- Design Inspo
The Chicest Floor Seating & How to Master the Look
Roxanne Robinson
Reliving a childhood memory isn’t the only reason to embrace the au courant trend of floor seating. Cultures, especially Asian ones including India, China, and Japan, believe that eating while seated on the floor has many benefits. In this spirit, the Japanese became famous for their tatami rooms, made with straw floor mats and minimal furniture according to the Washitu interior design method. A restaurant or dining area designed with a conventional Zashiki seating arrangement composed of a low table set on tatami flooring also appeals to the young at heart.
Velvet is one way to infuse a slinky romantic texture, yet sophisticated feel, into your space. Some styles incorporate a back cushion making this indulgent floor seating the bean bag chairs’ fancy cousin.
Leather is another way to up the ante on elevated floor seating design. Whether patched, woven, or rendered in a smooth all-over finish, constructed in a firm square shape, this leather pouch doubles as both a footrest and a small side table.
In keeping with the Japanese traditional floor seating design, straw Mahao-style knitted cushions exceed the typical comfort quotient and yield dual utility with both indoor and outdoor use. Furthermore, the natural appearance of these cushions adds elevated texture while the sturdy seat provides support for the lower back and tailbone.
If a hint of Boho style is in order, a Moroccan wedding pouf, made from traditional Moroccan wedding blankets in a neutral cream color, delivers an easy-breezy mood in an haute, chic package.
Naturally, a living room or family room meant for gathering is perfect for floor seating. First, it’s one way to add more seating to accommodate even more guests. But ultimately it also sends a relaxed, chill vibe in the chicest of homes.
Ultimately, getting close to the ground can be good for us. So outdoor floor seating is an obvious place for unconventional seating.
By that doesn’t always mean soft and unstructured. Japanese Zaisu tatami chairs, constructed of smooth wood and luxe wool cushions, resemble regular chairs without the legs and can support an upright position as well as a reclined posture. All the while, they keep you grounded on the floor, with a meditative state just at your fingertips.
Certainly, lounging poolside is a perfect place for floor seating. Massive floor pillows made from durable fabrics work both inside and out, even poolside.
Lounge chairs a la Eames that sit on the pool deck keep you close to the water’s edge but dry from splashes. The graphic patterns also serve a dose of modernist style to any setting. Not to mention the side handles that make positioning these pillows, inside and out, an easy lift.
With a view of the ocean who needs a chair? Floor seating whether structured cushions or soft, bean bag styles offer a relaxing vibe for watching the sunset.
To be sure, sitting on a beach blanket with an easy picnic is a fun pastime. But what about a formal meal on the beach? With the pliability of sand, creating floor or rather sand seating with cushions and blankets is one of life’s simplest yet decadent pleasures.
A combination of laid-back fun and good for you is hard to beat when it comes to seating options. One of the reasons that floor seating is gaining in popularity has to do with health. Not surprisingly, the reliance on sitting on the floor relates directly to the practice of yoga. Sitting cross-legged is one of the Asana’s [or yoga postures] which encourage a relaxed state and a calm mind. It is also believed that the position discourages overeating and aids in digestion. Regular yoga practice has increased by over 150 percent in the US alone since 2016, also making the practice of floor seating more synergistic for people to incorporate in other areas of their lives.
