The original swivel chair was first invented in the 1800’s by former US president Thomas Jefferson to make seating more comfortable for office workers. His invention consisted of an English style dining chair with the seat and leg sections connected by an iron spindle.
Swivel chairs allowed workers to move more freely and quickly. In an era where productivity was the essence of livelihood, firms realised how much more efficient their employees could be with comfortable and effective chairs. The old four leg dining style office chairs soon became a thing of the past.
More advanced models then began to surface, including the introduction of swivel chairs with castors and cushions. However, it wasn’t until about 100 years after its invention that the first upholstered, steel versions hit the market. The advantages of adjustability, weight, cost and aesthetics were immediately greeted.
Between the early 1900’s and today, further advancements to the swivel chair’s design have seen the rollout of some of the ground breaking features we see today. Slimline designs and ergonomic inclusions such as synchronised mechanisms, lumbar and height adjustments, memory foam and mesh upholstery make swivel chairs the best they’ve ever been.