Pleather Lerner Arm Chairs

What does an Air Purifier from Sharper Image, 1980s David Bowie, and the pleathery chairs in Lerner have in common? They all look like they are from the future. Not a day goes by when I don’t pass by the rows of avant-garde arm chairs and feel like I am in the movie Tron and we are all but programs in the vast computer of life. What’s more is that sitting in these chairs provides the comfort to ponder such mysteries for hours.

Serving the Ferris post-mealtime crowd as well as students attempting to nab a mildly social study spot on the upper floors of Lerner, these retro recliners have a small, but loyal following. True Pleatherheads, as they are often called, must be able to enjoy the maximum comfort without falling asleep to maximize productivity— a task that deserves much applause. Early on my way to a meeting in the SGO, I decided to pop a squat in the perfectly square seat and see where it took me.

The cushion hit my bum with both rigidness and welcoming. Sort of like a troubled child coming home from military school. It let me sink in a bit, but I didn’t plunge into an abyss of sleek black textile. This probably accounts for students being able to work here without falling asleep. The lumbar support irked me a bit: one can slouch lazily, but if one desires to sit with proper posture, say a ballerina, or someone English, or someone with really good parents, it can be awkward because the horizontal of the chair is rather long, causing the knees to bend incompletely.

The pleather on the other hand was perfectly polished. I could almost see myself on it. It felt nothing of real leather, but rather of the reinforced plastic they make slip and slides with. This slipperiness should make for unreliable arm resting, but the chairs are arranged compactly side-by-side, so the double armchair action minimizes slippage. It smelt leathery, through you could tell this was the result of some polish or scent intentionally applied by the chair producer.

Extraneous to my evaluation, I must highlight one flaw that the chair will not be penalized on, but should be noted regardless. The accompanying coffee table set up is flawed. One has to crouch down to reach their belongings on it, and those who refuse to engage in such awkward behavior still can’t utilize it as a foot rest either: many people eat on these tables, so it is seen as a sort of party foul. Lerner is a social space, after all.