246 SELECTION OF FURNITURE

COMFORT

Comfort in lunmure means more to most people than any other
characteristic. The livability of a home depends largely on its
comfortable furnishings. For individual comfort it is necessary
that a person selects his or her own pieces of furniture, trying
them out thoroughly before purchase.

Most furniture is designed to fit a person of average height, 5
feet 8 inches. Standard-size sofas, love seats, and chairs have the
same measurements. A standard easy chair has a seat depth of 22
to 24 inches and is 17 inches high in front and a little lower at the
back. An occasional chair is 19 inches deep and 18 inches high.
Arm rests are about 7 inches above the seat. Seat backs are 17 to
19 inches high.

Furniture that does not conform to standard measurements is
procurable, however, and a person who is more or less than aver-
age in height should select his or her own pieces of furniture, par-
ticularly chairs. A chair should be deep enough to reach to the
back of the knees of the seated person. The chainJback should
have a comfortable slant and should support the shoulder blades
well, or even the head if that is desired. Low Modern chairs suit
the lolling posture of some but are difficult for others. Ottomans
are comfortable adjuncts to lounging chairs.

An uncomfortable bed is a poor investment. Tests have shown
that comfortable beds are necessary for complete rest. The in-
dividual who is to use a bed should select it, to be sure of getting a
satisfactory degree of softness. The possibility of procuring air-
conditioned mattresses should be investigated in hot climates.

Children's furniture should suit their measurements. Some fur-
niture is made on which the adjustable legs can be lengthened as
the child grows.

The weight of furniture and its mobility are features that also
affect comfort. Some very light chairs or stools that can be
moved easily are needed in living rooms. See page 89. All mov-
able furniture should be well shod with castors or with smooth
metal disks procurable at any dime store. The most mobile and
useful lawn and porch chairs and tables have wheels in place of
back legs or are of the wheelbarrow type.