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Lounge

A lounge is a designated space designed for relaxation, casual socializing, and waiting, typically featuring comfortable seating, ambient lighting, and sometimes refreshments.^[1] These areas appear in various settings, including public venues like hotels, airports, theaters, and clubs, as well as private homes where, particularly in British English, the term often refers to the principal room for family gatherings and receiving guests, akin to a living room.^[2] The concept emphasizes leisure and comfort, distinguishing it from more formal or functional rooms.^[3] The word "lounge" entered English in the early 16th century as a verb meaning to recline or move lazily, likely derived from the French phrase s'allonger, "to stretch out," which itself stems from Latin roots implying elongation or lengthening.^[4] By the late 18th century, it had developed into a noun denoting a place for such idle relaxation, initially applied to informal seating areas in homes or public houses before expanding to modern interpretations.^[5] This evolution reflects broader cultural shifts toward valuing leisure, influenced by the Industrial Revolution's emphasis on domestic comfort and post-19th-century ideas of personal repose.^[6] In domestic architecture, lounges trace their roots to the parlors and drawing rooms of the 18th and 19th centuries, which served as semi-formal spaces for entertaining but gradually became more relaxed and multifunctional by the early 20th century, incorporating elements like sofas, fireplaces, and media for everyday use.^[7] Public lounges, by contrast, emerged later as amenities for travelers and patrons; for instance, the first airport lounge opened in 1939 as the American Airlines Admirals Club at New York's LaGuardia Airport, offering an exclusive retreat from terminal crowds for frequent flyers.^[8] Today, lounges vary widely—from upscale cocktail lounges in hotels, which blend bar culture with seating for conversation, to minimalist residents' lounges in modern apartment complexes that foster community without sacrificing privacy.^[9]^[10]

Etymology and History

Origins of the Term

The term "lounge" first appeared as a verb around 1500 in Scottish English, denoting to loll idly, recline lazily, or move indolently, reflecting a sense of idle relaxation or leisurely sauntering.^[4] Its etymology is uncertain but is commonly traced to the French phrase s'allonger, meaning "to stretch out" or "lie at full length," derived from Old French alongier ("to lengthen") and ultimately from Latin longus ("long").^[4] This French influence aligns with the word's adoption into English during the 16th century, evolving from connotations of physical reclining to broader ideas of lazy repose by the early 18th century in British usage.^[4] As a noun, "lounge" initially referred to a place for gathering or a leisurely pastime by 1775, with the sense of the "act of lounging" recorded in 1806.^[4] By 1830, it denoted a couch designed for reclining at full length, and the term extended to public spaces like hotel waiting areas in the early 19th century, providing areas for casual relaxation distinct from more formal rooms.^[4] The primary modern definitions encompass the verb form—to relax or move lazily—and the noun forms: a room or area dedicated to relaxation, often in public or domestic settings, or a style of informal socializing emphasizing comfort and idleness.^[3] In the late 19th century, by 1881, "lounge" referred to a comfortable drawing room suited for relaxation.^[4] This usage formalized the term's architectural application, transforming it from mere idle behavior into a structured environment for leisurely reclining and casual social interaction.

