Three Clever Second Lives For Your Office Chair

An office chair does not have to clock off when the working day ends. With a little imagination, the same swivel chair sitting in your home office can turn into extra seating, a home salon, or a birthday throne.

Extra seats for a long dinner party

When the table is full and more friends turn up than you planned for, an office chair slots in neatly at the end of the table. IKEA's LÅNGFJÄLL conference chair brings proper back support and generous legroom, so whoever draws the short straw on seating actually ends up with the comfiest spot in the room. In a compact Maltese dining area where every chair has to earn its place, having one that can move between desk and table makes far more sense than keeping a spare dining chair folded away in a cupboard.

LÅNGFJÄLL conference chair, Gunnared beige/white, 68 cmLÅNGFJÄLL conference chair, Gunnared dark grey/white, 68 cmLÅNGFJÄLL conference chair with armrests, Gunnared beige/white, 68 cmLÅNGFJÄLL conference chair with armrests, Gunnared green-grey/white, 68 cmLÅNGFJÄLL conference chair, Gunnared green-grey/black, 68 cmLÅNGFJÄLL conference chair, Gunnared beige/black, 68 cm

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A home haircut station that wipes clean

Swivel chairs are not just for sitting still at a screen. Pull one into a bathroom or spare corner, add a decent lamp and some basic clippers, and you have a makeshift barbershop that beats queuing anywhere. The seat height adjusts to suit whoever is in the chair, and a smooth, easy-wipe surface means stray hair and snips brush away in seconds. It is a practical trick for households with young children or anyone who would rather avoid an extra trip out in the summer heat.

MARKUS office chair, Vissle dark grey, MediumMARKUS office chair, Vissle light grey, MediumFLINTAN office chair, beige, 71x114x71 cmALEFJÄLL office chair, Grann beige, 64 cmFLINTAN office chair, black, 71x114x71 cmHATTEFJÄLL office chair with armrests, Gunnared beige/white, 68 cm

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Build a birthday throne in minutes

A plain office chair can become the centrepiece of a child's birthday party with almost no effort. Raise the seat so the birthday child sits a little taller than their guests, then dress it up with balloons, cushions and a paper crown. IKEA's HATTEFJÄLL office chair with armrests works particularly well here, since the armrests give small children something sturdy to hold onto while they are busy being treated like royalty for the afternoon.

HATTEFJÄLL office chair with armrests, Gunnared medium grey/white, 68 cmHATTEFJÄLL office chair with armrests, Gunnared dark grey/black, 68 cm

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A single chair can earn its keep well beyond the desk. Order online and have it delivered to your door in Malta or Gozo.

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