I have this habit of checking, as the new year approaches, which items in my house need replacing. Among the things that urgently need replacement is my chair. It's old and causes lower back pain whenever I sit on it for more than an hour. To be honest, it was a cheap chair, and I regret not spending more on a better one, especially since I've used it so much this year.
I've learned an important lesson: if something is essential and used frequently, it's worth spending a little more to get a higher-quality version. For example, investing in a good desk chair is better in the long run because a cheap, unreliable chair can lead to health issues over time. It's always smarter to invest in something that will last and bring long-term benefits rather than risk regretting it later.
With that in mind, I went to the IKEA store last Sunday to check out the options available to me. Although there’s a furniture store at a shopping mall near my house, I wanted to explore more options before making a purchase. I know for sure that IKEA is a great choice because they consistently design innovative home products and have expertise in home furniture. They are also a popular option here in Singapore, as evidenced by their growth from just one store a few years ago to three stores now.
Another thing IKEA is known for is its Swedish Restaurant and snack bar. So, I thought I might as well visit their store to do some window shopping and enjoy some good food after a long walk around the store.
I arrived at their Tampines store around 1 PM, which wasn’t ideal because they were holding their year-end sale—a much-anticipated event for many.
The Swedish Restaurant was crowded, and my plan to have lunch didn’t work out as the queue stretched almost the entire length of the restaurant. There were probably more than 30 people in line, and there weren’t any available dining tables either. I realized it would be a challenge to get both food and a table, so I decided to abandon that plan and focus on what I came for: checking out the chairs available.
There were plenty of options available, but these particular chairs caught my eye. Their prices ranged from S$199 to S$315 and up to S$359. I was hoping that the cheaper chairs would offer the same level of comfort as these, but unfortunately, they didn’t. That’s likely the reason why these chairs are more expensive in the first place.
I started by checking out the more affordable option. At the price of S$199, I thought it was reasonable; however, the lumbar support isn’t adjustable. In fact, there’s no dedicated lumbar support at all, which disappointed me, even though the chair otherwise matched my preferences.
 |  |  |
The second chair I checked was the one priced at S$319. This one really impressed me because, while it’s not the most expensive, it seems to tick all the boxes for me. The lumbar support and armrests are adjustable, the seat is made of leather with just the right balance of firmness and softness, and the wheels move smoothly as well. Even before inspecting the more expensive options, I already felt like this might be the one I’d choose.
The last item I tested was the more expensive one. I was really surprised by this chair because, although everything else seemed right for me, I noticed that it swayed too softly. It felt as though I was about to fall whenever I leaned back, which I found quite odd.
In the end, choosing the right chair is all about finding the balance between comfort, functionality, and price. While I was impressed by some options, I learned that investing a bit more can often lead to greater satisfaction and long-term benefits. I’m excited to make my decision and finally upgrade to a chair that supports both my productivity and well-being.
Greetings @curamax ,
It is true , sometimes 'life'/'Need of a chair' gets in the way and must be addressed... ^__^
What a lovely post and photographs....thank you!
Very timely post as everyone in the family is saying they need a new chair...^__^
Kind Regards,
Bleujay
Hi @bleujay good morning!
Yes it's that time in the year that we need to address the things that we were thinking about in the past year.
I hope everything is well. Have a great year ahead!
I haven't been to Ikea for a long time. When I was younger, I liked the open layout, the variety of choices. As I got older, I found it hard to sort what I wanted from all the other products. The store simply became too large. Plus, I found the bright lights gave me a headache.
I find it easier to look online and narrow down my choices by store, and by customer review. Then, if I want to go in I already have an idea of what I want.
As for the backache: @papilloncharity makes a good point. I was having trouble with my piriformis and the physical therapist recommended exactly that. Get up and walk around periodically.
I hope you enjoy your new chair. Those of us who spend a lot of time before the computer really need the perfect chair :)
Thanks a lot for the insightful comment.
I feel you. I think Ikea is designed for the visitors to go through a journey to their furniture displays. It’s good if you have the time and energy to spare but it can be really tiring and frustrating sometimes 😁.
You made a really good suggestion, yes I would do that next time. There are many staff that could assist in finding the furniture if you have the code. It will save me time and effort in finding or figuring out what suits me.
Regarding the periodic short walks, I will definitely do it. I think thisnis something that I fail to do in the recent months because I’m too focused on working on my desk that I fail to pay attention to my lower back until recently that I’m already having issues.
Thanks again, it’s good to get feedback like yours.
Hi @topcomment pls assist to check on @agmoore’s comment & upvote. Thanks 🙏
Thank you for that courteous and thoughtful response :)
At work I have an Ikea chair which is very very similar to the second one you shared above, even if mine costed 199 euros, so probably it isn't the exact same model. It has been a nice chair so far and it looks very good even after years of use: the only thing I don't like about it is the lombar support, which I've never found enough comfortable...
