How to choose an office chair: height, adjustments and comfort

The benchmarks in this section come from the European standard EN 1335-1, which sets the dimensions of office work chairs, and from ergonomic usage benchmarks, named as such. The titles of the chairs in our office chair collection rarely give their dimensions: when they do, we quote them.

Office chair height

The useful height of an office chair is that of the seat, not the backrest. It is adjusted so that, when sitting at the back of the seat, your elbows are level with the desktop, forearms horizontal, and your feet rest flat on the floor, thighs horizontal or slightly inclined downwards. If both conditions cannot be met, prioritise the elbows and add a footrest.

Office chair seat height

For a fixed desk of 72 to 75 cm, the adjusted seat falls between 42 and 52 cm depending on your height: 42 to 45 cm around 1.60 m, 44 to 48 cm around 1.70 m, 47 to 50 cm around 1.80 m, 49 to 52 cm above 1.85 m. These values are a usage benchmark, deduced from the height of the hollow of the knee when wearing shoes; measure your own, seated, from the floor to the back of the knee.

Standard office chair height

There is no single standard height but an adjustment range. The EN 1335-1 standard provides for office work chairs a seat adjustable over a range of approximately 40 to 51 cm, a benchmark whose exact value depends on the type of chair. A kitchen or dining chair, fixed, is around 45 to 47 cm: it is suitable for occasional use, not for a full working day.

Office chair dimensions

On the floor, a five-branch base occupies a circle of 60 to 70 cm in diameter; a swivel chair with a wide seat goes beyond: 69 x 69 cm for the Rico by Ferm Living, 65 x 75 cm for the Audo swivel chair, dimensions read in their titles. Add 70 cm of clearance behind the desk to pull the chair back without touching the wall. For the seat, keep three to four fingers between its edge and the back of the knee: a seat that is too deep separates you from the backrest.

Seat height

This is the essential adjustment, via a gas lift operated by a lever under the seat: stand up slightly, pull the lever, the seat rises; sit down whilst holding it, and it descends. A chair without this adjustment suits only one user height and one desk height. In the catalogue, the titles that mention it say 'adjustable' or 'Gaslift': Swivel 5W by Normann Copenhagen, AAC 252 by HAY, Beetle by Gubi. See the office chair collection.

How to adjust the backrest of an office chair

Sit right back in the seat. If the backrest adjusts in height, position its most curved part at the small of your back, roughly at belt height. If it reclines, tilt it slightly backwards rather than keeping it upright. On a tilt mechanism, adjust the tension, often a knob under the seat, according to your weight: the backrest should follow your back when you lean backwards, without pushing you or giving way suddenly.

Armrests

They relieve the shoulders if they reach the level of the desktop, with elbows resting without raising the shoulders. Too high, they have the opposite effect; fixed and too long, they hit against the desk and prevent the chair from being pulled in. For a narrow desk or a bedroom, a chair without armrests slides entirely under the desktop. See the chair collection with armrests.

Seat depth and tilt

When the seat slides, adjust it to keep three to four fingers between its edge and the back of the knee. Some mechanisms also tilt the seat slightly forwards: the thighs drop a little, the pelvis opens. These adjustments are found mainly on technical office chairs; on a designer chair, check on the product sheet what the mechanism allows.

How to sit properly on an office chair

Right back in the seat, back against the backrest, feet flat, elbows level with the desktop, shoulders relaxed, screen at arm's length with its top edge at eye level. Then move: no position can be held for eight hours. Stand up at least once an hour, alternate between sitting and standing when possible, and change your support during the day. To adjust the desk itself, read our guide to desk height and dimensions and see the desk collection.

A designer office chair and a technical ergonomic chair do not meet the same need. The designer office chair starts from a manufacturer's seat, shell or armchair, mounted on a swivel or castored base. The technical ergonomic chair starts from the mechanism: each part of the chair adjusts separately.

What a technical ergonomic chair adjusts in addition

A technical ergonomic chair generally adds four adjustments to seat height: an adjustable lumbar support, a synchronised mechanism that tilts the seat and backrest together, a sliding seat depth and adjustable armrests. The backrest of a technical ergonomic chair is often stretched with a mesh that lets air through.

What a designer office chair adjusts

In The Cool Republic's office chair collection, 26 items feature an adjustable height or gas lift, under the words 'adjustable' or 'Gaslift', including the Swivel 5W and Hyg by Normann Copenhagen, AAC 252 2.0 by HAY, Beetle by Gubi, Paulistano by Objekto. No item in this collection mentions adjustable lumbar support, a synchronised mechanism or a mesh backrest. The compromise of a designer office chair is therefore clear: fewer adjustments, a look that fits in with the living room.

