Where to buy a computer chair in London?

January 3, 2005 5:48 AM

Where would a good place in London be to shop for a chair for my computer desk? [More inside]

Things that might help you answer my question: My current chair makes my butt hurt and my back ache, and I'm looking for a reasonably ergonomic new one. Ideally I would like to be able to sit in a number of different chairs before choosing one to purchase so I'm looking for either a store with a wide selection, or a neighborhood with many different stores in walking distance of each other. I'm hoping not to pay more than £100 for a chair but the bottom line is that I want something that I'll get many years of use out of, so I'm willing to pay more if need be. I'm in NW3 but am willing to travel to any place that's accessible by public transportation. Any suggestions for a particular store, or a particular store-rich neighborhood?

posted by yankeefog to shopping (10 comments total)

IKEA?
posted by Orange Goblin at 6:24 AM on January 3, 2005

Staples?
posted by Leon at 6:26 AM on January 3, 2005

I recall seeing a couple of nice looking chairs at Ikea. IIRC you could take the tube to one and have them deliver it later. I bought my current chair (Aeron) off eBay.
posted by adrianhon at 6:37 AM on January 3, 2005

Ikea?!? Jeez.

If you are going to a specialist then £100 is likely to be the entry level price but you will get a well made, lasting chair that is designed for comfort. You'll also be getting it from staff who know exactly what they're talking about.

Try Back 2 or The Back Shop handily close to each other just off Marylebone High Street (Regent's Park or Bond St tube) on Wigmore & New Cavendish streets respectively.

You can have a nicer day out in Marylebone too ;-)
posted by i_cola at 8:38 AM on January 3, 2005

Some sitting info here.
posted by i_cola at 8:44 AM on January 3, 2005

What's wrong with IKEA?
posted by Orange Goblin at 11:08 AM on January 3, 2005

i_cola: The problem is that there aren't any really decent chairs you can get for £100, by which I mean properly, ergonomically designed chairs. A friend and I spent a while looking for good chairs that are cheaper than the Aerons and Leaps and all of that (at least £300), and we couldn't find any worth buying.

There seems to be a gulf between £100 and £300 - below £100 you get the generic office chairs which are fine if you're not obsessed about ergonomics, and above £300 you start getting the really comfortable and ergonomic chairs, but in between there isn't much. I could be wrong though - I'm not a huge chair expert.
posted by adrianhon at 11:57 AM on January 3, 2005

I'd warn against Ikea too. I absolutely adore Ikea, but their desk chairs have a tendency to fall apart in no time.
posted by fvw at 1:43 PM on January 3, 2005

Visit 'The Chair Company' on Finchley Road. It's almost equidistant from the Finchley Road Tube and the Swiss Cottage Tube, right near the Post Office. They have lots and lots of chairs and aren't ridiculously pricey.

0207 7228888 is their telephone number.
posted by yellowcandy at 2:25 PM on January 3, 2005

Thanks, all for all the suggestions! I'll check out The Chair Company, The Back Shop, and Back 2, and see if any of the fancy ergonomic chairs can tempt me to drop a few hundred quid. If not, I'll just go to Staples and get the best generic office chair £100 can buy.
posted by yankeefog at 4:58 AM on January 5, 2005