The Evolution of Modern Swivel Chairs
One of the most versatile chair designs on the market are modern swivel chairs. What are these chairs and how did they come about? Believe it or not, swivel reclining chairs have a long history that dates back hundreds of years! Today, we’re exploring the innovation throughout the years that led to their evolution into the modern swivel chairs you see today.
What Are Swivel Reclining Chairs?
Before we hop into the evolution of modern swivel chairs, what are they? As the name implies, a swivel chair is a chair whose seat can be turned around a central point to face different directions without having to move the legs or reorient its base. There have been many changes in design from the first models through the swivel reclining chairs on the market today.
While some swivel chairs may be able to rotate a full 360 degrees, it’s not a requirement for it to be labeled as a swivel reclining chair. For example, leather swivel reclining chairs intended for home may rotate less than a full circle as it’s not really necessary in a home environment. Conversely, swivel office chairs intended to give the user more mobility are popular at work and in home office setups to maximize productivity.
Top-of-the-line modern swivel chairs include zero gravity swivel recliners. These leather swivel reclining chairs offer all the potential health benefits of zero gravity chairs while being able to rotate up to 280 degrees and fitting into a wide variety of different interior design styles. Additional bonus features of zero gravity luxury recliners such as massage and heat therapy are also available in the best swivel zero gravity recliners, making them a premium choice to enhance any lifestyle.
History of Modern Swivel Chairs
The act of sitting for comfort is actually a surprisingly recent human habit. While we may think of sitting as the most basic and simple of actions, ancient civilizations viewed chairs as a symbol of power. It’s no coincidence that the first depictions of seated figures are the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Chairs (or thrones, in that case) were representations of power and the authority of those sitting in them. This pattern continued on into the Middle Ages and it wasn’t until later in the 16th century that chairs became more commonplace.
How, then, did we wind up with modern swivel chairs? While hearing the terms “modern swivel chairs” or “swivel reclining chairs” may bring to mind the mid-century modern designs of the middle 20th century, their origins are much older! In fact, the history of modern swivel chairs dates back to 1775, with their invention credited to Thomas Jefferson.
As the story goes, Jefferson needed a more convenient chair option for handling mass amounts of paperwork at his desk, leading to him taking apart a Windsor chair and reassembling it with an iron spindle and casters designed for window covering pulley systems. This innovative redesign led to the eventual advancements resulting in our modern swivel chairs available today!
Evolving Into Modern Swivel Chairs of Today
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. This phrase accurately describes the attributed creation of the first swivel chair and also encapsulates their evolution into the modern swivel chairs of today. While Thomas Jefferson may be widely considered the inventor of the swivel chair, innovators like Thomas E. Warren and famed designer Frank Lloyd Wright advanced the designs that led to modern swivel chair designs to enhance their functionality.
Advancements in technology in the mid-19th century meant businesses expanded, requiring more clerical workers. Thomas E. Warren is noted to have created the centripetal spring armchair in 1849, enabling office workers to more easily reach things without having to stand or reposition their chairs. In 1904, this design was improved upon by Frank Lloyd Wright as he created the Larkin Building chair. Unfortunately, this design was flawed in that it was relatively unstable and often turned over, but it was a step towards the sturdy design of today’s modern swivel chair.
The best swivel reclining chairs available today most often incorporate the science behind ergonomic chairs developed in the 1970s. For example, a swivel zero gravity chair not only supports the back properly, but reduces excess pressure on the lower back and pelvic regions, which is one of the most common causes of back pain and often leads to pain from sitting too long in traditional recliners.
Representing the most modern swivel chairs available, leather zero gravity swivel reclining chairs also present users with a variety of other potential health benefits from better blood flow to speeding up how the body heals itself. They’re ideal for anyone from athletes looking for post-workout recovery routine tools to older adults seeking the benefits of zero gravity chairs for age-related diseases like arthritis or fibromyalgia.
In addition to their potential physical and mental health benefits, zero gravity modern swivel chairs are designed to adapt to a wide variety of interior design styles. No longer are these chairs only for mid-century modern designs. Instead, they can fit into almost any aesthetic from traditional to ultra modern.
As you’ve learned, the evolution of modern swivel chairs has come a long way from their mid-18th century origins. Today’s swivel reclining chairs offer stylish designs and comfort you can use anywhere in your home. Zero gravity swivel reclining chairs take your experience to the next level with additional features like massage and heat therapy, custom memory settings, and top-quality materials. Choosing a zero gravity chair for your home has never been such an easy choice!
Want to learn more about zero gravity chairs and how they could benefit your lifestyle? Check out these additional resources:
