Chair Furniture Definition and Classification - Essay Example

From the definitional perspective, a chair may be ified as a piece of furniture which usually has four legs, a back and a seat. In some instances and for either design or increased comfort purposes, it may have two armrests. Further classified as an object, a chair is a man-made object which, more often than not, is mass produced. For further clarification of the meaning of the object in question, a few illustrative examples are useful. Examples of chairs are armchairs, stools, folding deck chairs, recliners and table chairs.

As may have been determined from the foregoing examples, there are several different types of chairs. The fact that there are different types of chairs, however, does not mean that there are different primary uses to this particular object. With very few exceptions, the primary purpose of all types of chairs is for human to sit in, as in the case of armchairs, or sit on, as with table chairs and stools. As regards exceptions, it need be noted that a few chairs have a primarily decorative purpose, as a direct consequence of their being classified as art objects or valuable antique purposes.

Having clarified the stated, however, it is important to note that the aforementioned are not generally classified as chairs but are often, more precisely and accurately, referred to as antiques or at objects. Accordingly, it is important to emphasise that chairs are not, primarily, either antiques or pieces of art but objects which primarily serve a human-sitting purpose. Added to that, even though some types of chairs are referred to as table chairs, this does not mean that chairs are tables.

In other words, in defining the said objective from the negative perspective, one may affirm that chairs are not tables but can be placed around and under kitchen and dinning tables. On the basis of the foregoing explanation of what a chair is, one can conclude that a chair may be described as a wooden, steel, metal or plastic object, usually with four legs, possibly two armrests and a back and definitely with a seat, whether cushioned or otherwise, which is used for seating purposes.