Recliners Enter the Chat

This chair finally got an upgrade, and you just may need to add it to your cart.

Last week, on Instagram, I asked everyone what they were shopping for and if they needed help finding items. Which, BTW, if you aren’t following along there, are we even friends? → Follow along here!

Anyway, a past coworker of mine (from my Target HQ days in financial reporting) replied with a request for cute recliners because her husband was requesting one for their basement. So, not only did I source several recliner options (which I will eventually get to), but I also dug into the history of recliners. Like, how did they even come to be?

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From French Cots to Lazy Boys

We humans have been reclining long before remote controls and Sunday Night Football. According to Wikipedia, around 1850 in France, military cots doubled as chairs, loungers, and beds. And fun fact: the first reclining chair was reportedly owned by Napoleon III (the dude was clearly a trend-setter).

In the U.S., the modern recliner came to life in 1927, thanks to cousins Knabush and Shoemaker, who eventually went on to found the OG of recliners: La-Z-Boy.

Sidebar—During this research, I discovered that La-Z-Boy owns Joybird, a furniture retailer I adore, and one I highly recommend you check out.

But the recliner wasn’t just about comfort; it was about culture. Presidents, astronauts, and my Grandpa Roger (fact) all swore by them. NASA even used recliner-based designs for its space programs, and Lyndon B. Johnson was gifted 50 of them for Christmas one year.

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The 21st-Century Recliner: A Lazy Throne of Innovation

Today’s recliners are a far cry from the frumpy ones you remember. Think power motors, lumbar support, USB ports, heating, massage, and sleek designs that don’t scream "retired in Florida."

Now, recliners aren’t cheap. So let’s weave in a bit of cost-per-use logic.

Say you spend $2,000 on a high-quality recliner. You (or your partner) use it every other evening for 10 years. That’s approximately 1,830 sits. Which means each use costs about $1.09.

Let’s also say you or your partner purchase a $7 coffee from Starbucks every other day. That totals $1,281 in just one year. Let that sink in for a minute, because that $2,000 high-quality recliner doesn’t seem too bad of an idea now, does it?

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Lean Back—The Recliners I Found

Now, I have yet to source a recliner for a client, nor do I own one myself. However, based on reviews and current design trends, the following recliners are my favorites. And all options are from retailers I recommend.

Carise Recliner // Domingo Recliner // Leisure Recliner // Chandler Recliner // Comfort Modern Recliner // Sadie Recliner

One last design tip, before I end this. Don’t skip the “kids” section even if you aren’t purchasing the recliner for a nursery. For example, Crate & Kids has several great options, with the intention being that an adult will be utilizing the recliner and not the 1-year-old.

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Like this kind of content? Or have questions on recliners? Let me know!

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