How to Choose the Most Comfortable Rocking Chair

Rocking chairs are all about comfort—it’s hard to find a truly uncomfortable modern rocking chair. However, we all define “comfort” a little bit differently. Here are a few things to consider if you’re trying to find the most comfortable rocking chair for you (or for someone you love).

Choose a modern chair.

Antique chairs are excellent for collectors, but they usually aren’t very comfortable for a variety of different reasons. Furniture was built smaller 100 years ago. If you’ve ever walked into a home built in the early 1900s, you’ll see what I mean. You’ll find tiny rooms and narrow corridors that make it a challenge to get today’s furniture into the home. That means that an older rocking chair may be too narrow or too short to support your comfort.

Even a well-built, well-preserved antique rocking chair that’s exactly the right size could come with some problems. The chair may be cozy enough, but age will make it creak and shriek. If the chair isn’t soothing to your senses, then it’s not going to be very much fun to sit in—even if it fits your body. Let the collectors have the antiques and get something you’ll actually enjoy sitting in.

Consider your body size and type.

You want a rocking chair that’s going to fit the body you have. A rocker like the Maracay All-Weather Wicker Rocker might provide you with enough space to keep you comfortable if you require a larger chair. The Tuscan Lorne Rocking Chair is another nice choice for the big and tall.

You should make this consideration when you’re purchasing a chair for someone else as well—especially when you’re buying the chair as a gift for a kid. You don’t necessarily want to put a kid in a full-sized adult rocking chair when there are so many cozy kid’s rocking chairs instead.

Consider your seating style.

Do you sit up straight or do you slouch? Do you typically like a deep-seated chair that lets you wedge yourself right in? Do you like sitting low or sitting high? And how far do you recline your seat when you get into the car?

You see, rocking chairs come in a variety of seating depths, back angles, and heights.

If you sit up straight, then any classic rocking chair will work just fine—especially if it has vertical slats.

The Lexington Wicker Rocking Chair is a nice choice for people who need a big, deep, comfy seat to sink into. It’s a good chair for people with back problems, too, since it provides plenty of support.

If you love to slouch, then you want something that sits close to the ground. This Rustic Low Back Rocker will give you the support you need just to flop down and stretch out your legs. It’s an especially good napping chair, too.

If you’re the sort who cranks the incline of your seat back whenever you get into the car, then you need a nice angle on the back of your rocking chair, too. Rockers that are meant to emulate the Adirondack style can give you some kind support.

If you’re just kind of in the middle of the road on all counts, then look for a well-built rocking chair with a little of everything. This 5 Farm Road rocker is a great choice. You can see how it gives you a nice incline at a nice height while providing plenty of back support.

Consider the motion.

A rocking chair is designed to deliver a smooth rocking motion that most people enjoy. However, it can be more disconcerting than relaxing for a certain percentage of the population. You’re mostly leaning back and leaning forward again, trusting that this piece of furniture is built well enough to avoid tipping you over and out.

That’s why some people prefer gliders. Now, it’s true that most gliders are built for outdoor use. However, you can get away with placing some gliders indoors. Indoors, you’ll want a single-seat glider instead of one that’s built like a porch swing. You’ll also want to try to match it to your existing décor. If you have a rustic cedar couch and side chair, for example, then this rustic cedar glider would fit right in. The décor matters because your overall atmosphere does play into your sense of relaxation, and if you feel like the chair is mismatched you might jar your senses.

Try a few rocking chairs on for size.

Following this tip can be a bit of a challenge. There are few brick-and-mortar stores in the world which specialize in rocking chairs exclusively. In fact, the most comprehensive collection of rockers is right here on our site, and it can be hard to try things out over the Internet.

But do you what you can. Slip into a rocker at a friend’s house. Take a weekend at one of the many properties in the world that offer rocking chairs as amenities. You can at least get a feel for whether you prefer vertical slats over horizontal slats or wood over wicker.

For extra comfort, add cushions.

Sitting on bare wood doesn’t bother some people. However, it’s hard to imagine that any rocking chair would be less comfortable without a big, fluffy cushion. And a cushion will make all of the difference for those who do hate sitting on bare wood.

The Rocking Chair Company is the only company that offers custom made rocking chair cushions. This is important. A mismatched cushion will slip and slide over your seat and seat back, which isn’t going to be very comfortable at all. You want to purchase a cushion that was made exclusively for the chair you’re going to be sitting in.

You might be able to get away with picking something up at a big box store when you’re cushioning your dining chairs, but you just won’t get as much out of the rocking chair experience. If you take that approach with the chair that’s supposed to help you de-stress and unwind at the end of a long, hard day.

Again, you want to pay attention to your décor. You want your rocking chair to fit seamlessly into the area it’s going to live in. To that end, it’s important to check out some different fabric swatches before you commit to any cushion. You can order swatches right here on our website as well because we do understand how important this is!

Conclusion

At the end of the day “the most comfortable rocking chair” is certainly a matter of personal preference. Most rockers are designed to be cozy for the person using them, but that doesn’t mean that every single person is going to be comfortable in every single chair. Hopefully these guidelines will make it easy for you to pick the rocking chair that’s going to be right for you.