Raising the Height of a Too-Low Chair? Good Questions

Q: I bought this Heywood Wakefield/Lloyd sprung rocker for a song on eBay, and IMHO, it's every bit as good looking and comfortable as can be. The seat is well shaped, the amount of rock/jiggle is modest. It's almost just right. There is one drawback — turns out the chair is just too low.

Sent by Lindy

It's is such a shame, since otherwise tit would be pretty much perfectly comfortable . Can anyone suggest something unobtrusive I could do to evenly raise the tubular legs? (Three of the legs have end caps- one is missing.)

I have seen some "chair raisers" on the internet, mostly designed to raise chairs and beds for invalids and the elderly, but they are cartoonishly ugly and obtrusive big blocky things, I'd just kind of like something slender, plain and tube-y that would slide over the 1/2" +/- existing legs...but am open to any and all ideas which won't spoil its looks.

Lindy

Editor: This is a cool chair — but isn't part of its vintage charm that it isn't perfect? Does anyone have suggestions for Lindy?

(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first. Email questions and pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: newyork(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com)

Comments (15)

It is lounge chair. If the seat is 17-18" from the ground, don't touch it, it is meant to be lounging on, not dining on. If you MUST raise it, I think you need to find a GOOD welder and change the round metal bits below the seat, into larger ovals.... It will cost money, but it will look original to it's design.

Cute chair. Add (lockable, and preferably vintage) casters.

I second the idea of adding casters because they are removable and won't permanently alter the original chair.

How about a wooden platform? Essentially a nicely carpentered box. Something square, low, a little bigger than the area occupied by the legs, with wood that matches your floor. Add a shallow lip if you feel the chair may slide.

A wooden platform would be perfect, only, instead of a lip, add another layer of wood to the top of the box with four holes drilled for the legs to sit in. Carpet it with your carpet to make it blend, or finish it to make it stand out.

I agree with the first post. It isn't meant to be a high chair. In this case their may not be a way to appropriately add height without compromising the integrity of the design.

I understand your various points about the integrity of the design, but I have a bad knee, and really want to be able to use it- it's so comfortable...but I need to get in and out of it. I would just like to raise it slightly, changing the appearance as little as possible. I don't intend to use it as a dining chair!

I really like the caster idea. There seem to be a lot of web sources for casters, but most are for unsuitable looking sorts, or need to be screwed into wood legs. Any suggestions for a source for vintage/vintage style ones, such as might work with a tubular leg a bit over 1/2" diameter?

I recently picked some up at a yardsale. It may take a while, but if you keep searching tag sales, used furniture shops, thrift stores, etc. you could get lucky.

Don't destroy it by welding bits or adding casters.

Just sell it and make some money on it to someone who will appreciate it as-is - and purchase another chair that suits you better.

I'll keep my eyes open, mirandabee. another reason the casters appeal is that the chair is extremely heavy, so good idea in several ways.

Ditto on the hell that MCM design can pose to someone who's injured, even temporarily. After an accident and 2 yrs of PT, I still haven't fully recovered. I've gotten rid of the worst offender (i.e. the Wegner string chair) but I, too, have furniture that I cannot use because I can't find an aesthetic way to raise it an inch or two for the sake of my knees.

Someone with some skills could probably make a bit of a business out of meeting the needs of folk like us.

Oh... please do save some space here for a snarky comment from bepsf about folks with physical limitations.

bepsf said my first thought, if this chair is a problem for you find one that works and sell this one. don't alter is it would be a sin against the design gods and we don't want to anger them.

I know it would intrude on the orange cushions, but make a new cushion for the seat. It will make you higher not the chair.

I think myjetski has the perfect solution. As long as it is steady.