Evolution Through the 20th Century

In the 1920s and 1930s, the concept of lounge spaces gained prominence in the United States through the proliferation of Art Deco-style lounges in hotels and private clubs, often evolving from the clandestine speakeasies of the Prohibition era (1920–1933).^[11] These establishments, characterized by glamorous interiors and live jazz performances, transformed illegal drinking dens into sophisticated social hubs that attracted a diverse clientele, including flappers and affluent patrons seeking escapism amid economic uncertainty.^[12] The influence of Art Deco design, with its geometric patterns and luxurious materials, further elevated these spaces as symbols of modernity and rebellion.^[12] Following World War II, the suburban boom in the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s integrated lounge areas into residential architecture, reflecting mid-century modern principles that emphasized open-plan living. This shift was driven by the GI Bill's promotion of homeownership and a growing middle class, leading to homes where formal living rooms blended seamlessly with dining and relaxation zones to foster family interaction.^[13] Architect Frank Lloyd Wright's earlier Usonian designs, developed from the 1930s onward, profoundly influenced this trend by advocating for fluid, nature-integrated spaces that eliminated rigid room divisions, inspiring postwar builders to create multifunctional lounges suited to suburban lifestyles.^[14] Globally, Japan adapted Western lounge concepts in the 1950s through the rise of kissaten cafes, which combined coffee house aesthetics with jazz listening rooms, providing relaxed social environments amid postwar reconstruction and American cultural influx.^[15] The 1960s counterculture movement in the United States marked a pivot toward informal lounges, evident in hippie communes where shared living spaces served as communal areas for relaxation, discussion, and psychedelic experiences. These settings, often featuring low seating like couches and floor cushions, rejected formal Victorian parlors in favor of egalitarian, bohemian environments that embodied anti-establishment ideals of peace and free love.^[16] In urban centers like San Francisco, psychedelic clubs such as the Fillmore Auditorium and Avalon Ballroom functioned as immersive lounge-like venues, with dim lighting, projections, and extended jam sessions creating spaces for collective introspection and dancing.^[17]^[18] By the 1980s, formal lounges experienced a decline in popularity due to the rise of home entertainment systems, including televisions, VCRs, and video games, which encouraged private leisure over public socializing. Anti-drunk driving campaigns and rising liability insurance costs further diminished cocktail lounges as restaurant staples, shifting consumer preferences toward casual dining and domestic comfort.^[19] However, the 1990s saw a revival in luxury hospitality, with upscale hotel lounges reemerging as exclusive destinations featuring craft cocktails and designer interiors to cater to affluent travelers and urban professionals.^[20] This resurgence was exemplified by innovative properties like those designed by Ian Schrager, which blended minimalist aesthetics with vibrant bar scenes to redefine high-end relaxation.^[20]

Architectural and Design Aspects

Residential Lounges

Residential lounges serve as dedicated spaces within private homes primarily for relaxation and informal social interactions, featuring core design elements such as comfortable seating options like sofas and armchairs, soft ambient lighting from table lamps or recessed fixtures, and multifunctional layouts that accommodate activities ranging from reading to casual gatherings. These elements prioritize comfort and versatility, allowing the space to adapt to individual or family needs without the formal rigidity of other rooms. Unlike more utilitarian areas, lounges emphasize leisure, creating an inviting atmosphere through plush textiles and ergonomic furniture arrangements.^[21] In early 20th-century designs, lounges and living rooms both evolved as informal, multi-purpose spaces from more formal parlors, reflecting a shift toward casual domestic environments. In Edwardian homes (1901–1910), this manifested through the inclusion of chaise longues in private sitting areas like boudoirs, which provided elongated seating for reclining and reading, underscoring the era's shift toward lighter, more airy interiors compared to the heavier Victorian parlors. This evolution reflected broader 20th-century trends toward informal domestic spaces.^[22]^[23] In contemporary adaptations since the 2010s, residential lounges have integrated smart home technologies, such as app-controlled ambient lighting systems that adjust color and intensity to mimic natural daylight cycles, enhancing mood and energy efficiency. Sustainable materials, including recycled fabrics for upholstery and low-VOC paints, have also gained prominence, aligning with eco-conscious design principles that reduce environmental impact while maintaining aesthetic appeal. These innovations transform lounges into dynamic wellness hubs tailored to modern lifestyles. As of 2025, trends include layered textures, jewel tones, and sculptural furniture to create cozy, personalized spaces.^[24]^[25]^[26] Cultural variations influence lounge designs, with Australian homes often featuring spacious, open-plan lounges that leverage abundant land for expansive seating and natural airflow, contrasting with the compact, multifunctional setups in European urban apartments where space constraints favor modular furniture and vertical storage. These differences stem from geographic and socioeconomic factors, such as Australia's suburban sprawl versus Europe's dense city living.^[27]^[28] Well-designed residential lounges offer psychological benefits, including stress reduction and promotion of relaxation through calming layouts, soft lighting, and comfortable furnishings, as supported by research in environmental psychology. Such environments contribute to emotional well-being by providing spaces for decompression.^[29]^[30]

