Furniture. That warm-welcoming part of the home interior that greets your personality more than anything else. Adrienne Rich, also known as “one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century”, once said: ‘In every room, the furniture reflects you larger than life, or dwindling.’
But, did you know that the furniture we pay so much attention to when it comes to making the right selection, has a rich and interesting history behind? Yes, those movable objects we use to sit and sleep on, are actually more interesting than you may think. Here are few fun furniture facts I’m sure will capture your attention.
DID YOU KNOW THAT:
- The first desks were introduced to the market in the late 17th century and were called ‘bureaus’. The top writing surface could be opened and closed, which is why these first editions of desks were also known as ‘sloping front desks’. After the UK Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century, the world’s wealthiest business class took hold of the market and started the trend of fashioning up the desks we use today.
- Back in the past, people of higher society used ‘throne-chairs’ that reflected their high and wealthy position. On the flip-side, people from ‘lower caliber’ used simple, backless chairs called ‘stools’.
- In Ancient Rome, chairs were very rare and they were mostly used for formal occasions or as lounging places for women. Common forms of Roman chairs were ‘upright thronus’ and ‘reclined cathedra’.
- In the House of Commons in Canada and United Kingdom, the chair has a special significance as it is recognized as an emblem of authority.
- The most expensive chair ever sold (at staggering $28 million) belonged to world-famous French designer, Yves Saint Laurent.
- The earliest innovator of the modern office chair was, believe it or not, Charles Darwin. In order to get to his specimens faster and easier during his study, Darwin added two wheels on his chair, which gave the basic look of contemporary office chairs we use today.
- The office chair has been widely popularized thanks to Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of united Germany who distributed office chairs throughout Parliament.
- Business owners invested in comfortable office chairs cheap and expensive, only to ‘force’ their employees to sit for as long as possible. Luckily, someone came up with the ‘coffee break’ idea!
- Office chairs cheap or expensive, have become the must-have pieces of furniture in every 21st century office. The truth is, office chairs cheap prices do not determine their quality. Simply put, you can find versatile and modern-looking ergonomic office chairs at affordable prices. Browse the offers of different online/offline retailers to find the chair that will suit your office needs and of course, your budget.
