home improvement | Recliners

Recliners

Since man learned to walk upright, he has probably always found a need to put his feet up and relax now and then. A chair that would allow a person to go from an upright position, to a reclining position, to a more or less flat position was developed in the 1850’s by the French. It was called a camp cot and could be used to sit, recline or lie flat. It was upholstered, had a steel frame, and padded arm rests. A patent was issued in 1928 to Edward M. Kanbrusch and Edwin J. Shoemaker for a wooden reclining chair. In 1947 a footrest was added and has become a standard.

Designs have improved, padding materials are more sophisticated, and fabrics are more durable and comfortable. Today a person wishing to add a recliner to their home can choose the style, color, size and price right for them.

There are three basic types of recliner on the market today. The most common type is the two position basic recliner that starts upright and uses a mechanism such as a lever that causes the chair to recline and the foot rest to come up. Other styles allow the user to push back on the chair to move the chair position back and the foot rest up. This type can be relatively cheap to very costly, depending on construction and materials chosen for padding and upholstering. Shoppers can find two position recliners that will fit into most spaces. Some recline more to the front using much less space in the back but do require space out into the room. Others recline from the back and will require a further distance from the wall in room placement. This two position system can be found in loveseats and in sofas and couches and many sectional groups offer a recliner that will fit into the ensemble.

A rocker/recliner is the second type of recliner. It is also a very popular type. This type allows the benefits of a rocking chair because one can rock in an upright position. In addition, the reclining mechanism allows for more reclining angles. Rocker/recliners do come as powered chairs that allow the user to recline and bring the chair back to an upright position by pushing a bottom. Chairs can be fitted with heating and massage mechanisms, sound systems, even small refrigerators.

The last type is the push back recliner that does not have a built in foot rest. Most of them have matching ottomans available. This style is generally considered to have the most modern appearance and can fit any where. They do not fully recline and since many are made of leather, tend to be more expensive.

Finding the recliner that is right for you requires doing some research and visits to retail stores that sell this type of furniture. Making sure that the chair you chose fits your comfort needs is as important as fitting into your home. A person who is the size of a professional basketball player will not be comfortable in the chair that someone who is five feet one inch would like. Buyers need to make sure that the back and head rest fit as well as the footrest length. Is the depth of the chair good? Do your feet touch the floor when sitting fully back in the chair or do your knees touch your chin? There are chairs designed for the very big and the very small (including children). Your recliner can serve you for many years if you make sure it the right one for you.

For more information on recliners or furniture of any kind visit rissla.com. Rissla is your source for furniture information.

Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Tagged With , , , ,

Comments

Comments are closed.