged metal chairs are more stable when built with stringers (metal rods that go between the legs).