Newport 30 Inch Black Canvas Bar Height Directors Chair - Black Frame

You get what you pay for

As the manager of a rental stage for film and video productions, we provide amenities for our clients, such directors chairs. The price for 30" and 18" chairs through Hayneedle seeme...Read complete review

As the manager of a rental stage for film and video productions, we provide amenities for our clients, such directors chairs. The price for 30" and 18" chairs through Hayneedle seemed like the deal of the century; the specs fit our bill, so I ordered six standard and six tall chairs.

Upon delivery of the chairs, I immediately tired to assemble a tall chair. I was a bit baffled by the footrest--it came separately, and it had a large screw and washer on one end and a drilled hole with an independent metal peg for the other end. The high directors chairs I have used in the past had footrests that were attached on one chair leg and swung free onto an affixed peg or ledge on the other leg. This way, the chairs can be quickly picked up, folded, and stored in an instant.

After reading the simple directions, I realized the footrest had to be screwed on (no big deal), but I had to lay the chair on the floor and press my weight against it in order to made the hole and pin match up. Once the pin was in flush with the leg, it could not be removed, therefore preventing the chair from being folded. No storage capability. Fortunately, my handy stage manager had some pins with heads on one end. He drilled out the holes to accommodate the pins, then he attached them to the legs with nylon-coated wire to prevent them from getting lost and to easily pull the pins from the legs. Storage and portability is important, so I probably would not have purchased these had I been aware of the foot rest issue. Otherwise, they are attractive, fairly sturdy, and they are comfortable.

The 18" chair are great--they are solid and comfortable, plus the price is right.