I have always believed strongly in the adage that "Form should follow function". The function of a rocking chair is to be exquisitely comfortable! Therefore, it is my opinion, that any change made to a chair for beauty that detracts from the comfort is not in keeping with logic! Since the early 90s I have been perfecting the comfort of this chair. Colin Eden-Eadon, editor of Britain's premier woodworking magazine, "Furniture and Cabinet Making", said, after sitting in my chair, "It is the most comfortable wooden chair I have ever sat in!" He knows chairs!
Why is my chair so comfortable? Several reasons:
The back braces are quite flexible.
There is a magnificent lumbar support.
The
headrest and back braces are arranged in quite a significant curve in
order to conform to the sitters back in a snug and secure manner.
The arms are sculpted to hold your arms in position so they do not flop down in your lap when you go to sleep and wake you.
The chair is made to fit YOU!
All
of these factors, taken together, result in a chair so comfortable that
it is quite extraordinary to folks who sit in it for the first time.
This photo shows some of the reasons for this comfort level. If you look at the back brace, where it exits the seat you will see a dark strip of wood that gets thinner as you look toward the top. This is one of five wedges that are incorporated into each back brace. This renders the center of the back brace flexible while keeping the ends incredibly strong. Also, looking at the seat where the back braces enter, you will note that there is a space behind the back brace. This space allows each back brace to move to the back without stress when someone sits in the chair. You can also see clearly that the back braces are NOT in a straight line, as they are in many chairs, but instead take quite a nice curvature from one side to another. I always say "Your back is not flat - why should the back of your chair be?" If you should have any questions please do not hesitate to drop me a note.