Happy by Design

2: Comfort

We are all acutely aware of how unpleasant it is to be in a state of discomfort. However, in an age where mass production, low-cost materials and image-based advertising are prevalent, comfort is now only one of a large number of considerations within the design of both furniture and buildings.

We often talk of the importance of being ‘comfortable in our own skin’, and the philosophy of mindfulness embodies this ideal, arguing that happiness will come through active engagement with our own physical sensations. If we are uncomfortable, ...