Quoted from the post, Country Furniture from the Canadian Encyclopedia.

The phrase "country furniture" aptly describes most surviving antique Ontario furniture held privately and in museum collections. Settlement began after the American Revolution and intensified during the 19th century. In those first years, the pressures of pioneering life ensured that most families had little time or money for high-style furniture, let alone access to it.

Ontario country furniture was fashioned of native woods (eg, walnut, maple, cherry, birch, oak, basswood, pine), by hand, usually with some skill. It can be divided into 3 categories: copies of high-style furniture of British and American derivation; furniture with form and decoration of French, German and other European ethnic origin; and sturdy utilitarian furniture that was used almost universally in town and country and in the less important rooms of city homes.

All of the Georgian, Empire and Victorian styles were reproduced, alone or in combination, with varying degrees of success. Ontario cherry and figured maple provided excellent substitutes for imported mahogany and satinwood. Stain and paint were employed to simulate costly woods, veneers, inlay and carving, when cost or lack of skill or tools forbade such embellishments. Especially during the early years, cabinetmakers were more likely to use hardware (ie, hinges, handles, etc) that was readily available rather than what matched the style of the furniture. Decorative motifs such as the German 6-sided star and French diamond-shaped panels sometimes were used on country furniture that was British or American in form and style.

Relatively few tools were needed to construct utilitarian furniture so it could be undertaken by most carpenters as well as joiners and cabinetmakers. Dual-purpose, space-saving forms included a chair with a back that could be lowered to form a table top, and a bench with a seat that unfolded to a full bed.

Country chairs fall into 3 groups: slat-backs, Windsors and Fancy chairs. Slat-back chairs had 4 turned legs, the rear ones extended and joined by several slats at the top to form a ladder back. A variation, the banister-back, had 2 slats, pierced by several vertical spindles. Woven ash splints or elm bark formed the seats.

The Windsor, a chair of English derivation, was constructed like a stool with a back attached to the seat. Such chairs were named according to either the style or the shape of the back, eg, Sheraton, loop- or bow-back, arrow-back, low-back or Captain's, comb-back, spindle-back, short spindle-back or chicken coop, and gunstock. Slat-backs and Windsors were made as side chairs, armchairs and rockers; most were painted.

Fancy chairs were side chairs with back, seat and leg patterns derived, at least in part, from Georgian and Victorian styles. Decorative, figured wood often was used; the seats were made of cane or rush. Many Windsors and Fancy chairs also were produced in early Ontario furniture factories.

The high, heavy, 4-post, rope-spring bedstead and accompanying trundle bed were succeeded by a lower, lighter spool-turned bed with slats. Hired-man cots, with spool-turned ends, became country settees when spooled or solid backs were added. Tables and stands of all sizes and for all purposes had tops that tilted, lifted, pivoted or were detachable, and leaves that could be dropped, drawn out or detached.

Country schoolmaster desks with slanted lift tops might be attached to or detachable from a long- or short-legged frame below and a postmaster cupboard with pigeonholes above. Drop-front desks were composed of a cupboard front that dropped to form a writing surface, supported by a table or a lower cupboard.

Country cupboards of one or 2 pieces, with glazed, solid, or no doors, some having a pie shelf sandwiched between the upper and lower parts, were built into corners or walls or were free-standing. They were made in many sizes and shapes for storage of food or dishes and as dry sinks. Linen presses and wardrobes were constructed with fixed parts or, for ease of relocation, detachable ones. Most cupboards were painted or stained dark. Lift-top box chests, the earliest and best made of 6 dovetailed boards, were numerous and even incorporated into the top part of early chests of drawers.

Written by Elizabeth Ingolfsrud

Elizabeth Ingolfsrud wrote several books about Ontario furniture.

I looked online for a new office chair for myself. I have a vintage chair from the 40's or earlier but it's too firm on the seat and not as comfortable as I would like for a lot of sitting. I spend a lot of my day in this chair working on writing, promoting and maintaining sites and assorted and various other things people do when they work on the computer all day. Lately I've been getting swollen ankles and feet. So, the hunt was on to find a new chair.

What I concluded is that I have to test the chair myself and shopping online isn't really going to work for me. I did find one chair I really liked and would have bought, but I don't have the payment options to make it work. (You can see the chair in the photo with this article).

For most large sized people the average office chair is not enough. I've had wheels break off and the chair padding is feeble or too thin and I don't feel comfortable. So, a large person (big and tall) needs a better made chair, sturdier and with consideration for ergonomics.

What to Look for in a Sturdy Office Chair

Some of us weigh more than the 200 pounds which most office chairs are designed for. Then there are those who work a lot in their office chair and would like a sturdier chair just to have a long lasting, dependable chair. Either way, a sturdy office chair will cost more than the average office chair. I found the price range was at least $200 - $400 (not including taxes).

It was not easy to find a chair which I liked and seemed sturdy enough. The information online at many stores did not include how much weight the chair was designed for. So, any time the information is not there, assume the chair is not made for a big sized person.

Armrests. Is there enough space between the armrests for you to sit comfortably between them? If not, are they removable? If you really want a chair with armrests you will have to watch this. If you don't care for them especially you can remove them if they are not comfortable for you.

Wheels. Do you trust plastic wheels to roll and not eventually crack? Almost every chair I looked at has plastic wheels This is a downfall of modern manufacturing. If you want to avoid plastic wheels, look for vintage office furniture. It isn't likely to be sold in the average office supplies store and they probably won't have a weight standard available. But, vintage chairs were usually made to last, sturdy and more metal based.

Materials. Plastic is not the plus sized person's best option for most things, office chairs included. Look for a chair which has a metal frame for sturdiness. Also, the seat covering should be something which will stand up to time. However, you can recover the chair at a later time if you need to. The frame is the important part.

Padding. Likely you will be spending time sitting in your office chair, that's the point of having a good chair. The padding needs to be something strong and durable which can give your body some support. It is not comfortable sitting in a chair which causes your legs, ankles and feet to become swollen. Look into ergonomic chairs. Even if you do get up and walk around, drink water, all the things they say you should do - the fact is you will still be spending a lot of time working in that chair and you need better than average padding.

Adjustments. An office chair you are spending money on (as you will be for a larger, sturdier built chair) should be adjustable. This is important too for the height of the chair for your legs. You should be able to have your feet on the floor in a way which will be comfortable and not strain your back or knees. If you are able to test the chair see how adjustable it is. Can you remove the arms or move them farther apart? Is it easy to move the seat higher and lower and does it stay that way once it is moved? On some chairs you could even remove the back if you find it is not comfortable.

Back. Do you like a thickly padded back, or a tall back or a shorter chair back. Some of them will even have a headrest. Some backs will tilt. I never used this myself, it always made me feel the chair was tipping too far back. If you can test the chair before you buy it (if you aren't online shopping) see how the chair back works.

This is going to be a chair you keep for the long term. Check if you can easily replace parts like the wheels and the fabric or leather covering. Is this a chair which can easily be refurbished or restored?