What Are the Parts of a Chair?

A simple chair has four legs and a back.

The simple definition of a chair is a seat with a back and four legs. Prices for chairs vary widely. A Paris art dealer paid $28 million in February 2009 for a leather armchair once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, according to Bloomberg.

Seat

The seat of a chair is its flat rectangular or circular surface. Some designers attach a cushion over the seat to make it more comfortable.

Splat

The splat of a chair is the upright flat panel that serves as a back rest.

Legs

Chairs usually have four legs, although some chairs only have three legs. The legs provide the basic support for the chair seat and elevate it off the ground.

Fun Fact

Chairs were once only accessible to the elite, according to the FineWoodWorking.com article "A History of Chairs" by Graham Blackburn. The lower classes sat on stools, backless versions of the chair. Cathedra is the Latin word for chair, and Blackburn says cathedral referred to a church that held a bishop's throne.

References

• Finewoodworking.com: A Short History of Chairs
• "Bloomberg"; Saint Laurent $28 Million Chair Defies Economic Logic; Mark Beech; February 2009