How to choose between the two

• You sit all day and want to adjust lumbar support to the centimetre: opt for a technical ergonomic chair, on the advice of a health professional in case of pain.
• You work more than four hours a day without particular pain: a designer office chair with adjustable height, castors and armrests covers the three basic adjustments.
• You work two or three hours a day in a living space: a designer swivel chair is sufficient.

Which office chair for back support

A chair whose backrest follows the curve of the lower back and whose seat adjusts in height to keep the feet flat on the floor. Lower back support matters more than the total height of the backrest. No chair can cure back pain: if you experience pain, seek advice from a healthcare professional, who may recommend a specific technical seat. See the office chair collection.

Which office chair for working from home

It all depends on the number of hours. Beyond four hours a day, aim for a chair with an adjustable seat, on castors with a five-branch base, and with armrests: the Swivel 5W by Normann Copenhagen, the Kendo by Hem. For two or three hours, a design swivel chair does the job and fits better in the living room: the Fiber by Muuto, the Form by Normann Copenhagen. See the Normann Copenhagen chairs.

The office chair without armrests

It tucks completely under the desk top, leaves the arms free for drawing or playing an instrument, and suits the narrow desks of bedrooms. In return, the shoulders alone bear the weight of the arms: reserve it for uses of a few hours. In the catalogue: the AAC 252 2.0 by HAY, the Fiber by Muuto on castors, the Maui by Kartell. See the HAY chairs.

Office chair for sitting cross-legged

To fold the legs onto the seat, you need a wide seat without armrests that obstruct the knees. Swivel chairs with large seats lend themselves to this: the Rico by Ferm Living, 69 x 69 cm as stated, the wheeled chair by Audo, 65 x 75 cm. Bear in mind that the cross-legged position is better maintained in short sequences, alternating with feet on the floor. See the Muuto chairs for other enveloping seats.

The ergonomic seat with dynamic sitting

The ergonomic seats by VLUV, without backrest, compel the body to hold itself and move constantly. They are chosen by size, from 50 to 70 cm depending on the model, according to the user's height indicated on the product sheet. They are taken as a complement to a chair with a backrest, to alternate during the day, not to replace it. See the ergonomic office chair collection.

The Swivel 5W by Normann Copenhagen, the AAC 252 2.0 by HAY and the Beetle by Gubi are three office chairs with a shell, height-adjustable and on castors according to their titles. The three models fall within the same indicative budget range, €400 to €800. The difference lies in the armrests, footprint and material. The dimensions and materials in the table are taken from the product sheets in the catalogue; when a sheet does not provide information, the table indicates this.

Swivel 5W by Normann Copenhagen: with or without armrests

The Swivel 5W by Normann Copenhagen, designed by Simon Legald, is the only one of the three whose title announces armrests. It also exists without armrests, and each version comes in six polypropylene shell colours: black, white, grey, blue, green, red. The footprint of the Swivel 5W is 72.5 x 72.5 cm, the widest of the three. The Swivel 5W with armrests is suitable for a full day's work, when the forearms need support.

AAC 252 2.0 by HAY: without armrests, in recycled plastic

L'AAC 252 2.0 by HAY belongs to the About A Chair family. Its shell is made of recycled plastic, its legs of aluminium, and its title does not mention armrests. The AAC 252 2.0 measures 69 x 69 cm and 79 cm high and comes in four colours: green, dusty mint, peach and brick. It is suitable for a narrow desk or a bedroom, when the chair needs to slide under the worktop.

Beetle by Gubi: the enveloping shell

The Beetle by Gubi, designed by GamFratesi, is available in black, height-adjustable, with or without castors. The product sheet for the Beetle with castors indicates 49 cm wide, 58 cm deep and 81 cm high. The Beetle is suitable for a desk in the living room, when the chair remains visible all day.

Castors, swivel or four legs

Castors allow you to roll back, reach for a file or turn around without standing up: they're the base for prolonged work. On wooden flooring, choose soft castors or use a protective mat; on carpet, hard castors roll better. A swivel base without castors turns on the spot and stays where you put it, which suits a desk set up in the living room. See the office chair collection.

How to lock an office chair

To stop it rolling, three solutions: brake castors, fixed glides instead of castors with the same stem diameter, or a non-slip mat under the chair. To lock the height, simply release the lever: the gas lift locks. To prevent the backrest from tilting, lock it in the upright position if the mechanism allows. See Normann Copenhagen chairs.

How to raise an office chair

Stand up slightly and pull the lever under the seat: the gas lift rises on its own. If the chair is already at its highest, a firm seat cushion gains a few centimetres, or the manufacturer offers a longer gas lift. Never dismantle a gas lift: it's under pressure. If the gap remains significant, perhaps the desk is too high for you. See the wooden desk collection.

