So many words today are misused to describe something or it can be so generic that the word doesn’t tell us what you are really talking about! Today we are talking about chairs, recliners and everything in between.
Here are some examples about words we use. that may cause confusion. For instance someone might ask about a table size. I then ask them a follow up question of, "an end table, coffee table, or a dining table?". They are all tables, but can have very different sizes depending on what you are wanting to know about!
Same goes for beds. Many people will come in and ask for a new bed. Do they want a new mattress or a new bed frame or the whole set? We need clarification to know what we are truly looking for.
In upholstered pieces, what about sofas? Is there a difference between a sofa or a couch or a Davenport? All these words may mean the same to you, but different to someone else.
Let’s go to chairs……there are lots of chairs….but is a chair just a chair? Or could it be a recliner?
Typically, a chair is just a chair. It has 4 legs and doesn’t move. It could be for a dining table or a living room. But some people refer to this chair, which rocks, as a chair! I call it a rocker as it is a better description of what it does. The similarity is that you can sit in both!
These chairs are also rockers, but they look very different that what most of us consider a rocking chair to be.
Your question is a chair a chair or is it a recliner? Well, if is sits still and doesn’t move, at that moment it is a chair, but when you open it, it is a recliner. Usually we always would refer to it as a recliner, because that is what it is intended to do!
Recliners can have other descriptive titles, like a rocker recliner, a wall hugger recliner, a swivel rocker recliner and a power rocker recliner. All these do describe a recliner, but the added words help us to understand how it works! They can even get more detailed with the features and benefits they offer, just as a Lift Recliner that helps with standing or a Zero Gravity Recliner that helps with circulation.
The person you are talking to at the store should explain to you the differences. Many recliners come 7-8 different ways. More ways than what you see. American made products have many options, because it is made for you.
You may have a small space and need it to fit up close to the wall. That would be the wall hugger style! If the person you are talking to doesn’t give you that information, move on! You want to buy something that will last. If it doesn't have options, then it may be a one and done gig. No options and no warranty.
The number one problem that I hear about today is people do not have enough space in their home. That the pieces they buy do not fit the scale of their home or the scale of their body. It may have been a good price, but if you have to replace it in a year, because it is not comfortable or because it breaks it was more expensive that purchasing the correct item in the first place.
You need to ask or talk to the experts about how you use the space. I had one lady who wanted a swivel glider recliner and she was told they don’t make them that way! That is what she had been told by other stores. I have probably 40 different swivel gliders on my floor today! Yes, they make them! Yes, they can be recliners. You need to get good information about the product you want. Ask questions…..as I say, get the inside story!