In May 2022, I introduced a new office chair called the Lamia, which I believe is a big step forward in office chair design. The Lamia is a special combination of two Steelcase chairs, the Steelcase Leap frame and the Steelcase Amia seat. This mix brings together the great adjustability of the Leap chair and the added comfort of the Amia seat pad.
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Steelcase Lamia Office Chair Links
- Overwhelming Response
- Process of Building the Lamia
- Steelcase Seat Pads
- Debunking Competitor’s Claims
- Lamia Chair: Who Needs It?
- The Best of Both Worlds
1. Overwhelming Response
People’s reaction to the Lamia chair has been amazing. The most commented response to the tier list video suggested that if Steelcase failed to produce the Lamia by the end of the year, they might have to ask Elon Musk for help. What’s even better is the engagement from within Steelcase itself.
Joel Shears and Eric Anderson both from Steelcase, made comments on the video. Eric Anderson, who works with the data noticed how much people are interested in the Lamia. However, it’s important to clarify that Steelcase has not talked about actually making the Lamia chair at this point.
2. Process of Building the Lamia
To start the process, you’ll need to remove the seats from both the Leap and Amia chairs. By doing this, you can easily slide the Amia seat onto the Leap frame. The sliding seat mechanisms on both chairs are similar, making this process relatively easy.
Initially, it might look a bit strange with the Amia part under the seat because of how it fits with the Leap frame. But with a little push on the front of the seat, you can make the Amia seat fit well at the back. When seated in the chair, the tilt is hardly noticeable, unless you change the seat depth a lot.
3. Steelcase Seat Pads
I took both seat pads into consideration. Based on research, Steelcase uses good, firm seat foam with a special front shape to help blood flow in your legs and support your body well over time. Cornell University did a study and said that the seat should be thicker at the back, thinner at the front, and not too soft.
Too much softness can make you sink into the chair and feel uncomfortable. Comparing the actual seat pads of the Amia and Leap, they have almost identical thickness and shape – both are thin and firm. However, the Amia seat is flatter and the Leap seat is more curved. The curved shape might cause discomfort for some people.
4. Debunking Competitor’s Claims
Some have suggested that the Lamia already exists through a company called Crandall Office. However, the Crandall Office pad differs in shape, density, and thickness from the original Leap or Amia seat pads. Their pad doesn’t have the waterfall front design that experts recommend. So, I think their chair doesn’t match up with the original Steelcase design.
Crandall Office pad differs in shape, density, and thickness from the original Leap
5. Lamia Chair: Who Needs It?
You might be wondering whether you truly need a Lamia chair or if a Leap or Amia chair will work. It depends on your size, what you like to adjust on the chair, and how you like the seat shape. Both the Leap and Amia chairs are good for most people. The Leap and Amia chairs have a return rate of around 5 to 6 percent.
The Leap chair is nice for people of various sizes and has multiple adjustments. These adjustments include a backstop for reclining and customizable lumbar support. On the flip side, the Amia chair is better for smaller people and those up to six feet two inches tall. It features a more basic design with a tilt lock feature and a shorter back.
6. The Best of Both Worlds
The Lamia chair is like getting the best parts of both chairs– the Amia seat’s flat sitting experience and the Leap chair’s many adjustments. This makes the Lamia an excellent choice for those who want a more personalized chair. To stay updated on the Lamia’s availability, you can sign up for our email list. While most people will find satisfaction with either a Leap or Amia chair, we are planning to produce a limited quantity of Lamia chairs for purchase.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, the Steelcase Lamia is not an actual product of Steelcase, but rather an idea BTOD wanted to try. We thank you for exploring this unique office chair with us. We trust that this article has offered you a deeper insight into the chair’s design and assembly process.
