Limerick Chair by Tom Newhouse: Poetic furniture?

What do furniture and poetry have in common? Well, one of them is something called a limerick. The poetic type is the one popularized by English writer Edward Lear, while the Limerick known in the furniture world was designed by Tom Newhouse for Herman Miller.

A limerick is a form of poetry that’s often witty and humorous. Consisting of just five lines, it seems easy to do at first glance. But a certain form needs to be followed and slapping words haphazardly to achieve a funny effect doesn’t cut it. There needs to be certain word combinations that when taken as a whole makes the reader laugh or exclaim in amazement.

The Limerick chair, on the other hand, isn’t meant to inspire laughter among its users. Still, I guess it shares certain characteristics with its poetic counterpart in terms of self-expression. Moreover, there’s a fun element in Newhouse’s design of the chair. Though primarily targeting the office market, it isn’t difficult to see this chair in hospitality settings.

It would do well as bistro café furniture, for instance, because of its convenience features. Being lightweight, it poses no problem when it comes to lifting, moving or rearranging. Plus, it’s stackable, so it’s space-efficient too.

And don’t let the slender profile of the chair fool you; it is built to accommodate a wide variety of body types with its high and wide seats and backs. It’s ergonomic too, the back provides good lumbar support and shifts with the user’s every move. The opening at the back of the chair facilitates ventilation, and can also be used as a handle of sorts for lifting and moving the chair. It comes in a variety of colors, shells in ten, frames in four.

The Limerick Chair isn’t nonsense, which the poetic limericks are sometimes. It’s an example of Newhouse’s commitment to ergonomics and “green” design.