Public and Commercial Lounges

Public and commercial lounges encompass shared spaces in hospitality, corporate, and retail settings, designed to facilitate relaxation, interaction, and extended engagement while prioritizing functionality and user experience. In hotel lobbies and bar lounges, post-2000s designs have emphasized experiential elements, incorporating multisensory marketing to engage sight, sound, scent, touch, and taste for enhanced guest satisfaction and loyalty.^[31] For instance, boutique hotels like the Baccarat Hotel employ signature fragrances such as 540 Celsius to create memorable atmospheres, while ambient sounds and biophilic elements promote relaxation.^[31] Features such as modular seating allow for flexible configurations to accommodate groups or individuals, and acoustic panels absorb noise to ensure privacy and comfort in open layouts, as seen in designs by firms like Unika Vaev for hospitality venues.^[32] Office lounges have evolved from utilitarian break rooms into collaborative hubs, particularly in open-plan workplaces during the 2010s, driven by the need to foster creativity and social interaction amid rising remote work trends.^[33] Early iterations featured basic amenities like coffee stations, but by the mid-2010s, Silicon Valley influences introduced comfortable, residential-style seating, recreational elements such as pool tables, and greenery to encourage informal meetings and well-being.^[33] The hybrid work model post-2020 has further amplified this shift, with lounges incorporating technology for virtual connectivity and flexible layouts to support both in-person and remote collaboration, boosting employee productivity and retention.^[33] In retail environments, VIP lounges in high-end stores and luxury malls emerged prominently in the 1990s as tools for customer retention, offering exclusive access to personalize the shopping experience and counter brand dilution from mass markets.^[34] Brands like Burberry prioritized such spaces starting in the mid-2000s to rebuild exclusivity, providing private styling sessions and curated previews that enhance client loyalty and spending.^[34]^[35] These areas typically feature plush seating, personalized service counters, and serene aesthetics to extend dwell time and loyalty, as evidenced in flagship stores where VIP zones account for a significant portion of sales.^[35] Accessibility standards have shaped public lounge designs since the 1990s, with the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandating features like wide aisles, adjustable-height seating, and ramped access in commercial spaces to ensure equitable use.^[36] In the European Union, universal design principles—formalized through initiatives like the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design—extend this by promoting inclusive layouts in public areas, including lounges with tactile signage, ample maneuvering space, and varied seating options for diverse users, regardless of ability.^[37] These guidelines emphasize seven core principles, such as equitable use and simple intuition, to minimize barriers in hospitality and retail settings.^[38] Sustainability has become integral to commercial lounge design in the 2020s, with LEED-certified spaces incorporating energy-efficient materials like recycled fabrics and low-VOC finishes to reduce environmental impact while maintaining aesthetic appeal.^[39] For example, LEED Gold-rated office lounges, such as those in hotel-inspired workplaces, use LED lighting and modular, reusable furnishings to achieve approximately 25% energy savings over non-certified equivalents.^[40] In hospitality and retail, projects like the Miyako Hotel in Plano integrate sustainable elements into lobby lounges, aligning with broader goals of water conservation and indoor air quality enhancement.^[41]

