The story behind Varier
Varier is the chair line that came out of Stokke's seating work in Norway in the late 1970s. The first rocking kneeling chair, designed by Peter Opsvik, defined what the modern kneeling chair category became, and the lineup since has stayed close to that original design philosophy.
We carry the full Varier range at Active Goods, from kneeling chairs and sit-stand stools to multi-position recliners, lounge pieces, and the brand's custom upholstery program.
What makes a Varier chair different
Most office chairs hold you in one position using mechanical adjusters. Varier chairs work the other way around. The shape of the chair does most of the work, and your body moves naturally with it.
- Shape over mechanism: no levers, no pneumatic lifts on most models. The seat geometry sets the posture.
- Materials built to last: laminated beech and ash wood frames, with quality fabric or leather upholstery on top.
- Designed as furniture: every piece is meant to live in a home or office and look right doing it.
That approach makes Varier chairs more expensive than a typical office chair, and it makes them last considerably longer.
Built to last decades
Varier chairs carry a 7-year warranty on the wood frames and a 5-year warranty on mechanical parts. Well-cared-for chairs routinely outlast both windows, with second-hand Varier chairs from the 1980s still in regular use today.
When you're weighing the price against a cheaper alternative, the ownership window matters as much as the sticker. A chair that lasts 15 to 20 years often costs less per year than a budget chair replaced every three to five.
Where Varier fits in your setup
Varier chairs aren't all built for the same purpose. Some are made for full-day desk work, some for standing desks, and some for reading, recovery, or lounging in a living room rather than at a workspace.
If you want a kneeling chair for daily desk use, the brand's full-back models are made for that. For standing desks, a sit-stand stool tilts with you and adjusts to your desk height. For reading or zero-gravity reclining, the multi-position models fit a home corner better than an office.
For the broader office lineup at Active Goods, see Office Chairs, which sits Varier alongside the CoreChair brand.
Need a recommendation?
If you're stuck between two Varier chairs or trying to figure out which one fits how you'd actually use it, contact us. We've handled enough Varier orders to point you to two or three options worth comparing.
