The Elusive Chair (TEC) - A Form Vs Function Debate

Have you sat in a chair and felt - "Wow, this is comfortable!"? 

Of late, we are spoiled for choice. We can sink into luxurious sofas, and lose ourselves in blissful sleep. You can plonk yourself down in luxury, and be counted among the couch potatoes. You can relax and sit back, looking around pleasantly as you await your turn in all sorts of foyers and lounges. 

But if your knees have aged before you have, they put up all kinds of protests when it comes to getting off the chair. All those waiting-room chairs 'receive' you whole-heartedly, but seem to turn the other way when the time comes to 'return' you on your feet. You just can't get up from them gracefully; they are awful for older / weaker-kneed people.

We invariably do not think twice about the chairs we see and use everyday, do we.

For several months now, I've been looking for suitable seating that responds to a few simple specifications.
- Sturdy enough for a senior citizen with limited mobility
- The height of the seat is 22-23 inches, a good 4+ inches above the 'standard' 18 inches
- the backrest is comfortable
- The cushion is not too soft; it should NOT sink inward.
- Must be available in both versions: with / without armrest.
- Must be reasonably priced
- No fancy attachments or silly frills

So we went up and down Delhi's markets searching for TEC. Happy furniture-wallahs welcomed us and showed us umpteen varieties of dining chairs, writing chairs, luxuriously inviting sofas, ottomans, executive chairs, bar-chairs, revolving chairs, lounge chairs, rocking chairs, elegant bamboo dreams, antique-looking regal thrones, but never TEC.

We located a carpenter and a sturdy-looking set of four second-hand dining chairs. When confronted with the need, he though about it, and eventually we decided on a plausible modification that could very well solve the issue. After that it was an eager wait for the "all-done-and-ready" call.
It remained a dream. The carpenter had bitten off more than he could chew, and our address read "Square One".

Determined to hunt down TEC, we set off to the famed Jail Road, known for furniture shops. After trudging from shop to shop, and checking out their dusty godowns, armed with a measuring tape, there it was, TEC, in foam and steel. It looked dirty and dated, but in a jiffy the shop-owner had it dusted and re-wrapped in new cellophane wrap. Did he have another, please? Oh yes, madam, er... no madam, just the one.

Thankfully I found a sturdy enough design that included armrests, with a not-too-soft cushion to be used as per need.


And that's why I now feel confident enough to launch TEC (Seating Consultants).

So how low (high) is too low (high) when it comes to furniture? You want a thumb  rule? 
1. Be kind to your knees. 
2. If you are happy with 'low', nothing can beat the Good Earth, the floor under your feet.