When I was a kid, I sat on the floor a lot. Maybe I was preparing for life in Japan.

In the traditional Japanese home, furniture is low to the ground. Windows are near the floor; everything is grounded. You’ve probably seen the classic, low dining table with cushions scattered around it. Maybe you’ve slept on a futon laid out on the floor.

The introduction of Western furniture and modern lifestyles has influenced the design of furniture and there are some interesting hybrids. While low writing desks have been used for centuries, low computer tables with keyboard draw and a shelf above are relatively new on the scene. So is the low armchair; imagine you favorite lounge chair and take off the legs and several inches of the bottom. Add a swiveling base and a side pocket for your collection of remote controls and you’re hitting the heights of hybrid furniture fashion.

When I shop for furniture, I try to stick with one style or the other though I will mix up styles with impunity. In my living room I have a normal sofa and chair plus a pile of zabuton, the traditional floor cushions. But no low chairs Posted by kuri at November 29, 2000 06:12 AM