Friday, February 20, 2009

Rocking Chair Torture

Have you ever tried to buy a rocking chair? Not the new glider rockers that are everywhere, but a real wood rocking chair?

We looked and looked for one when I was pregnant with Cory. Finally Brian found a kit that we could order online from Shaker Workshops. Well, we could have bought the finished chair, but that was twice as expensive. As it is we paid $375 for the kit.

Brian and my dad spent many hours sanding, waxing, and oiling this chair. I even have some funny pictures of Brian and Allison's then boyfriend, Joel, weaving the seat cover just a few weeks after Cory was born.

Finally it was finished... and I hated it. It is the worst rocking chair ever. I tried to be excited, but it's just not a nice chair. The back slats are so far apart I had to make a cushion for it. The arms are too wide and too high. It was labeled as the perfect chair for nursing mothers. NOT!

But the worst thing about it? It doesn't rock.

We could have bought a regular chair if that was what we wanted! It takes more leg motion to rock this chair than it does an overstuffed recliner!

I eventually emailed the company and told them how disappointed I was... No response. Their "satisfaction guarantee" says that you can return anything within 30 days for a full refund if it's in the original condition. I'd say that would have been kind of hard to do with a kit rocking chair.


What precipitated me writing this post almost 2 years later?

Well, today I went to Costco with my parents and found the perfect rocking chair! Made by Montana Woodworks it's on sale for $350 and we wouldn't even have to put it together!!! It's beautiful, comfortable, and best of all??? It rocks!!!

So, the lame Shaker chair is going on Craigslist ASAP and if it sells I'm going back to Costco to buy this one! Wish me luck!

10 comments:

  1. Yay for rocking chairs :) I hope you finally get one that works out!!

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  2. My parents got me an old fashioned rocking chair when I had my first. It's very nice but it's just not that comfortable to sit in for to long.
    Good luck on getting your new one!

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  3. I had the best wooden rocking chair when I had babies to rock. I loved it. I wish I still had it, in fact. It would be perfect for a little old grandma to sit and rock and crochet. I hope you get your good one!

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  4. Best of luck! We never had a rocking chair for Emma, because our house didn't have room for one.

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  5. Krista - remember the "typical" rocking chairs in Costa Rica - the type that is wooden with leather seat and back? That's what I have. I got it when I had Karina and love it. Sadly, I may have to put it in storage for awhile because we are running out of room in our house! I still use it with Annelise sometimes to sit and rock and sing. That's why I haven't put it away yet, even though we are crowded. Good luck with your new chair - hope the old one sells!

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  6. You know Cracker Barrel sells rocking chairs.

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  7. Anonymous6:14 PM

    I have wanted a rocking chair for a long time. Still don't have one. LOL

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  8. What a story :-( I hope it works out to get the other rocker. Thanks for the tip! After helping put that one together I was thinking that it seems like fun ... I'll know not to get chairs from Shaker Furniture.

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  9. who ever heard of a rocking chair that doesn't rock...
    I hope you get the new one. That company is environmental friendly too :-)

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  10. Yay! I'm happy for your finding a great chair! It's seemed to me that most everyone I know who has a decent rocking chair got them at auctions, so it never occurs to me to look at them in stores. My sister got hers at a neighbor's auction, and my mom's huge rocker (which she got with her grandma in mind) came from an auction too. I think. I bought one at a garage sale once, but it was a miserable chair & I think I had my dad use it for firewood.

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