We’re back again with the fourth issue of our Austin project blog series! A collaborative effort with our friends and favorite photographers over at the Kara Marie Collective.
Austin, TX is a city that is so rich in culture and life, and the people are what make this city so magnetic. There are so many fascinating people doing exciting things. The city constantly keeps us inspired to continue to do the work we do here at Sleekform: creating alternative, comfortable ways for people to sit while they do whatever it is they do while seated.
We felt the urge to get out into our community and meet some people who make Austin great. We chatted to each person about their businesses, passions, how they use the chair and how they define self-care.
This week we are featuring Taylor Woods- project manager and remote worker and on top of she is the owner of the outdoor clothing brand “Sonnies Outside” as a very epic side hustle!
We met up with Taylor in her home office here in Central Austin. As someone who’s been working from home for over eight years, we were excited to see how she was integrating kneeling chairs into her workday.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, her husband has joined her on the remote work journey. They both have both had been working from some very nice but very flat chairs they had at home but by the end of her workday, her back was always aching because she ends up slouching. She likes those chairs- they look so beautiful, but she was finding herself getting frustrated because it seemed impossible to stop herself from slouching.
This is a very common headspace for people battling back pain- they believe they were born with “bad posture” and can’t help but slouch when in reality, it’s the 90° angle of chairs that makes it nearly impossible to maintain a healthy posture.
Taylor was honest with us about her initial skepticism about the chair. She had really low expectations about how comfortable it would be, specifically on her knees. Initially, she thought her knees would begin to fatigue since they are being pressed into the cushions, but after using the chair she realized that is not at all the case. The cushions are soft and comfortable.
She also assumed when she first tried the kneeling chair that she would feel like she was crammed into the chair but she was once again proven wrong. There is plenty of room for her legs and she particularly loved the width between the knee pads. It makes her feel open and grounded. She also noted that her back feels supported despite there being no backrest.
Over time, Taylor began to enjoy the chair more and more, particularly how it helps keep her aware of where her posture is. Taylor is incredibly active and hits the gym every morning at 5 am so caring for her body is really important to her. She loves that the Austin helps her stay active all day while she works and helps her to remember to stay engaged. She talked to us about how when she uses a regular chair with a backrest it’s easy to lose awareness and sink into ourselves and the chair. This also helps with staying energized throughout the day and being able to fight off that dreaded afternoon energy wall.
She told us, “It allows you to work on yourself while working”, which tbh, should be our new slogan!
Make sure you check out Taylor’s company Sonnies Outside for all your hat and outdoor apparel needs!
We have plenty more Austin Project blogs coming up with so many rad people. Make sure you check out the other issues here! You can also check us out on Instagram for more photos from the Kara Marie Collective and more from our conversation with Angie.
If you’re located in Austin and would like to be featured in future Austin Project blogs, please reach out to us directly at hello@sleekform.com.
You can shop the Austin (version black) here.
The Blonde Austin is returning to the shelves at the end of the month!
