Aeron

A classic in contemporary design, it’s still popular and has undergone some modifications over the years. An Aeron workstool was introduced a year ago.

Honor: Permanent feature in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art design collection

Designers: Donald Chadwick and William Stumpf

Manufacturer: Herman Miller

Suggested retail: $949 to $999

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Freedom

Introduced in 1999, it made its mark by being simpler to operate. The chair employs internal mechanisms that respond to a user’s movements, eliminating many of the knobs and levers that are typical with ergonomic chairs.

Honor: National Design Award from the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Museum

Designer: Nils Diffrient

Manufacturer: Humanscale

Suggested retail: $898 to $1,198

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Sguig

Nine years in R&D, this latest from Canadian family-run Keilhauer has a spring in its base that allows you to tilt and pivot. It’s also got Keilhauer’s newly patented Pelvic Balance Point technology and full range of shoulder motion design. Available in 12 colors and three fabric patterns, including a squiggle. First introduced in 2006, the newest version comes out in February.

Honor: Neocon Innovation Award

Designers: Martin

Borgmann, Gernot Bohmann, Harald Grundl

Manufacturer: Keilhauer

Suggested retail: $1,195

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Quantum Mesh Chair

Office Depot’s own widely popular version of the Aeron

Suggested retail: $350 to $399

New this month: The newest version comes in three new colors — blue, red and green — and is sold, of course, at Office Depot stores and online.

What’s In

Kohlmeyer [Photo: John Stillman]

Diane Kohlmeyer of Diane Kohlmeyer Associates in Fort Lauderdale is an independent manufacturers representative who sells top-end, award-winning lines. She started her own firm 15 years ago.

One of Kohlmeyer’s most popular workspaces: “Tuohy’s new Uffizi line is really hot. I can’t get this collection around fast enough.” Clean lines, with the look of a sleek, Italian-design kitchen. White polished finish and cabinet doors that glide give this product a minimalist aesthetic and clean, simpler workspaces.

Tuohy's Uffizi office line

Tuohy
Chatfield, Minnesota
tuohyfurniture.com

Honor: Uffizi line, 2007 Neocon Gold Award

Price: Fully outfitted workspace configurations start at $10,000 to $25,000

Office in Motion

Architecture Inc.’s Fort Myers studio

Walk into Architecture Inc.’s Fort Myers office and you’ll never be quite sure who’s sitting where on any given day. That’s because everyone’s furniture is on wheels, and office configurations change depending on the team at work and the project at hand.

“We talked a lot about how we wanted to work before we started designing,” says Ted Sottong, the partner who heads up the Florida operations. “How your office looks defines how people look at you as a firm.”

Choosing the right furniture was imperative: Clean lines, clutter-free worktops and wheels — on everything. “It’s important for us to remember that change is an integral part of being creative,” says Sottong. That keeps us loose.”

» What they chose: Vecta, design partner of Steelcase, known for its easily reconfigurable pieces. Everything is on wheels.

» Where they found it: Office Furniture & Design Concepts, Fort Myers, ofdc-inc.com

» Price: Workstations run about $1,200, compared to the traditional cubicle, which costs $2,500 to $3,000.