Do you ever wish that your favorite TV chair could convert into a rocking rocker? Do you wish you could rock a newborn infant to sleep in your arms as you sat comfortably yourself? After a hard day’s work, do you like to relax by reading a book by the fire in the winter or simply staring out the window in the summer?
The love of rocking chairs in America
You are not alone if you choose yes to any of these questions. An increasing percentage of Americans either already possesses a rocking chair that has become a family member or is considering purchasing one.
When someone had the brilliant idea to add skates or rockers to the bottoms of adult furniture, akin to a child’s rocking cradle or rocking horse, rocking chairs first started to emerge in the late 1700s.
Since then, owning a rocking chair has become a distinctly American preoccupation. Most Americans, as well as some of America’s famous presidents, have a strong affection for their rocking chairs, whether they are the elegant designs by American designer Sam Maloof with the long, curved runners or the cozy white wicker rocking chair that has typically been in the family for more than 30 years.
How do you choose a nice rocking chair, though? Here are some suggestions for selecting the ideal rocking chair for you.
Advice on selecting a rocking chair
1. Where are you going to place your rocking chair should be your initial thought. You may pick a cushioned or wooden rocking chair made of light maple or yellowish oak to put inside near the fireplace or family room. Alternately, if the furniture will be outside in your garden or front porch, you may choose a teakwood that can survive the weather or a sweet-smelling cedar.
2. Comfort is a top consideration in rocking chairs. John F. Kennedy’s rocking chair is a well-known example of a rocking chair being utilized for therapeutic reasons. It is reported that this Appalachian wood rocker, which features a steam-bent curved backrest and a woven seat made of Malaysian rattan, provided hours and hours of comfort for President Kennedy’s poor back.
You may determine if the rocking chair you are selecting will provide you with the amount of comfort you need by responding to the following questions.
– Does the rocking chair provide support and comfort for the user?
– Is the chair positioned low enough to provide supportive elbow rest?
– Do the armrests have adequate width to accommodate your arms while maintaining proper balance?
– Is there firmness and flexibility in the seat and back?
– Do the chairs slant down to support the lower back and suit the whole back?
3. Does the rocker have the proper pitch? In plain English, does the rocking chair rock evenly and smoothly without tipping, even when you are reclined? Or does rocking make you feel like you’re going to reverse directions? Does one push start the rocking chair rocking for many minutes or only for a short while?
4. Was the rocking chair constructed using methods that have been shown to produce rocking chairs that are stronger and more resilient and can survive regular use? The famed Maloof method, which uses seven laminated strips of wood to support each of the long, graceful skis used in his rocking chair designs, is one of these approaches. Others include construction without glue, interlocking joinery, and interlocking joinery.
5. Which rocking chair design will well with your decor? Do you prefer a rocking chair with upholstery or one with an oil finish that highlights the wood’s inherent wood grain? Do you like a relaxed rattan chair or a beautiful white wicker one? Do you like a classic ladder back, vertical slats, or braided cane for the back of your rocking chair? Do you want it painted, varnished, oiled, or stained?
6. What budget have you set for your rocking chair? Whatever your price range, it appears that there is a rocking chair to suit everyone’s taste – whether it’s the $20,000 Sam Maloof, for which there is a two-year waiting list or the classic white wicker rocking chair you just won on eBay for $20, or anything in between.
7. Lastly, if you’re proficient with tools and don’t mind doing it yourself to save money, do you want your rocking chair brought to you assembled?
If you’re a couch potato looking for a more comfortable seat in front of your favorite TV sitcom, a delighted parent of a newborn child, an urban worker looking to unwind after work with a book or the peace and quiet of the night by the front porch, or any other person, I hope these suggestions will help you find the rocking chair that’s just right for you.
