What Is a Chair & a Stool?

Armchair

• An armchair is a large variation of a chair. The armchair is usually placed among other large pieces of furniture, such as sofas and love seats. It is defined by its pronounced arms and substantial seat back. Often, this chair is fully upholstered and designed to be comfortable enough to sleep on. Other large chairs include armless styles and low back styles that are designed to be easy to see over or past while still providing comfortable seating.

Ottoman

• The ottoman is a variation of the traditional stool. This type of stool is usually fully upholstered and designed to provide comfortable leg and foot support to those sitting on larger chairs, love seats and sofas. The ottoman can be moved around easily, and will sometimes open to provide additional storage. Some ottomans are very large and they can be used as a seat, a stool and a table.

Upright Chair

• Upright chairs are common to breakfast rooms, dining rooms and desk applications. This type of chair may also have arms, and frequently the chair is sold with and without arms within the same set. Chairs can be made in plastic, metal, wood and other materials, and they will vary in seat size depending on the proposed use of the chair. Smaller chairs are often less comfortable, and they may be less well made and subject to sudden failure and collapse.

Rockers, Bar Stools and Recliners

• Rockers are a type of upright chair with legs that are modified to allow the chair to rock back and forth. A bar stool is a type of stool that tends to be taller and more comfortable than a standard stool. The bar stool often blends the chair and stool together so that a person can sit on the bar stool for a long period of time. Recliners are a specialized type of armchair that is designed to move into different shapes to allow a person to sit or lie back comfortably simply by moving his body inside the chair.