Entertainment and Media

Lounge Music and Genres

Lounge music emerged in the 1950s as a subset of easy listening, particularly through the exotica genre, which incorporated world music elements like Polynesian and Latin rhythms to evoke escapist, tropical atmospheres in tiki lounges. Pioneering artists such as Martin Denny and Les Baxter defined this era with orchestral arrangements featuring exotic percussion, bird calls, and vibraphones, as heard in Denny's 1957 album Exotica and Baxter's Ritual of the Savage (1951), creating a soothing backdrop for post-war leisure spaces.^[42] By the 1960s and 1970s, lounge music evolved into space age pop and bachelor pad styles, emphasizing futuristic and sophisticated sounds for urban cocktail lounges and hi-fi enthusiasts. These subgenres highlighted vibraphones, theremins, and lush orchestral swells, with composers like Juan García Esquivel employing idiosyncratic arrangements and space-themed motifs to capture mid-century optimism, as exemplified in Esquivel's Exploring New Sounds (1958) and compilations like Space Age Bachelor Pad Music.^[43] A notable revival occurred in the 1990s with loungecore, which reinterpreted vintage easy listening through ironic and retro aesthetics, alongside downtempo electronica that fused chill-out vibes with electronic production. Labels like Studio !K7 played a key role, releasing influential compilations such as Kruder & Dorfmeister's The K&D Sessions (1998), which remixed tracks into relaxed, groove-oriented downtempo sets blending jazz, dub, and ambient elements for modern lounge settings.^[44] Central to lounge music across its forms are relaxed tempos typically ranging from 60 to 90 beats per minute, smooth instrumentation like brushed drums, upright bass, and woodwinds, and influences from bossa nova's syncopated rhythms and cool jazz's improvisational subtlety. These traits foster a mellow, conversational ambiance, evident in the genre's fusion of samba-derived grooves from bossa nova artists like João Gilberto with the harmonic sophistication of jazz standards adapted for lounge playback.^[45] In the 2020s, lounge music has adapted to digital streaming through lo-fi lounge playlists that merge ambient textures, chillwave's hazy synths, and low-fidelity production for remote work and relaxation, extending the genre's chill-out legacy into everyday digital rituals. Platforms curate these as study or unwind sessions, drawing from trip-hop's enduring influence on lo-fi hip-hop streams to maintain lounge's core ethos of unobtrusive sophistication.^[46]

Lounge in Performing Arts and Media

In film, lounge settings have been prominently featured in 1960s spy thrillers, where they serve as backdrops for intrigue and seduction, exemplified by the casino and bar scenes in James Bond films such as Dr. No (1962) and Goldfinger (1964). These sequences often depict opulent lounges as hubs of high-stakes gambling and clandestine encounters, enhancing the genre's atmosphere of glamour and danger.^[47]^[48] Television representations of lounges have evolved from domestic family spaces in 1970s sitcoms to luxurious resort environments in contemporary streaming series. In The Brady Bunch (1969–1974), the sunken living room functions as a central lounge area for family interactions, complete with a bar cart in select episodes that underscores casual leisure. This contrasts with modern shows like The White Lotus (2021–present), where resort lounges highlight themes of wealth, tension, and indulgence amid tropical settings.^[49]^[50] In theater and cabaret, lounge-style performances emerged in off-Broadway venues during the 1980s, characterized by intimate staging and direct audience interaction to foster a conversational, nightclub-like experience. This period marked a "golden age" of cabaret revival in New York, with small theaters and supper clubs hosting solo acts and revues that blurred the lines between performers and patrons.^[51]^[52] Digital media has extended lounge concepts into virtual realms, as seen in video games like Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), where the Afterlife bar serves as a neon-lit hub for mercenaries to unwind, negotiate gigs, and immerse in Night City's underworld culture. Post-2020 metaverse platforms have further popularized virtual lounges, such as J.P. Morgan's branded space in Decentraland, designed for social networking and relaxed digital gatherings.^[53]^[54] Lounges in performing arts and media often symbolize escapism, providing viewers with idealized spaces of leisure amid postmodern narratives of detachment and fantasy, as explored in film studies examining recreational sites in late-20th and early-21st-century cinema.^[55]