Fabric, leather or plastic

The polypropylene or recycled plastic shell (HAY AAC, Normann Copenhagen Swivel) wipes clean with a sponge; a cushion makes it more comfortable over time. Fabric breathes better in summer and can be brushed. Leather (Hem Kendo, Objekto Paulistano) develops a patina and requires occasional maintenance with a suitable cream. See HAY chairs.

There is no objectively superior brand: each manufacturer has its own approach to the office chair. Here are the brands in our catalogue and what they offer.

Normann Copenhagen (Denmark) covers the widest range: Swivel in 4W or 5W, adjustable, with or without armrests, Form and Hyg in shell or upholstered versions, with gas lift on certain models. See brand Normann Copenhagen.

HAY (Denmark) offers the About A Chair family, designed by Hee Welling, in adjustable castor versions (AAC 252 2.0) or with armrests (AAC 24 2.0), in recycled plastic. See brand HAY.

Muuto (Denmark) offers the Fiber as a chair or armchair, on castors, swivel base, sled base or tube base: the same seat for the office and the dining room. See brand Muuto.

Kartell (Italy) produces the Maui by Vico Magistretti, on castors, with or without armrests. See brand Kartell.

Gubi (Denmark) reissues the Beetle by GamFratesi as an adjustable office chair, on castors or not. See brand Gubi.

Hem (Sweden) offers the Kendo as an office armchair, in several colours or in leather, silver or black base, with or without castors. See brand Hem.

Four other brands in the catalogue offer at least three office chairs each. Ferm Living, &tradition, VLUV and Zuiver complete the six publishers already presented in this guide.

Ferm Living (Denmark) offers the Rico as a swivel office chair: 69 x 69 cm and 80 cm high, in white bouclé fabric or in black fabric, and a castored version in gold velvet. The Rico's wide seat suits those who tuck their legs onto the seat. See the brand Ferm Living.

&tradition (Denmark) offers the Catch as an office chair: a polished aluminium structure, 58 x 58 cm and 90 cm high, in green fabric, in mustard fabric or in cognac leather. The Catch is aimed at a desk installed in a living space. See &tradition chairs.

VLUV brings together more than 50 ergonomic seats without a backrest, including the Leiv and Stov models, in 50, 60 or 70 cm. A VLUV seat is used as a complement to a chair with a backrest, to alternate seating positions during the day. See the brand VLUV.

Zuiver (Netherlands) offers seven office chairs: the Albert Kuip in aluminium and polypropylene, with or without armrests, 84.4 cm high; the Nikki adjustable in brown or black leather, 77.5 cm high; the OMG adjustable in blue polyester, 76 cm high; the Doulton with castors, 79 cm high. See the brand Zuiver.

Daily remote work, 1.68 m, 74 cm desk

Target seat height: 44 to 48 cm, feet flat without a footrest. Eight hours a day require an adjustable seat, castors and armrests: a Swivel 5W from Normann Copenhagen or a Kendo from Hem. First adjust the height, then the armrests level with the desktop, and position the screen at arm's length. See the office chair collection.

A chair for a teenager's bedroom desk

The desk often measures 100 x 50 cm, against the wall: an adjustable chair without armrests that slides under the desktop and adapts to growth. The AAC 252 2.0 from HAY ticks all three boxes. A footrest is useful as long as the feet don't touch the floor once the seat is adjusted to elbow height. See the HAY chairs.

Alternate seating throughout the day

A chair with a backrest for long sessions, a VLUV seat of 60 or 70 cm for calls and reading, a standing break every hour: changing seating is the surest way to avoid remaining static. See the ergonomic office chair collection.

What orders placed on The Cool Republic between January and September 2026 in the Office chairs collection show. Shares are counted by number of orders, not quantities, so that a large purchase carries no more weight than another.

The most requested brands

In order of orders: VLUV, Zuiver, Normann Copenhagen, Kartell.

The most ordered models since January

• Ergonomic seat in nougat velvet 60cm Vlip, VLUV
• Office chair with armrests in aluminium and taupe polypropylene 84.4cm Albert Kuip, Zuiver
• Ergonomic seat in pink fabric Leiv, VLUV
• Swivel office chair with armrests and castors beige Maui, Kartell

• Choosing a chair without height adjustment for a 72 to 75 cm desk: it will only suit one user height.
• Adjusting the seat to desk height whilst forgetting about the feet: if they no longer touch the floor, add a footrest rather than lowering the chair.
• Keeping armrests higher than the worktop: the shoulders rise and the chair can no longer move under the desk.
• Sitting on the edge of a seat that is too deep: the back loses contact with the backrest; keep three to four fingers behind the knee.
• Rolling hard castors on an unprotected parquet floor: the wood will mark within a few weeks.
• Relying on the chair alone: without a break every hour, no seat will last an entire day.