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I thought I was being smart by getting rid of all the heavy l.r. chairs last year and replacing them with the old-fashioned upholstered (wood frame) "gliding" chairs. I bought five of them to flank the couch. Am I ever sorry. The complicated wood frame mechanisms underneath the seats collect all kinds of inaccessible dust and dog hair, and I have to tip the chairs over to vacuum it all out. Takes forever. I just listed one on Craigslist and may sell two others as well (they are quite comfortable).
I also just sold via CL a heavy antique mirror, in the interest of getting rid of heavy belongings and replacing them with nicely designed lightweight items. About 10 years ago I dropped that mirror on its edge on my foot.
Just now I read a C-D poster saying an elderly acquaintance fell out of bed and broke her hip. So...knowing that that kind of thing is likely to happen to me (it happened once in a very sound sleep) I'm thinking about getting rid of the heavy oak bedframe with headboard and finding a sleek platform bed closer to the floor with a rug.
Wondering what suggestions you may have for replacing my chairs (again) and any other household furnishings that would make life easier and safer in old age. We've already discussed getting rid of scatter rugs.
Do I correctly assume that the objection to "heavy" living room chairs is the difficulty in moving them to vacuum or otherwise clean under them? Or perhaps to re-arrange the room? Amazing what we learn here. It would never have occurred to me to be concerned about heavy furniture.
Do I correctly assume that the objection to "heavy" living room chairs is the difficulty in moving them to vacuum or otherwise clean under them? Or perhaps to re-arrange the room? Amazing what we learn here. It would never have occurred to me to be concerned about heavy furniture.
All of the above. We have to rearrange every time the grandkids come over (set up their corral) and the cleaning (that's my job) is for me too much with heavy furnishings. Plus, we know we are going to move one final time and it will be a smaller house that will require a more lightweight feeling.
Regarding safety...I never thought about "furniture safety" till my mother seriously injured her back dragging a couch away from the wall to clean, a couch so heavy that it took five strong men to move it out of her house after she died. The falling out of bed is not so rare, either. Dropping that mirror on my foot made me more aware. An aunt fell off a ladder once taking down very heavy drapes. I'd just like suggestions for well designed, lightweight items that are easily portable but stable. I looked into Ikea furniture but it seems more like for college dorms.
Who rearranges their house just so their grandkids can visit? If they need a corral, perhaps they should stay home!
Those who do it do it for the kids' safety. My grandtwins are 14 mos old, and outside the corral our house is not childproof. When they are older, there may be no need to rearrange. That is not my primary reason for my "furniture thoughts," however.
As always, I try to remember what the older generation did.
I have a Boston rocker. I hung onto it because a long time ago my mother's arthritic cousin came over and she RAVED about that chair--"Oh, this is the chair for me! I can get up out of it and it supports my back!." It's not the most comfortable thing to sit in but if you are weak I guess you could still get up out of it.
At one point several years ago, I made up my mind that I was NEVER going to buy a piece of furniture unless it was on casters. Well, I haven't been able to keep that promise but I do appreciate my little antique dining room table that I can just roll around if I need to. My tiny antique dresser has casters too. The daybed and a few other things have casters. I learned that you can buy casters and just stick them on. That way you can move the furniture. (Casters were a revelation to me-LOL)
I also use sliders/gliders which you can buy and just stick onto the bottom of heavy furniture--like the bottom of a heavy desk. They're like convex buttons that go on the bottom.
My bed is still high (downsizing requires me to store things under the bed) but the room is so small there isn't much room to fall and anyway I have throw rugs anchored by that rubberized matting right next to the bed. I hope that's going to be good enough.
I need to replace a huge leather recliner, probably from the 50s, with something smaller. I remember my parents used swivel rockers. There are poor quality ones that sag and don't give good support but there are firm, comfy ones too. I keep testing them out. I know that when you get older it can be hard to get up out of a chair. I think small recliners are nice but I can never find SMALL recliners. They allow you to put your feet up and to be comfy.
That's all I know but this is a subject that interests me so I'll keep checking back to see what others say.
Have you ever looked at the hammock chair with stand? I have them on our enclosed porch. My husband sits in them daily. They do possess one danger: five minutes after he is in it he falls asleep for hours.
I have a gateleg table in my kitchen/hearth room. Easy to put away, easy to open up (and yes, it has casters!) I also procured "nesting" tables a few years ago, so I can pull those out in the family room to provide more table space.
I am into wing chairs and have collected them for decades. I have them in every room, including bedrooms and kitchen. To me, a well built wing chair is easy to get in and out of and easy to clean and move around. So I suggest wing chairs. I also have several wing chairs that have a matching ottoman. I really like that arrangement.
French bergere chairs are lightweight and easy to move and mix nicely with an eclectic style.
My dining room table is round and expands with leaves. So that can be an easy switch around (making it larger or smaller, as required).
I have a Boston rocker that everyone seems to enjoy but I do offer this bit of caution - several family members (children to elderly folks) have tripped on the rockers over the years.
It seems that you are planning on moving again. Can you wait and buy furniture that fits your new place?
I have a suggestion if you are seriously looking for comfort and light weight. Try "Zero Gravity" chairs for about $40 each. Nothing will be as comfortable in addition to light weight and low cost.
It seems that you are planning on moving again. Can you wait and buy furniture that fits your new place?
I have a suggestion if you are seriously looking for comfort and light weight. Try "Zero Gravity" chairs for about $40 each. Nothing will be as comfortable in addition to light weight and low cost.
No, we want lightweight now as we could be moving a distance within a few years.
Thanks for the "zero gravity" chair idea. I actually have one on my deck, it's so comfy I could sleep in it. Maybe I'll outfit the l.r. with a bunch of these, LOL.
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