Start with the mechanism
A tilt-and-lock mechanism suits desks where people sit for short stretches. Weight-balance mechanisms, as on Baron, Chamber and Regent, adjust resistance to the person automatically, which matters on hot-desking floors where nobody sets the chair up. Butterfly mechanisms, on Duchy and Herald, are the simplest and the most robust for high-turnover seating.
Arms: fixed, 1D, 3D or 4D
Fixed arms are fine for meeting and visitor chairs. For task seating, count the directions of adjustment: 1D is height only (Regent), 3D adds depth and pivot (Bellamy, Chamber, Herald), 4D adds width (Baron). Flip-up arms, on Herald and Marquez, let a chair tuck fully under a desk.
Base and casters
Nylon bases are standard and quiet. Aluminium bases, on Bellamy, take more abuse and are worth the premium in shared spaces. Check caster type against the floor: hard casters on carpet, soft on timber or vinyl.
Height range
Every chair in the 2026 catalogue lists a minimum and maximum overall height, for example 1210–1310 mm on Regent. The seat range inside that figure is what matters for desks at 740–750 mm. Ask for the seat height range if the spec sheet only gives the overall figure.
Fabric and foam
For UK projects, ask whether the fabric and foam meet UK standards. The mesh task chairs in our 2026 range are made with UK standard fabric and foam, so this is one line on the spec rather than a separate conversation.
Headrest or not
Headrests help in chairs that recline a long way and where people spend full days. On Bellamy, Baron, Chamber, Regent, Zavello and Travela they are part of the design. For meeting rooms and shorter sessions they add height without adding comfort.
Order a sample
Two chairs from the same category can feel very different. Sit in a sample for a week before committing to two hundred. We keep samples of the full 2026 range at Wellingborough.