Fashion and Lifestyle

Loungewear and Apparel

Loungewear encompasses comfortable, versatile clothing intended for relaxation and casual home use, distinct from sleepwear by its suitability for light activities. It typically features soft, breathable fabrics such as modal derived from beech tree pulp for its silky texture and moisture-wicking properties, cashmere for luxurious warmth, and cotton or bamboo for everyday softness. Common types include pajamas with loose silhouettes, robes offering full coverage and ease, and tracksuits designed for lounging with elastic waists and relaxed fits to prioritize unrestricted movement.^[56]^[57]^[58]^[59] The historical development of loungewear traces back to the 1920s, when silk lounging pajamas became popular among women, featuring wide-legged trousers that symbolized a shift toward more liberated, at-home attire influenced by oriental aesthetics and flapper culture. These early designs emphasized elegance and comfort for daytime lounging, evolving through mid-century iterations that incorporated synthetic blends for affordability. By the 2010s, loungewear had transitioned into unisex athleisure, blending athletic performance fabrics with casual styles to create hybrid garments wearable beyond the home, driven by wellness trends and the blurring of gym-to-street fashion boundaries.^[60]^[61]^[62]^[63] Innovations in sustainable loungewear have gained prominence, exemplified by Everlane's organic cotton collections launched since the brand's founding in 2010, which use certified materials to reduce environmental impact through lower water and pesticide usage. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated market growth, with the global sleepwear and loungewear sector registering a 5.28% year-over-year increase in 2021 and projected to grow by USD 36.46 billion from 2025-2029 at a CAGR of 10.4%. Functionally, modern loungewear emphasizes breathability—often measured by fabric permeability ratings in materials like modal—and ergonomic elements, such as wide-leg pants with adjustable drawstrings that promote mobility and reduce pressure points for prolonged wear. As of 2025, innovations include smart loungewear with embedded sensors for health monitoring, aligning with rising wellness demands.^[64]^[65]^[66]^[67]^[68]^[69]^[70]^[71] In the 2020s, loungewear has increasingly embraced gender inclusivity through non-binary designs that avoid traditional gendered silhouettes, with brands like TomboyX offering unisex pieces in neutral palettes and versatile cuts suitable for all identities. This shift parallels the rise of adaptive loungewear, which incorporates features like magnetic closures, adjustable waistbands, and stretch fabrics to accommodate diverse body types, including those with disabilities or varying mobilities, ensuring greater accessibility and comfort.^[72]^[73]^[74]^[75] Lounge culture encompasses a range of social rituals centered on relaxation and interpersonal connection, often involving informal conversations and group unwinding in dedicated spaces. In residential settings, these rituals typically include removing shoes upon entry to maintain cleanliness and respect for the host's environment, a practice that signals transition into a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Guests engage in casual dialogue about daily life or shared interests, fostering bonds through unhurried pacing, with hosts providing light refreshments to sustain the gathering. This etiquette emphasizes comfort over formality, allowing participants to recline on sofas or cushions while minimizing disruptions like tracked dirt.^[76] Subcultures within lounge practices highlight evolving social dynamics across eras. In the 1950s, American cocktail lounges served as hubs for mixed-gender socializing, where post-World War II prosperity encouraged evening gatherings with meticulously prepared drinks like martinis, promoting lively conversations and leisure as symbols of affluence. These spaces facilitated networking and flirtation in a ritualized setting complete with home bars and specialized glassware. By the 2020s, digital subcultures have emerged, with online communities such as Discord servers acting as virtual lounges for casual hangouts, voice chats, and shared activities among global users seeking low-pressure interaction.^[77]^[78] Health and wellness dimensions of lounging gained prominence in the 2010s through practices like hygge, a Danish tradition emphasizing coziness and mindfulness to combat stress. Hygge involves creating serene environments for reading, sipping warm beverages, or simply resting under blankets, promoting mental recharge by unplugging from digital distractions and prioritizing present-moment awareness. This trend aligns with broader wellness movements, viewing intentional lounging as essential for emotional balance and reducing burnout.^[79] Global variations in lounge culture reflect diverse communal norms. In Middle Eastern traditions, the majlis functions as a dedicated seating area for group gatherings, where participants share stories, folk songs, and Nabati poetry on floor cushions, strengthening community ties through oral heritage transmission and dispute resolution led by elders. This contrasts with contemporary American practices, often featuring solo lounging such as reclining alone to watch Netflix, a solitary form of unwinding that has risen amid increasing loneliness, with surveys indicating Americans spend more time isolated in home spaces.^[80]^[81] The advent of smartphones since the 2010s has profoundly impacted lounge culture, shifting patterns toward hybrid physical-digital experiences and reducing pure face-to-face engagement. Studies show that smartphone presence during in-person interactions heightens distraction and diminishes enjoyment, with participants reporting lower satisfaction when devices are nearby during meals or conversations. Daily smartphone communication often displaces face-to-face time, correlating negatively within individuals (r = -0.32), though mindfulness interventions can mitigate this by curbing device use and enhancing relational well-being. This technological influence has blurred traditional lounging boundaries, blending online chats with occasional in-person meetups in community servers.^[82]^[83]

