There are so many office chairs to choose from these days, including plush and comfy leather versions that really look and feel the part. Of course, not all the products on offer are conventional. Across the world, designers are testing the limits of design and engineering to create evermore bizarre examples of workplace seating.

Here are a few of our favourites - and bear in mind we use that term very loosely!

Starship Enterprise



You might feel as though you’re at the helm of the Starship Enterprise if you sat down on this unusual office chair. With its large size and bucket shape, it certainly makes an impression and whoever uses it is bound to get noticed.

It’s alive!





This playful pink number is bound to raise eyebrows too. With its multiple legs and curved lines, the chair has an almost lifelike quality. We think it looks as though it could’ve walked straight off a Futurama animation. Despite the handy computer attachment, something tells us it may be a while before this creation hits the big time.

Big game




It’s not unusual to use big game animals as interior design features. We’ve all seen stately homes and mansions with dear and bear heads affixed to the walls. However, some designers are taking this idea to another level.

The fake rhino head that defines this product certainly stands out, and we wouldn’t want to mess with its owner!

A-OK




This wooden seat has bags of artistic flare. The sculptural detailing is impressive and it has a certain elegance and class. However, it doesn’t look particularly comfy and we’d advise against rocking back on it. Perhaps this product, which seems to be gesturing that everything’s A-OK, is a case of style over substance.

Inject some colour




Let’s face it, offices aren’t always the most exciting places to spend time in. However, it is possible to spice things up a little by using colourful design features. This bright pink cube chair would certainly achieve this - although the novelty of the cheery item may wear off sooner rather than later!

A trip to the dentists?




Most people hate sliding onto the dentist’s chair, but that hasn’t stopped one designer from coming up with a product that bears what we think may be an uncomfortably close resemblance to one of these seats.

Creepy crawlies




Another eccentric creation that could get your skin crawling is this spider chair. Just looking at the angular metal seat is enough to make us shudder!

A radical approach




Meanwhile, some people are opting for a more radical approach altogether, ditching their office chairs in favour of exercise stations like this treadmill.

While there’s a lot to be said for boosting exercise levels at work, we believe there’ll always be a place for comfy and well designed seating. For checking emails and browsing the web, these active work hubs might be just fine, but we wouldn’t fancy trying to write detailed reports or conduct thorough analyses while working up a sweat!

This article was written by Carly Lincoln, who is known in the furniture industry for her specialist knowledge. She researches her articles on various sites, including www.furniture-work.co.uk