Best Executive Office Chairs
Buy the best best executive office chairs selected and recommended by interior designers. By Eliza Bush.
Best Executive Office Chairs
Buying Guide
Eliza Bush
Interior Design Expert
Eliza is a creative interior designer who swears by the power of sleek interiors and quality furniture to transform daily personal and professional life. With a B.Sc. in interior design from Philadelphia University and a well trained eye for craftsmanship, she offers unparalleled advice on how to arrange your space to make it sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, whether it’s the office or bedroom.
No matter if you're a boss with a high-rise corner office or a freelancer working at home, a proper executive office chair and desk are the most important items you'll be purchasing. Statistics suggest many of today's deskbound jobs keep us sitting an average of 1900 hours annually. That's a lot of sitting.
With that in mind, finding the ideal office chair to fit your needs and your body is an absolute must. We understand you may be overwhelmed with all the seemingly endless office chair types, styles, features, and options available. To help you navigate your shopping journey, we answer the most frequently asked questions about executive office chairs below.
Executive office chairs are the most luxurious type of office chairs. They are more expensive than a typical task chair and thus embraced by executive leadership. They have a commanding form with a high back and wide breadth that gives off an air of austerity. They are commonly upholstered in fine top grain leather with a wood or metal four or five-star castor base.
You'll find there are quite a few differences in executive chairs and task chairs. Some of the most noticeable are below.
Executive chair:
- High back.
- Bigger and wider than a typical office chair.
- Wide comfortable arms and waterfall seat front.
- Ideal for more static use.
- Plush cushioning.
- Enhanced suspension.
- Luxurious in design and materials.
- Offered with more adjustable features in the seat, back, and base.
- More formal in style.
- Higher priced and often better made.
- Made to last for years.
- Embraced by top-level executives for their offices and board rooms.
Task or manager chair:
- Has low to mid-height back with short arms or armless.
- Compact size.
- Fewer adjustable features.
- Made of lesser quality materials such as faux leather and plastic.
- Easy to maneuver.
- Best for those who sit and stand many times throughout the day.
- Ideal for use at reception and assistant desks.
- Wide range of styles and options.
The design of the chair will make or break its comfort level and your resulting state of health. A good ergonomic executive office chair will deliver body support and mobility while performing everyday job tasks.
Those who sit in uncomfortable or poorly designed office chairs are found to be less productive, more prone to neck and back problems, and more apt to miss work for health-related issues. This is where ergonomic office chairs work best.
These executive office chairs are designed to be optimally efficient and comfortable in the workplace. They enhance health, improve performance, and increase productivity through the support of the neck, spine, and entire musculoskeletal system. A special design follows the natural curvature of your spine, offering support in all those places that are most prone to being affected by prolonged sitting.
The top features to look for in a possible contender executive office chair include:
- Headrest: The backs of executive office chairs tend to be high but be sure the fixed angle or tilt settings of the headrest is comfortable when seated. It will need to properly support your neck and head while relieving and preventing pressure.
- Lumbar Support: Lower back (lumbar) support is a must for hours of sitting. An adjustable support feature allows you to set it to the optimal position for your back and spine.
Adjustability: Adjustable mechanisms on a single office chair can range from 5 to 14 depending on price and quality. Ideally, you'll want one that has an adjustable height base, seat and back tilt, and arm height at the very least.
When you're seated, your feet should always lie flat on the floor and the arms should comfortably rest on the desktop, without any tension experienced in your shoulders or collarbone area.
Additionally, make sure the chair you choose will fit comfortably under your desk. We suggest there be no less than 7 inches of space between the bottom of your desk apron and the top of the chair arm.
- Cushioning & Suspension: The level of comfort you'll achieve will never be greater than that given by the padding and under suspension. Make sure you have ample amounts of both on any executive office chair you choose.
The most popular, durable, and long-lasting material is genuine leather. The color of leather, design, and form of the chair will dictate the style.
- Dark brown, warm brown, black, and burgundy leathers can be modern, contemporary, and traditional in style depending on the executive chair's design.
- White, grey, beige, or pastel leather make a glamorous contemporary statement in feminine offices.
- Overstuffed executive chairs tend to be traditional.
- Modern executive chairs are often sleek with straight-lines, and a 1950s aesthetic.
- Curved and straight-lined office chairs lean towards a traditional style when paired with a wood base.
Of course, some executive chairs can be found in other fabrics, including tapestry, mesh, synthetic blend, and more.
Yes. Casters offer mobility for pulling up to and pushing back from your desk. Quickly grabbing something from a nearby table while seated is another convenience a wheeled chair has to offer. For those in carpeted offices, be sure to get a pad to place under your chair so it can roll around easily.
A swivel base office chair offers the most flexibility and mobility over a fixed base. This is especially convenient if you work in a U-shape or L-shape desk suite that requires turning to access different workstations.
- The cost of a good quality executive office chair has a wide range between $150 to $2000+.
- They are more luxurious than other types of office chairs.
- Genuine leather is most used for upholstery on these chairs.
- Look for an ergonomic executive office chair if you will be sitting for long periods.
- Leave 7 inches between the top of the chair arm and bottom of desk apron to allow for proper fitting of chair arms and your legs under the desk.
- Casters are a must-have for those who sit and stand multiple times throughout the workday.