Transportation and Specialized Uses

Travel Lounges

Travel lounges in transportation hubs provide premium waiting areas for passengers, offering respite from crowded terminals through enhanced comfort and services. Airport lounges, in particular, grant access to eligible travelers via airline status, premium cabin bookings, or independent memberships such as Priority Pass, which was established in 1992 to deliver worldwide lounge access independent of specific carriers.^[84] These facilities typically feature amenities like complimentary buffets with hot and cold options, shower suites equipped with toiletries, high-speed Wi-Fi, workspaces, and full bars to facilitate relaxation or productivity during layovers.^[85] Major hubs exemplify excellence in this domain; Singapore Changi Airport, operational since 1981, sets benchmarks with its expansive, innovative lounges that integrate local cuisine, wellness areas, and seamless connectivity, handling over 68 million passengers annually pre-pandemic; in 2024, it handled 67.7 million passengers, recovering to 99% of 2019 levels.^[86]^[87] Train and cruise ship lounges extend similar exclusivity tailored to their modes of travel. Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounges, with roots in the 1990s through predecessor facilities, offer first-class and sleeping car passengers dedicated spaces at key stations like Chicago Union Station, including complimentary snacks, beverages, priority boarding, and shower access.^[88] In contrast, luxury cruise observation lounges emphasize scenic immersion, such as those on Silversea vessels featuring panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, open-air decks for unobstructed views, and curated bars serving destination-inspired cocktails to enhance the voyaging experience.^[89] Operational models for travel lounges prioritize accessibility and revenue diversification. Airline alliances like Star Alliance, founded in 1997, enable shared lounge access for Gold-tier members across over 1,000 facilities worldwide, allowing seamless use regardless of the operating carrier.^[90] To broaden reach, many lounges sell day passes to non-flying visitors or economy passengers, typically priced at $35 to $75, providing temporary entry to amenities without membership requirements.^[91] The COVID-19 pandemic prompted lasting adaptations in lounge operations, focusing on health and passenger well-being. Enhanced hygiene protocols, including frequent disinfection of high-touch surfaces and mandatory sanitization stations, became standard to rebuild traveler confidence.^[92] Capacity limits were imposed to enforce social distancing, often reducing seating by 20-50% and requiring reservations in peak periods.^[93] Additionally, quiet zones and sensory-friendly areas proliferated in lounges and adjacent terminal spaces, offering noise-reduced environments with dimmed lighting and comfortable pods for rest, catering to neurodiverse needs and post-pandemic fatigue.^[94] Economically, travel lounges represent a vital ancillary revenue stream for airlines and operators, with lounge access fees and related partnerships contributing substantially to profitability. For instance, Delta Air Lines generated $1.104 billion from lounge-related income in recent years, forming part of the broader ancillary sector that accounts for 10-15% of total airline revenues amid recovering demand in the 2020s.^[95]

