Does Size Matter?....um, I mean chairs!

I was reading a great post on Visual Vamp about a Eames rocking chair she bought for a client and the scale was really small for her tall client. Go to syndrome.htmlttp://visualvamp.blogspot.com/2010/03/mezuzah-syndrome.html to read the post.

It started me thinking about the scale of antique furniture vs. the size of Americans today.   I have two 19th century english fireside chairs that have moved to many different locations in houses that we have lived in.  Here are the fireside chairs in our family room.

These chairs were originally used by the gentlemen of a manor to take a "warm" by the fire.  Now, I got to tell you that these chairs are mine and my 12-year-old twin boys favorite chairs to sit in. They are the perfect size for us.  I am only 5' 3" and the twins  are rapidly catching up to me. These chairs are ergonomically correct for a 5'3" person and are super cozy BUT certainly not for my husband (or for most grown men, for that matter.

So I did some research...in the 1800's, the average height of a man was or 5'2" and now is 5'10".  The height of an average woman in 1940's was 5'2 1/2" and now is 5' 4 1/2 to 5'5" (all info from wikipedia).

Boy, I feel short!

Visual Vamp Blog photo

The Eames rocking chair was designed in 1948.

Just to give a visual scale of club chairs today that men love to sit in because they are  big and hugging. 

Our living room

Wow, big difference!  Maybe that is why most men do not have an appreciation for antiques chairs and couches.

Thoughts?

Au Revoir for now.