The Herman Miller Aeron is easily one of the most well-known office chairs ever made. There’s science and style to support the $700+ price tag new, but it’s hard to justify that price when someone else isn’t footing the bill. Instead of picking up a used Aeron, check out some of our favorite office chair alternatives that will, stylishly, fit just about any budget. ITALMODERN Bungie Office Chair At first, the idea of sitting on a chair made of the same things you use to secure things to the roof of your truck might seem ridiculous. It can’t possibly be comfortable. The bungees are definitely going to stretch. The ergonomics are terrible. The only problem with this ridiculously comfortable chair is that everyone that visits HAS to sit in the chair made of bungee cords. IKEA Markus Office Chair Don’t let the fact that this is made by IKEA immediately dissuade you from purchasing it because the construction is nothing like their fiberboard furniture. Markus is a high back chair with a padded seat, headrest and armrests that also has a mesh back for breathability.
It won’t win any Red Dot Design Awards, but it’s a great professional looking chair that also comes with a 10-year Limited Warranty. AIS Element 9600 Executive Office Chair Affordable Interior Systems (AIS) has been in the office furniture game for almost three decades, so it’s safe to say they know what it takes to make a great chair. The Element Executive Chair has a mesh back and a mesh over foam cushioned seat for maximum comfort and support. It also comes in multiple sizes and styles in case you’re looking for something a little different. WorkPro Commercial Mesh Back Executive Office Chair With a three-part, split-back design, this WorkPro office chair is probably the most alien looking of the lot, but those aspects give it a huge amount of adjustability. Adjust the back sections to perfectly fit you. Slide the seat forwards or backwards based on your mood. There’s even a large handle on the back in case you need to move it over carpet… or with someone in it.
Modern in Designs Reproduction Eames Office Chair When it comes to Mid-Century Modern chairs Eames is the name of the game, and their cost reflects that. This reproduction from Modern In Designs replicates the iconic ribbed styling of the chair originally designed in the 50’s, but does it at a fraction of the cost. Since each chair is hand crafted with a stainless steel frame and premium Italian leather, you’re not sacrificing much in terms of quality. RFM Seating Rainier High Back Chair The Rainier Office Chair from RFM Seating puts more than 35 years of experience in seating manufacturing to very good use. You get the standards like multiple back options, multi-function control, extra lumbar support and a ratchet back, but the Rainier also gives you 35 fabric options, multiple control options and close to ten different arm options. In other words, you can customize it to fit an of office of one to an office of one thousand. Alera Elusion Series Mesh High-Back Chair
We’re convinced the Alera Elusion chair was designed by someone who studied Henry Ford. The chair does its job as a chair, but nothing more. The aesthetics are great, but they’re not revolutionary. The cost is something everyone can afford. Oh yeah, and you can have it in whatever color you want… as long as it’s black. Merax Ergonomic Racing Style Napping Office Chair If we’re being completely honest, this Merax chair looks like a Recaro racing seat with armrests and casters, which we’re totally in to. In addition to the unconventional styling you also get: easy to clean and maintain PU leather and mesh fabric construction, adjustable armrests, 360 degree swivel rotation, a full headrest and a recline function. The recline function is where the “napping” part comes in because the chair gets almost fully horizontal for that afternoon “meeting” post business lunch. Ikea biffed by going after IkeaHackers, the fan site that shares all kinds of new uses and smart mods for the Swedish superstore's affordable furniture—seriously, you can't buy this kind of devotion.
Until founder Jules Yap sets up shop under a new name, let's have a look at a few of the projects that make her site so endlessly scrollable. There's such a range of finished works—from "Oh oh I could do that!" to "Why would you do that?!" to "Hey now that gives me an idea..."—that it's tough not to fall into a DIY-design clickhole. Here are some of the adventures-in-how-to that stood out to us. Share your own personal faves below! There's no end to what you can to with an Expedit (RIP). This awesome hamster habitat won the Hack of the Year in 2010, and it's easy to see why: Some small modifications to the Expedit—plus a little glass—turned Ikea's beloved shelving system into a home for a furry friend. You'd never guess that this sleek, sinuous privacy screen—which turns the bathroom of an open loft into its own space—was made from $2 Rektangel vases. But yep: Hundreds of these glass thangs were tipped on their sides and repurposed. There's a reason this incredible personal library won the 2011 Hack of the Year.
