Otis Bentwood Office Chair: Walnut Frame, Tilt Lock and a Year's Guarantee
By Furniture1002 min read
The Otis is the Orion's more mechanical sibling. Same idea, a curved walnut bentwood frame wrapped around an upholstered seat, but with a tilt lock, a tension knob and a mid-back profile that gives more support higher up. It is the walnut chair for someone who leans back to think.
What it is
A mid-back desk chair on a five-point swivel base with a pneumatic gas lift. The frame is curved walnut wood, and the upholstery is a glossy, smooth finish the maker calls LeatherSoft, which wipes clean and catches the light.
The mechanism is what sets it apart from the rest of our walnut chairs. A tilt lock lets you rock back or hold the chair upright, and a tension adjustment knob sets how hard you have to lean before it gives. That is the difference between a chair that rocks at the slightest shift and one that only moves when you mean it to.
The product page states a one year guarantee. It arrives flat-packed with fittings and fixings included.
Who it suits
Anyone who spends long hours at a desk and wants to change position through the day. The mid-back profile is aimed at the mid and upper back rather than just the lumbar, so it supports someone who sits tall. The tilt lets you lean back for a call and lock upright for typing.
It has the same walnut warmth as the Orion, so it suits the same rooms: a spare bedroom office, a living room desk, anywhere the chair is on show.
Otis or Orion
Both are walnut shell chairs. The choice is about the mechanism.
- Orion: armless, fixed back angle, the lightest silhouette, tucks fully under a desk.
- Otis: tilt lock and tension adjustment, mid-back support, glossier finish.
If you lean back, the Otis. If you sit forward and want the chair to disappear under the desk, the Orion.
White or black
The walnut frame is the same on both. White is the one that shows the frame off, bright against the wood, and suits a light room. Black is the quieter choice and sits well with a dark desk.
Living with it
The smooth upholstery wipes with a damp cloth. The walnut frame wants a dust. Assembly is required; fittings come in the box.
Find yours
Free UK delivery and 30-day returns.
See the Otis in white or black. For the other bentwood chair in the range, with arms, see the Dexter. Or read how to choose a home office chair that looks like furniture and browse the office chairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tilt lock?
A lever that lets the chair rock back when unlocked and holds it upright when locked. The Otis pairs it with a tension knob, so you can set how much resistance the rock has before it gives. It means one chair suits someone who likes to lean and someone who likes to sit straight.
Is the Otis height adjustable?
Yes, on a pneumatic gas lift, with a 360 degree swivel seat.
What is the difference between the Otis and the Orion?
Both have a curved walnut frame. The Orion is armless with a fixed back angle. The Otis has a tilt lock and tension adjustment, a mid-back profile aimed at the mid and upper back, and a glossier upholstery. If you want to lean back at your desk, the Otis; if you want the lightest silhouette, the Orion.
Does it come with a guarantee?
The product page states a one year guarantee. It arrives flat-packed with fittings and fixings included and needs assembling.
White or black?
The frame is walnut on both. White is the brighter, more Scandinavian look and shows the frame off against it. Black is the quieter one and suits a darker desk or a room with black metal elsewhere.
