Latest Trends in Massage Chairs and Recliners

At the end of a day’s hard work, all you want to do is slump into the most comfortable furniture and relax for a while. Sofas and beds allow you to either sit upright or lie down. That’s where the recliners and rocking chairs come the rescue especially if the recliners and chairs are heavily cushioned and are fitted with massage facilities. There are many models of such chairs to suit every budget.

What started off as simple recliners fitted with mechanical vibrators, massage chairs have evolved to use robotics, thermal and air pressure devices to provide total massage to the whole body. These chairs also come fitted with memory chips using which your choice of massage modes and massaging speed are stored, to be replayed for next use. Also, using robotics, the effect of a manual massage is simulated. These chairs mainly offer two forms of massage based on the manual Swedish and Shiatsu forms. Shiatsu, the Japanese form is based on acupressure method and is carried out by applying thumb pressure while the Swedish form is a combination of eight kinds of strokes like rolling, stretching etc.

Certain models have ergonomic sensors, which locate the stiffness in the body and address those areas. They also sense the body dimensions and re-adjust accordingly such that the body fits correctly in the chair. The chairs combine actions like vibration, rolling, kneading, and pressure application to provide a totally refreshing experience. Few of these chairs also offer stretching action. Additionally, the chairs could have an integrated or a separate foot massager.

There are many brands in this niche market like Omega, Premier, Ijoy, Human Touch, Panasonic and Sanyo. These products are available for both home and office use. When the massage system is not in use, they could be also used as simple recliners. Upholstered in leather, suede, vinyl with additional detachable cushioning and head rests, these chairs add to the interior décor of the your space.

While you could watch television when enjoying a massage, technology advances have helped creation of massage chairs that come with speakers and sub-woofers built into them. The speakers are capable of connecting to your existing music system like an MP3 player or Ipod so that you can experience a personalized surround sound effect and relax completely.

A refreshed mind and body, free from aches and pains and of course improved blood circulation and mobility are all the advantages of a massage. In modern times, when we are under constant pressure for time and other resources, a massage chair could help us get back on track right in the comfort of our home or office. It doesn’t come cheap though, however, in the long run it’s worth the investment. Don’t be discouraged by the price tag, there are models ranging from $500 upward, so do locate the product most suited to your needs and soak in the experience.

Step By Step Instructions on How to Reupholster Your Sofa or Chair

Reupholstering your sofa is seen as the perfect way to make it look more attractive. This will also make the sofa more comfortable since you do not have to deal with holes and scratched surfaces that are commonly found in old sofas. It is actually very easy to make your sofa look good as new. Here are the steps:

1. The first step is to look for the covering that will replace your old seat cover. Shop around for the best pattern and the best color scheme that will suit the chair and the room.

2. Estimate the cost. You need to set aside a budget for the seat cover. Don’t go over your budget because you want to save on costs as much as possible.

3. After you had bought all the materials, take it home and be ready for reupholstering.

4. You need to unscrew the seat from the chair itself. You need to do this in order to remove the cushion from the chair for replacement.

5. Get a hammer claw and ply to remove all the tacks or staples that may be holding the sofa to the chair frame.

6. Use the old sofa cover as your measurement guide.

7. You can cut the new cover that is roughly the same size as the old covering using sharp scissors.

8. Get a new padding. The reupholstering will not be complete without the new padding. It is important for you to replace this as well to make the chair look new.

9. Apply the adhesive. It is recommended for you to use spray adhesive to the base of the chair to make the new padding and cover stick to the base. The adhesive is available in hardware store and home improvement stores.

10. Press the padding to the base of the chair. This step is important to ensure that the padding will stick to the chair.

11. Put the fabric you choose to the padding. Be sure to put it properly on the padding to make it look attractive and professionally done.

12. Pull the fabric over the padding tautly so that the patterns will clearly be seen and it will look neat and clean.

13. Sew the fabric over the padding or use other methods to attach the two.

14. Screw the padding over to the chair. After you had determined that everything is fine, the last step is to screw the new upholstery to the chair.