Variable™

Peter Opsvik, 1979

Variable™ is the original kneeling chair and has set the standard for chairs within the category. Variable™ is designed to enhance your sense of wellbeing while seated. It is an ideal companion for longer work and study sessions, or whenever you need to stay seated for longer periods of time. It follows your body’s natural movements, and allows you to switch between kneeling and more traditional postures. Based on the balans® concept, its tilted seat relieves pressure on the lower back and reduces tension in the neck and shoulders. Variable™ is free from mechanical adjustment parts, making it intuitive to use, lightweight and easy to move around.

Discover a new way of sitting with Variable™

The curved runners of the kneeling chair allow for gentle rocking motions, while the tilted seat enables an open hip angle. This allows the spine to adopt the natural curve it has when we stand upright, also while seated. The two cushions beneath the seat can be used to rest your shins, one foot, both or neither, by placing both feet on the ground. With its minimalist design, the chair invites the whole body to move and every shift of weight will provide movement to a new angle.


Variable™ promotes an active way of sitting, so vary positions frequently throughout the day and have fun with it. Lean forward, stretch out, and let the chair follow your body's natural movements.

Variable™ promotes subtle movements while seated, where the kneeling posture is just one of many. Read on to discover the ergonomic benefits of the original kneeling chair.

Want your new chair as soon as possible? These configurations are in stock and are ready to ship.

Chair Measurement:

W 52 cm x D 72 cm x H 51 cm

Box Measurement:

H 10,5 cm x L 73,2 cm x W 54 cm

Weight incl box:

6,3 kg

Variable™ is made from beech plywood. The plywood is treated through an iterative molding process where several veneer layers are combined and glued. Through the application of combined heat and pressure, the layers are given their characteristic shape. All wooden parts are flexible and strong, ensuring a sitting experience that is never static. For a beautiful and durable finish, our plywood is covered with an ash top veneer, manually sanded and coated with water-based lacquers.

  • Variable™ is intended for use by standard height tables.
  • Home office, Office, Work space

Peter Opsvik

Peter Opsvik is a Norwegian industrial designer born in 1939, trained at the Bergen College of Applied Art and the Norwegian State College of Applied Art in Oslo. Opsvik has worked as a freelance industrial designer since 1970, and currently has his own design studio in Oslo, where he works with seven colleagues focusing on product design as a mean for solving real-life problems. Throughout his career, Opsvik has attempted to overcome our stereotypical sitting habits with his unconventional seating solutions. With a playful and human starting point, his work is a display of how norms of sitting nicely and sitting still can be broken.

A kneeling chair is definitely an eye-catching piece of furniture, but is it actually good for you? Read on to discover the key features and benefits a kneeling chair has to offer.

Read more

Choose between a range of wood finishes and different fabrics. Configure Variable™ to suit your space and style.