It's made from 60—yes, 60—Billy bookshelves, Ikea's bargain basement bookshelf. Attached to the French country home of Chas Saunter, they look undeniably classy. Here's the archetypal example of IkeaHacking brilliance. Take one stool, four nested file organizers, and boom: A transformable table with tons of storage space for under $10. All you have to do is glue the folders together and attach them to the stool. For an added bonus, the nested folders inside the table pull out to change its profile. Things really get cool when an Ikea hacker has soldering skills: This brilliant hacker turned a plain old wood table top into a beautiful working guitar. Now this is unexpected. Tracing around an old kid's jacket will give a decent enough pattern for this cute little coat. Lined or unlined, it's pretty ingenious—though apparently it will dull the hell out of your sewing machine needle. I'm wondering whether to try to make one for myself... Here's a solution for all those space-challenged Ikea hackers out there (and aren't there so many!).
This Dutch hacker took a shelf and a cabinet and mounted them to the wall, creating what might be the skinniest desk for an iMac ever built. The best part might be the fact that there aren't any errant cables hanging around: They're all stored inside the upper cabinet. Okay, this is admittedly not for everyone, but it's a smart solution! An industrious family member made this for her grandma's home in Malacca, Malaysia, which is lacking upstairs plumbing. Adding a raised section to the top and a few privacy panels between the legs of a Stefan chair, a small bowl can easily slide in to the hole. Noted: next time she's choosing a model with arms, for extra comfort (though it would be tough to beat Homer's Lazy Man Toilet Seat for sheer sit-back-and-relax luxury). This was designed to allow or opening the drawers under a Mandal bed, but relocating two of the Frosta stool's legs looks like it would make a killer sofa table, too (as long as the height was right). There are a lot of storage beds on IkeaHackers, but there's something about the structure and staging of this one, which used nine Faktum cabinets, that makes it look particularly perfect for a small space.
It's involved (with extended blog post how-to here), but if you had the tools and the time and the drive—it would be incredible to make something this functional look this good. This is another project that's going to require some power tools, but if you're keen on sewing and have the room for a dedicated place to stitch, this is a might purdy use of an Ingo table. Additional tutorial here, if you're into it. Okay, hey—we're back to unconventional spots to pee and poo. The name here really says it all, and all it took was a long piece of MDF, a pair of Ikea PS Lockers, and a cat flap inserted into a custom cut-out in the side. Slide a litter box in the drawer and you're good to go.This effect was made pretty much exclusively out of Trofast toy storage boxes affixed to the walls and ceiling: some facing out and filled with magazines and books, some facing the other way and lit from within by LEDs. Ikea's iconic Frosta stool is a cult favorite—and here, it's turned into a beautifully abstract bookshelf that seems to climb up the wall like a vine.
Rather than spring for some spendy backsplash, this cool kitchen has a series of Rationell glass panels installed flush up against the wall between counter and cabinet. Wallpaper will make it match whatever else you've got going on, color-and-style-wise. Take an average Bjursta dining room table, two average plastic high chairs, do a little clever sawing, et voila: An incredible double-trouble high chair. Ikea hacking doesn't have to be all about furniture: This clever hacker took a plush stuffed animal from Ikea's kids section, decapitated it, and installed a hidden USB drive. It wasn't easy to figure out a design to encase the new tub in this remolded bathroom—but using two Ikea Pronomen countertops, the crew was able to perfectly fit the wood around the irregular space. Hyllis shelves are good for more than just books: This Texas hacker turned them into one of the craziest cat playgrounds I've ever seen. Hung from the ceiling with brackets, these ordinary shelves become an incredible jungle gym for this lucky kitty.