While the first page of the Humanscale story was written in 1983, the narrative didn’t reach its first climax until 1999. This was the year that company founder and CEO Robert King and renowned industrial designer Niels Diffrient brought together their shared devotion to ergonomics and supreme functionality to create the Freedom Chair, a revolutionary seating option that changes the way you sit and work. The chair has been applauded by The New York Times and has received awards for its unparalleled approach to comfort and design. Learn why this particular chair truly lives up to its name as well as its praise.
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A Match Made in Ergonomic Heaven

Niels Diffrient first became a member of the Humanscale team in 1998. He brought with him a wealth of knowledge related to the modern design movement and an unbridled passion for understanding the nuances of creating designs that solve workplace functionality problems. Additionally, Diffrient collaborated with other prestigious designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Henry Dreyfuss, Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames. When Diffrient’s knowledge of aviation combined with King’s focus on delivering high-performance office furniture, their wild creative spark blazed into the idea that would become the Freedom Chair.
Office Furniture: Refined and Reinvigorated
What makes the Freedom Chair such a game-changing innovation in office seating is Humanscale’s approach to its design and performance. Rather than the user having to adjust the chair to suit his or her body and the chair’s specific design and features, the chair instead molds itself after the user’s posture and physical contours. This adaptive design saves a great deal of time and energy, both of which can be better spent on maximizing productivity and concentration in the workplace.
In addition to what the Freedom Chair adds to the executive seating market, it is also important to note what it leaves out. Humanscale’s office chair is free of back tension dials and recline levers, both of which are often more burdensome than they are truly useful. Instead, the Freedom Chair is configured with a recline mechanism that constantly shifts according to the sitter’s posture, ensuring constant satisfaction without restriction.
Freedom Features

Besides focusing on the bend and round of the user’s spine, the Freedom Chair has an articulating headrest that provides a comfortable cradle for the head and neck as the sitter reclines. When the user eases back, the self-adjusting recline mechanism finds the perfect level of support through a combination of the sitter’s body weight and the laws of physics.
Because no executive office chair is complete without a capable set of armrests, Humanscale’s headlining novelty includes synchronous armrests that are integrated into the back of the chair. This allows complete freedom of movement no matter the angle of the recline.
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Your Chair Made Your Way

To ensure your complete and uncompromised comfort, Humanscale offers a variety of accessories and personalization options with the Freedom Chair. With a number of textile color options to choose from, including Wave, Vellum, Ginkgo and Lotus, there’s no need to worry about the chair clashing with your current office color scheme. Each textile choice is designed for specific users and office environments, ensuring you have exactly what you need and want.
Taking your personalization a step further, you can also outfit your chair with a generous array of armrests and arm pads, including those with and without textiles. Additional accessory options include soft and standard casters, fireproofing, base upgrades and coat hanger kits.
The way your office furniture looks is just as essential as how it feels. Do you desire a more soothing ambiance for your office? Or perhaps you’re aiming for a sleek and futuristic appeal to your work environment. No matter which way your design desires lean, the Freedom Chair indulges you from every conceivable angle and does so with unmatched appeal.
Robert King and the legacy left behind by the late Niels Diffrient is inherent in every aspect of the Freedom Chair. While Humanscale has gone on to create several more noteworthy task chairs, workstations, CPU holders and keyboard systems, the chair that started the revolution will forever hold a cherished place in the company’s as well as the industry’s history. Free yourself to the possibilities of what it truly means to sit and recline in the lap of luxury.
Humanscale Ergonomic Furniture Resources
- Humanscale Freedom Headrest Ergonomic Chair (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Humanscale Diffrient Smart Task Chair (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Humanscale Liberty Task/Conference Chair (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Humanscale QuickStand Eco Desktop Converter (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Humanscale QuickStand Lite Sit To Stand Converter (Review / Rating / Pricing)