A dedicated study {Review & Giveaway of ErgoStudy}

I grew up using a coffee table as my study table.

Right, it probably didn't work out too badly considering how I miraculously managed to ace my exams up till university. Nonetheless, I remember those days of bending my back till it ached, dozing off on the sofa, being distracted by the TV and burning the midnight oil whenever exams were near. Admittedly, on more days than one, I wished that I had a proper study area, a small space which would belong to me and a place where I would feel motivated to do my revision.

Well, since I couldn't really make this wish come true in time for myself, I wanted to make sure that it came true for my kids. In our previous home, the girls would do their homework on a kids' table or use the dining table from time to time. We didn't really have space to dedicate to them to use as a study, so when we shifted to our new nest, I was over the moon that I finally had the chance to fulfill that childhood dream - set up a dedicated area that has minimal distraction, is quiet and has all the equipment, space and furniture for the sole purpose of studying.  If you haven't read about the tour of our study, be sure to check out our self-designed, custom-made library tree with a handpainted backdrop here.



Thanks to our kind sponsor Gracious Treasures, who waited patiently for over half a year for us to shift into the house, we now have two lovely ergonomic study table and chair sets. In this post, we will be sharing our review of the ErgoStudy T100 set and to thank you for your support in the A Happy Home series, I also have a full set (worth $688) to give away to one lucky reader!

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Review of ErgoStudy T100 set

We've all heard of the word 'ergonomic' but what does it really mean? The word ergonomics is derived from two Greek words: ergon (meaning work) and nomoi (meaning natural laws). It is the science of fitting the work to the individual instead of forcing the individual to fit the work. Ergonomic furniture thereby refers to furniture that helps to provide the user with greater comfort than traditional furniture and in doing so, makes him/her more effective and able to accomplish more.

Source: Cambridge Dictionary

If you are looking for ways to help your child promote good posture, reduce back and neck aches and aid in concentration, a good ergonomic table and chair will be the way to go. We've never owned any piece of ergonomic furniture until now and having let the kids try out the study tables and chairs in the last couple of months, I have to say that we are loving the experience and thankful for the invention of ergonomics.

To share with you something which I find quite unbelievable, while the girls still love to play in their spare time, they've also taken the initiative to suggest that they would like to read, do homework or do their assessment books on some days. I mean, like seriously? Well, of course, I'm just too happy to let them and I'm glad that these two actually look forward to doing school work for now. I think a lot of credit has to go to their functional, appealing and cosy study area - which will not be possible without the ergonomic tables and chairs. Here's sharing why we love our ErgoStudy T100 sets.

 

1) Adjustable height

If you see the table dimensions above, you might notice that the everything comes at a fixed length except for the height - which has a range of values. Yes, this is a table that grows with your child! The height of the tabletop can be adjusted from 55cm all the way to 75cm, which can even fit a grown up over 1.7m comfortably.


To adjust the height, you just have to insert the handle - which is actually an allen key - and turn. It works as a lever to bring the table upwards or downwards and if you think great effort is needed, think again. The girls could easily fit the key in and do the turning all by themselves (not that we need to adjust the height too often)! As you turn and adjust, you can see the recommended heights clearly labelled on the leg of the table, so this makes it easy for you to match the table height to that of your child.



Besides the table, the height of the ergonomic chair can be adjusted too. To accomplish this, you just need to loosen the knob at the back of the chair, pull it outwards and adjust the height before tightening. Likewise, the height markings are clearly visible so it makes for easy reference. In addition, you can also adjust the seat depth and height of the backrest to find the optimal sitting position. This essentially means that every table and chair can be customised to suit your child and his/her growing needs along the years, which I find rather incredible and value for money.



2) Tiltable table

Depending on what activity your child is doing, the table top can be tilted at different angles to best suit it. For the T100, you can tilt the table top from 0° all the way to 60°, so for instance, writing can take place at 0°, reading at 30-45° and painting at 60°. Yes, the table top doesn't have to be flat all the time now, I mean, unless you really prefer it to. To tilt it, all you need to do is pull this lever, which sits just below the table, outwards and then you can either lift the top up and push it down. 

