Have a fit. Really.
You wouldn’t dream of spending big money on a car without trying it on, would you? You have to test the head room, the leg room, the “feel” --- as well as the drive. The same goes for fashion. Size 8 does not a perfect fit make, at least for most of us. So when it comes to selecting furniture, you get a double whammy. Every piece has to fit your room and design style as well as your body. Luckily, there are furniture styles that are inherently suited for people with special size needs.
“We’re all different shapes and sizes,” says Debbie Beyer, owner of Home Rooms in Kansas City, “and so is furniture.” She explains that loose pillow upholstery sits deeper from back to front, making the style more suitable for taller customers. Upholstered pieces with a taller back and/or an attached back (vs. loose pillows) traditionally sit shorter in the seat and are more appropriate for those of shorter stature. Whereas a large size person might feel most comfy in an oversized, overstuffed chair, French Provincial is scaled to fit a more diminutive figure. Beyer also makes the interesting point that Italian furniture typically sits a bit lower than American made furniture, making it a good choice for customers of small to average height.

But say you’re a big, beefy guy with big, beefy furniture. What happens when your tiny Great Aunt Eva comes to visit and her feet don’t reach the floor when she takes a seat? Upholstered stools or footstools make a wonderful decorative accents and keep Auntie from dangling her feet in mid-air. Buy a couple of small, sturdy stools to bank your coffee table for additional, non obtrusive seating for parties and to keep Aunt Eva grounded.

Recliners, especially, require a personalized fit whether one is tall or short. The lumbar support in every recliner is different and must match the lower back of the individual customer. It all comes down to taking a test sit to confirm that every furniture purchase fulfills a need for style and comfort. Comfort should be equated with usefulness. The more comfortable a piece is, the greater enjoyment you’ll receive for your money. Yet furnishings retailers are astonished at the number of customers embarrassed to test sit furniture before buying.

So go ahead and have a fit. And that’s the tall and short of it.