I used to not care about lumbar until recently when I'm noticing some issue with my lower back. Life has a way of teaching us a lesson and one should pay attention to even the slightest signs.
I think they are different model because this one that I saw has an adjustable lumbar support. I saw the other chairs that doesn't that feature and they are S$100 cheaper. The comfort level is different with this one and so I wouldn't mind spending more.
Thanks for sharing about you Ikea chair. It's a good help for me to decide.
I love the 2nd chair!
Thanks for the feedback @jane911x :)
Congratulations @curamax! You received a bright smile from TravelFeed. Our eyes were beaming while reading your post. 😁
Thanks for using TravelFeed!
@for91days (TravelFeed team)
PS: TravelFeed is in social media to reach more people, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Thank you so much @for91days for curating my post.
Happy New Year!
Happy 2025 to you as well!
With Altheana, we often go to Ikea, especially when we know that there have been changes in the layout of the products. Most of the time, we don't buy anything, we go there mostly for inspiration.
You're right, investing more heavily in products often offers better satisfaction. We then learn to respect objects better, we also learn to repair them if they break instead of throwing them away. Buying low-end, in the long run, is often more expensive.
That's right. There are many instances that I buy low end products which resulted to me spending more because they don't last ling enough.
Thanks for your feedback. I Appreciate it.
Happy new year!
Personally I do not hold back when it concerns personal finance. I mean, I work so hard surely the money should be well spent on me. Glad you found a soothing chair. Congratulations on a good buy 🤝🏾
Thanks for the feedback. Yes my mind is set. I think spending a little bit more for something that will benefit one's health is a good spend.
Yes, indeed it's a good buy 🤝🏾
Nice place to be at. Can almost spend a day here looking at the displays and even having a nice meal too.
😁 same here. What inlike about it is that you can really experience the fitting out works that they set up.
That day I enjoyed their office furniture especially the motorized desk.
Yep, having the correct chair is very important. I also suffer with lower back pain, but a friend told me that I have to get up and walk a bit after every hour of sitting. It has indeed worked wonders for me. !LOL
lolztoken.com
The A-gull and B-gull weren't quite right.
Credit: reddit
@curamax, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of papilloncharity
(1/10)
I couldn't agree more. There are many benefits of going for a consistent short walk. I like walking because it lessens my screen time too 😁
Yeah, it's a good habit to cultivate and my camera loves it when I take it for a walk. !LOL
Oh yeah, that's also why a good walk is beneficial. I like going to photowalks too :)
Right on, and you and I will continue to enjoy the walks. !LOL.
The place looks big. You could spend a whole day in there 😀
!BBH
Sometimes I visit IKEA just to hang out and experience the interior fitting out displays they have 😁
You can check out this post and your own profile on the map. Be part of the Worldmappin Community and join our Discord Channel to get in touch with other travelers, ask questions or just be updated on our latest features.
Congratulations, your post has been added to the TravelFeed Map! 🎉🥳🌴
Did you know you have your own profile map?
And every post has their own map too!
Want to have your post on the map too?
- Go to TravelFeed Map
- Click the create pin button
- Drag the marker to where your post should be. Zoom in if needed or use the search bar (top right).
- Copy and paste the generated code in your post (any Hive frontend)
- Or login with Hive Keychain or Hivesigner and click "create post" to post to Hive directly from TravelFeed
- Congrats, your post is now on the map!
PS: You can import your previous Pinmapple posts to the TravelFeed map.Opt Out
@curamax! @logen9f likes your content! so I just sent 1 BBH to your account on behalf of @logen9f. (16/20)
(html comment removed:
)
!PIZZA
!LOL
!INDEED
lolztoken.com
This tastes a little funny.
Credit: reddit
@curamax, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of cryptoyzzy
(3/10)
Delegate Hive Tokens to Farm $LOLZ and earn 110% Rewards. Learn more.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@cryptoyzzy(3/5) tipped @curamax
!LOL
!INDEED
!HOPE
!ALIVE
lolztoken.com
I wonder how the next chapter in my life will go.
Credit: reddit
@curamax, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of phillarecette
(4/10)
Delegate Hive Tokens to Farm $LOLZ and earn 110% Rewards. Learn more.
(5/10)
@curamax!
You Are Alive so I just staked 0.1 ALIVE to your account on behalf of @phillarecette.
!LOL
!INDEED
lolztoken.com
But at least it puts food on the table.
Credit: reddit
@curamax, I sent you an $LOLZ on behalf of curart38
(4/10)
Delegate Hive Tokens to Farm $LOLZ and earn 110% Rewards. Learn more.