When I got my Ergotron ergonomic standing- or sitting- computer work station, I also got a pilates ball office chair. I did not like it much. I immediately lost the inflater, so it started to sink-squish, of course. In any case, I still did not like *sitting.* A few weeks ago while prowling the basement of an estate sale, I saw this Stokke office stool. It is really really solid. It goes up and down easily. It cost me $20. Hey, the green upholstery is even a decent match for my office walls, which are painted Avocado from Sherwin-Williams’ Suburban Modern palette.
According to my online research, Stokke — which is/was a Norwegian company — does not seem to be making office chairs anymore. But, Varier’s Move chair — which is marketed as an ergonomic chair — appears very similar. It’s sold today for $475, so it looks like I got a very good deal, indeed, on my vintage Stokke chair. Moreover: I like my Stokke a lot. I have it levered up pretty high, so I can either sit all proper like, with my feet on the ground… sort of lean against it… or sit high, cross-legged, kind of balancing on the high stool. *worker’s comp claim in the making, I am sure*. Anyway, is it more ergonomic? I *think* so — probably especially when I use it with my feet firmly planted. My back seems to like the whole situation much better than when I was in a plain old office chair (even a high quality one) with a plain old desktop computer workstation.
In my research, I could not find even one Stokke stool like mine. But, I did see examples of the Stokke Balans desk chair, which seems to be credited to designer Peter Opsvik. Of course, I remember these. Do they really work? Wouldn’t they just give you knee trouble, instead of back trouble? Above: A Balans chair currently for sale by Historic Modern, whose Star Trek Enterprise light and other treasures I featured the other day.
The pilates ball chair is headed to the Goodwill. You win some. You lose some.
Pia says
They changed brand name, but variant name MOVE is still on the market, as is BALANS.
http://www.varierfurniture.com/Collections/