John Lewis says this piece of furniture is going to be big in 2018

If 2017 was all about drinks trolleys, TV units and mini 'snuggler' sofas, then what, we hear you ask, will be the hero pieces of furniture for 2018? Well, if you're a fan of an afternoon snooze or curling up with a good book you're in luck. According to John Lewis, 2018 is going to be the year of the rocking chair.

Synonymous with new mothers cradling babies and elderly grandparents with a penchant for Werther's Originals, the rocker is already seeing a surge in popularity. John Lewis has reported a 16 per cent increase in sales of indoor chairs through 2017, while outdoor rocking chairs purchases grew 10 per cent.

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It's fair to say that rocking chairs have been – fittingly – moving forward and then rocking back out of fashion ever since their introduction back in 1710. In the last decade pieces like Eames' plastic moulded rocking chair and Ercol's Originals seat have helped promote their cause as a stylish piece of furniture, and now brand-new designs are literally rocking our world.

'We have seen an increase in customers buying occasional chairs that make a space flexible and informal, perfect for relaxing and entertaining,' says Vicky Angell, outdoor buyer at John Lewis. 'Customers are enjoying mixing and matching and are becoming less of a slave to conventional furniture sets, instead playing with contrasting shapes, colours and materials.'

The biggest seller at the department store this year has been the Sitting Firm rocking chair. Made of solid British Ash & Elm for the John Lewis Croft Collection, each one is hand-crafted by Dave Green's team at the Sitting Firm workshop in Coventry.

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Next year is also all about bringing rocking chairs out in the open. 'We're going to be selling more than 50 per cent more outdoor rocking chairs in 2018,' Vicky confidently predicts. 'We plan to introduce a new rocking chair made from traditional wood, with a modern woven seat made using fisherman's rope. It's perfect piece to make a statement but also to curl up with a good book and enjoy the great British weather.'