Our advice on the best Office Chairs
A co-working space we designed for TriliTech featured height adjustable office chairs with lumber support for short / intermittent period of desk based working
Choosing the right chair for your office
Getting the right chair for an office space can feel a little overwhelming as there’s so much choice and different options available. When we design office spaces, we have to think about different types of office chairs to suit different needs around the space which will be dictated by use and of course, the budget.
What types of different office chairs are there?
There are a lot of different types of offices chairs on the market but in terms of key categories, we often define these by the ergonomic type of chair, here are the main categories we look at:
Task Chairs: These are your standard office chairs designed for general office desk working. They typically offer some degree of adjustability, like height and tilt adjustments, but may not have advanced ergonomic features for people with specific needs. We would generally choose these chairs for desks where it’s likely that people may be sitting down for period of 4-6 hours+ plus
Executive Chairs: Executive chairs are often more luxurious and offer better padding and comfort than standard task chairs. They may have higher backrests and additional features like built-in lumbar support. We would normally put these in private offices.
Ergonomic Chairs: Ergonomic chairs are specifically designed to support healthy posture and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal issues. They usually come with features like adjustable lumbar support, adjustable armrests, and a high level of customization for optimal comfort. We would choose these chairs after being made aware of specific needs by our clients.
Meeting Room chairs / office chairs: Meeting room chairs come in a wide range of designs and styles to suit various preferences and room aesthetics. Generally we look for upholstered chairs with low backs, armrests and swivel functionality.
CoWorking Chairs / Office Chairs: We would define these as chairs that people will be spending a max of about 4 hours in. They will have lower backs than a task chair but will offer some ergonomic features like height adjustability, tilt, lumbar support, swivel functionality, armrests and often be upholstered.
Training Room / Flexible Chairs: We often have to design for spaces that require different room set ups and key here is stackability. Choice now means than even some of these chairs can be upholstered and have some tilt so that they provide some more comfort to users.
Our favourite office chairs
We’ll obviously be guided by the needs and budgets of our clients when choosing office chairs, however, here’s a few of our favourites by category:
In our own office, we chose HAG Capisco chairs for the ergonomic stylish design and sustainability credentials
Task chair: HÅG CAPISCO
We have these chairs in our studio and they are firm favorites of the team for it’s ergonomic and sustainable credentials. The saddle seat can be adjusted between low and high working positions and means you can sit in a number of ways which is great for movement during the day (you can even sit backwards on the chair). It’s beautifully designed and the fabric and finish choices means it can be adapted to suit any scheme.
Executive Chair: Vitra Soft Pad ea 219
For an executive chair, we don’t think you can go wrong with the classic Vitra Soft Pad ea 219 chair. Upholstered in leather, this chair is luxurious without being too ostentatious.
The Vitra Soft Pad is a classic executive chair
GUBI’s Masculo chairs upholstered in leather were the perfect choice for this high end office space
Meeting Room chair: GUBI Masculo meeting chair
We used these chairs in our project for TriliTech to great effect. Not only are they are a beautifully designed chair that really contributed to a very impressive scheme, the swivel functionality and comfortable upholstery made for a very comfortable seat too.
CoWorking Chair: The HÅG Tion
Another great chair from HAG. Not only is it actually classed as a Task B taskchair because of the ergonomic features it offers but it’s made with 75% recycled & renewable materials on average.
Training Room / Flexible Chair: Enea Ema 4L chair
These types of chairs have to be highly practical but the Enea Ema shows that you don’t have to compromise on being stylish too. It can be finished in such a range of colours and it can stack up to 30 chairs so great for flexible spaces with limited storage space. The chair also has the ability to add small tables for taking notes - a perfect addition for the training room we designed at MVF Global.
When choosing an office chair, it's important to consider your specific needs, budget, and how long you'll be sitting in it each day. The right chair can greatly enhance comfort, productivity, and overall well-being in the workplace.
Author: Nadia Themistocleous, Lead Interior Designer at Trifle*
Nadia has worked with Trifle* since 2016 and has been the interior lead for some of our most ambitious projects to date including MVF, BenchSci and TriliTech. Prior to Trifle* and managing her own interior design company, she worked for a decade in advertising and the music industry creating and executing creative campaigns and events. She is passionate about translating our client’s culture, identity or ways of working into the spaces they inhabit ensuring that every space created for our clients is as unique as their business or home is.