Personally, I like that the kids can angle the table top slightly when they read because it means they don't have to bend over so much and can focus on sitting upright in a relaxed, comfortable position. For the record, Angel lovvveeesss to read - she can finish a Geronimo Stilton book in a day - and thus, I'm really glad that this comes in handy for my little avid reader. While the tilting part is easy and she can do it herself, the only thing is that in order to be tilted, the table must be cleared of all your books, stationery, reading light and stuff. Well, I guess that just gives us all the more reason to keep it neat and tidy, right?



3) High quality laminate

I did my fair share of research on laminates when we were doing the renovation plans for the new house, and I fully well understand that a good laminate makes all the difference to the lifespan of a piece of furniture. The T100 features a formica laminate which is imported from Europe and meets the stringent European E1 safety standard. It has a non-reflective surface and is relatively easy to maintain. What makes me relieved is that it can also be easily wiped clean, which is I do on a regular basis considering how the toddler likes to doodle all over our furniture.

4) Strong and durable

The table and legs are made from medium carbon steel which is durable, lasting and rust-free. When the furniture first arrived at our doorstep, I was also impressed by how sturdy the tables and chairs felt. The design is robust, the construction is solid and there is nothing flimsy or fragile about them. While we've only had these sets for a few months, I am keeping my fingers crossed that they can last us for years and years to come.



5) Large storage space

I was initially choosing between a couple of models and what made me decide on the T100 eventually was the fact that it provided ample storage space. It comes with a bookshelf that also has drawers, pigeonholes and pen holders. The layers of shelves make it easier for your child to be organised and he/she can feel free to display ornaments, photo frames or anything to make the table personalised.


This is one of my favourites - the hidden drawer below the table that gives you so much space for all your stationery! It's nicely tucked under the table so most people don't even realise it's there; but once you pull it out, you realise that you have easy access to all your commonly used stationery like pens, pencils, erasers, markers and so on. This is particularly useful to Ariel, who isn't tall enough to reach high tables or cabinets, and it also teaches her to be more organised and keep her things neatly after using too.



6) Child-friendly design

An ergonomic table and chair designed for usage by children has to firstly be child-friendly in design. The T100 comes with rounded corners (we are very scared of sharp corners ever since Angel fell and had her ear stitched when she was two), secure mechanism and the hand gaps on the table top and drawers help to ensure that your little one's fingers will not get trapped. The table also comes with a black rubber stopper at the ledge, which has markings to act as a ruler, and helps to prevent things from slipping off too.



Accessories

On top of the table and chair, here are two accessories we've been using too. The first is an ergonomic foot rest that comes with adjustable height and angle, and a non-slip design. By letting your child rest his/her feet, this can lead to improved blood circulation and better sitting posture which in turn helps to prevent backaches.



The second is one that we cannot do without and that is a task light. Even though we installed daylight bulbs - which were the brightest we could find - for the ceiling track light in their study, I still find it extremely crucial for them to read and do their work in a brightly lit environment. Thus, they both have their own task lights which they would make sure to turn on whenever the house gets too dim.

So far, we have to say that our ErgoStudy sets from Gracious Treasures have been working great for us and even though they cost much less than those ergonomic ones that are produced in European countries - which can amount to hefty thousands of dollars, they have met, and in fact exceeded, all our expectations of a good ergonomic table and chair.


I'm hoping the study will always be one of our favourite spaces in the house, one that we look forward to studying, learning, writing, reading and bonding in.

To find out more about ergonomic products from Gracious Treasures, visit their website or Facebook page.


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Good news! I have an awesome giveaway for you and yes, I'm giving away an entire ErgoStudy set above! To participate in the giveaway, leave a comment in this post with your name, email address and tell me what you love most about the T100 after reading this. Indicate on the Rafflecopter widget that you have commented and to increase your chances of winning, you can choose to carry out the rest of the options.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway ends on 25 May 2359hrs and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Instagram. The winner will be picked randomly, announced here and contacted via email. Best of luck, people!

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This post is part of the "A Happy Home" series where I share all about our new Scandinavian-themed house, the renovation process and some tips and thoughts. Moving is never easy but it comes with an indescribable sense of joy in building up the house of your dreams. Remember, home is where the heart is and nothing is more important than being able to build memories with the people you love.



Disclosure: This is a sponsored review. We received two sets of ErgoStudy T100 from Gracious Treasures in writing this post. All opinions are our own.