It is difficult to fathom that the simple chair could have so much history behind it, but for thousands of years it has held symbolic value in many societies and cultures as an article of dignity and state, aside from its obvious practical value as an item of furniture to be sat upon.

Even today in the United Kingdom the chair is venerated as an emblem of authority in the House of Commons, and all manner of associations, boards of directors, organisations, clubs and political parties meet under the guidance of a “Chair”, in effect the person who occupies the senior position, keeps order, decides the order of events and, in some cases, wields the casting vote.

The chair enjoyed a similar prestige in ancient Egypt, as well as in China during the period of the Tang dynasty.

Of course all of this notwithstanding the chair is essentially for sitting upon, but the dynamic that ensures that the furniture is designed for maximum comfort is determined by ergonomics. Ergonomics is quite literally about the maximisation of comfort for the user, and when an item of seating is being designed ergonomic considerations are weighed up alongside non-ergonomic factors such as availability of space, portability and aesthetic value, and not least of all cost. In deed it could be said that the manufacture of seating is in essence a balance of ergonomics and economics.

Bright colours bring out the character of the modern home

Whilst the traditional, stately chair has a role to fulfil the modern home calls for seating that is portable, visually attractive, comfortable, economical and, if at all possible, fun. Bright colours as opposed to regal varnish bring out the character of the modern home, and an item of seating that can be moved from the television to the computer to the bedroom offers the best practical value.

Casual seating is not a new concept. The stool, basically a chair without a back or armrests, has been with us for centuries. A separate footrest is also sometimes an option and has historically been variously known as a hassock, an ottoman or a pouffe.

One of the most exciting ranges of modern portable seating is manufactured by Fatboy, and its speciality is in the field of bean bags, hammocks, foot stalls and dog beds. All of these products come in an extensive range of colours and sizes to suit all tastes.

The simple act of sitting down has never been so much fun.