On Wednesday, Oct. 12, students passing through the Tinkham Veale University Center were greeted by a group of interior designers—an unusual event. Students were asked to sit on a selection of chairs and provide their written feedback. The Office of University Housing explained, “We are looking for student feedback regarding a variety of seating options that will be in the new South Residential Village Residence Halls (opening [f]all 2024).” Fortunately for the designers and the future residents of the new residence halls, dozens of students happily sat on all the chairs and opined on them.

Sindu Meier, the associate principal of William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc., explained that the designers of the chairs have been using student feedback throughout the process of designing the chairs. The fabrics and colors of the chairs in Tink were samples and are not necessarily indicative of the final chairs that will furnish the new residence halls. New furniture can often emit harmful gasses that were trapped during their production, so the chairs that make the cut will be “off-gassed” before entering the buildings to prevent negative impacts on the air quality of the residence halls. 

Bedroom desk chairs

The first seating option available for testing was a two-position chair, similar to ones already used in residence halls across campus. This chair is wooden, with comfortable fabric portions for the seat and backrest. It lacks any armrests—a drawback for some people—and the backrest does not retract. The configuration of the chair is unique as it allows students to lean back without the fear of falling; its legs have two normal configurations. The experience of rocking the chair back is a terrifying experience for the unaccustomed, but it is a great option for restless students who love rocking without the fear of actually falling backwards. 

Comfort: 7/10

Productivity: 7/10

Style: 6/10

The next chair came from the Doni Stack Line by Ki Furniture. The chair is made of plastic with no soft cushions. The backrest retracts if one wants to recline, but has no wheels, armrests or anything else to make it stand out. The plastic seat becomes uncomfortable after sitting on it for a short time. This is the weakest option out of all the bedroom desk chairs, and is likely the one that most students would least prefer for their bedroom.

Comfort: 2/10

Productivity: 4/10

Style: 2/10

The last bedroom desk chair provided for testing was Jumper by VS America. This chair has armrests and a soft interior for the seat and backrest. The backrest is able to retract somewhat, but pushing it back too forcefully or quickly might make the seat rock. For those who like armrests on their bedroom chairs, this is a great option. It makes for a great seat if one wants to read or work on a computer and is generally comfortable and flexible. 

Comfort: 7/10

Productivity: 8/10

Style: 6/10

Study and meeting room chairs

One chair that students tested that were meant for general meeting spaces was Flip by Kimball. This chair includes wheels and plastic armrests and the backrest is made of a comfortable mesh; however, it does not retract—a potential drawback for some. The bottom of the chair is soft, and the seat can be flipped upward to nest the chairs together in storage. The proportions and height of the chair are well-designed and make for comfortable sitting. In general, this chair is a great mobile option for reading, studying or working with others.

Comfort: 7/10

Productivity: 8/10

Style: 6/10

The other chair in this category comes from the Rio line by SitOnIt Seating. The sample presented in Tink is the tallest chair by far, but comes in shorter variations. The tall model includes a metal bar for one’s feet to rest, while some other models come with wheels. The seat of the chair is soft and comfortable and the backrest is solid and retractable, however there are no armrests. The high seat model is not desirable, but the shorter models would be a nice seating option for those who do not like armrests.

Comfort: 6/10

Productivity: 6/10

Style: 5/10

Lounge chairs

The unconventional selection of lounge chairs began with Open by Allermuir. The high back sample presented in Tink had a long backrest with a comfortable angle that accommodates the spine well. The chair includes a soft seating cushion, low arm rests and a spinning base. Many students liked this chair because its wide seat allows for sitting cross-legged. This chair is a great option for relaxing in many positions, all with adequate back and arm support.

Comfort: 9/10

Productivity: 6/10

Style: 8/10

Next came Retreat by Allsteel. This chair is immobile and does not spin. It includes thin, hard elbow rests and a long backrest; when sitting back, a metal bar at the top of the backrest presses against the middle of the spine. The seat is soft, but the fabric on this sample seems like it will get dirty and tear easily. However, as previously noted, this fabric is a generic sample and will not necessarily appear in the final model. Regardless, this chair is not desirable, especially for a lounging room where comfort is the highest priority.

Comfort: 2/10

Productivity: 4/10

Style: 5/10

The third lounge chair was Rock by Allsteel. The design of this chair is the most unique out of the samples, resembling a potato with a quarter of it cut out. Unfortunately, it is not nearly as comfortable as its peculiar design would indicate. It has the ability to rock back and forth heavily, but its backrest is hard and uncomfortable. The seat is unnecessarily wide, yet it is too thin to sit with one’s legs crossed. This is not a good lounging chair by any metric, but it is an acceptable option for jittery people who want to rock back and forth rapidly. 

Comfort: 3/10

Productivity: 2/10

Style: 7/10

The last chair available for testing was CrissCross by Source. This chair lives up to its name and is a great option for sitting cross-legged. The seat is low to the ground and spacious, and while the backrest does not retract, its natural angle is great for relaxing comfortably. The chair does lack armrests, but it is still a great option for lounging and resting.

Comfort: 9/10

Productivity: 4/10

Style: 6/10