THE ART OF SITTING

Comfort starts with height. Feet should rest flat and knees should sit near level. A seat too high presses the thigh. A seat too low makes rising a task.

Depth sets posture. A shallow seat holds the back upright for talk and meals. A deep seat invites the legs up and the shoulders back. Choose by how the chair will be used most.

The backrest does quiet work. A slight tilt opens the chest and lets the head rest. A firm lower curve supports long sitting. Soft cushions matter less than this underlying angle.

Arms should meet the hand without lifting the shoulder. Too high and the neck tightens. Too low and the arms hover. The right height lets the whole upper body settle.

Test a chair as it will be used. Sit for ten minutes with a book, not ten seconds in a showroom stance. Notice the edge of the seat, the firmness of the base, the place where your back lands.

A good chair disappears under use. Attention goes to talk, to reading, to the view from the window. That absence of notice is the truest sign the measure is right.