Furniture and Vehicle Interiors

The chaise longue, often anglicized as chaise lounge, originated in 16th-century France as a luxurious reclining chair designed for the aristocracy to rest or read while maintaining an upright posture for one arm.^[96] Crafted initially from wood with upholstered cushions, it symbolized status and leisure, evolving from earlier ancient designs but gaining prominence in French Renaissance interiors.^[97] In modern iterations, chaise longues incorporate ergonomic principles with adjustable reclining mechanisms, often powered by electric motors or manual levers, to support varied positions for relaxation or work. These features enhance spinal alignment and circulation, making them suitable for prolonged use in contemporary settings.^[98] Standalone lounge furniture, such as modular chairs, has become integral to office environments, allowing reconfiguration for collaborative or individual relaxation spaces. The Eames Lounge Chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1956 and produced by Herman Miller, exemplifies this with its molded plywood shell, leather upholstery, and angled form that prioritizes comfort without sacrificing aesthetics.^[99] This design influenced subsequent modular systems by emphasizing scalability and human-centered ergonomics, seen in adaptable office pieces that stack or pivot for flexible layouts.^[100] In rail transportation, lounge cars emerged as specialized observation vehicles in the 1930s, featuring swivel seats that allowed passengers to face panoramic windows during long journeys on U.S. streamliner trains.^[101] These cars, prominent through the 1950s, provided social hubs with plush seating and bar services, enhancing the luxury of cross-country travel on lines like the Santa Fe Super Chief.^[102] Amtrak's Superliner series, introduced in the 1970s but refined in subsequent decades, continued this tradition with bi-level lounge cars offering swivel seating on the upper deck for unobstructed views.^[103] Automotive interiors have integrated lounge-like features in luxury vehicles since the 2010s, particularly in rear seats designed for executive comfort. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, for instance, introduced "lounge modes" in models like the W222 (2013–2020), where rear seats recline with integrated massage functions using pneumatic bladders to simulate kneading or pulsing therapies.^[104] These systems, controlled via touchscreens, extend legroom and include calf rests, transforming the cabin into a mobile relaxation area during chauffeured drives.^[105] Material innovations in vehicle lounge seating post-2000 emphasize durability, comfort, and safety. Leather upholstery, prized for its breathability and premium feel, remains standard in high-end interiors, often treated for resistance to wear and UV damage.^[106] Memory foam, derived from NASA's 1960s viscoelastic technology, was adapted for automotive seats in the early 2000s to provide contouring support that reduces pressure points on long trips.^[107] Safety integrations, such as side-impact airbags embedded in seat bolsters, became widespread after 2000, deploying from the foam structure to protect occupants without compromising the lounge aesthetic.^[108]

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a room in a hotel, airport, theater, etc. where people can relax or wait: an airport lounge, a cocktail lounge.
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At Unika Vaev, we excel in elevating hospitality spaces by specializing in acoustic solutions that address ambiance, functionality, and noise management.
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[PDF] An Exploration of the Form and Function of 'Third Space' Within the ...
It was interesting to note that, around a quarter (27%) of the flagship stores had a closed/exclusive area reserved for VIP clients and celebrities.
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Mar 14, 2014 · This document sets guidelines for accessibility to places of public accommodation and commercial facilities by individuals with disabilities.
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[PDF] Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach
Facilities such as common rooms, lounges, and refreshment areas in buildings, such as professional institutions and other establishments, should be accessible.
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Aug 6, 2024 · It fosters the creation of spaces that work for everyone, minimizing the need for adaptations or specialized design.
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Exotica is a form of easy-listening lounge music that draws upon world music ... exotica artists include Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Esquivel, and Yma Sumac.
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Space Age Pop is a style of '50s and '60s easy listening that was preoccupied with the future. It incorporated exotic electronic instruments like the theramin.
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A legendary spot for legendary mercs, the Afterlife is one of the city's most unique bars. It was originally a mortuary, and was ...
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Virtual reality, metaverse platforms, and the future of higher education
Aug 19, 2022 · Over the past few months, Disney hired a metaverse executive, J.P. Morgan opened a virtual lounge in Decentraland, Epic Games and Lego partnered ...
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4.5 17K · 30-day returns3 Pack Women's Wide Leg Pants with Pockets - Casual Loose Yoga Trouser Pants Sweatpants Palazzo Lounge Pajama Pants
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Majlis, a cultural and social space
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Americans are lonelier than ever - and 'Netflix and chill' homes are ...
or 15 percent — from the numbers in 2012 ...
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Our Story - Priority Pass
Priority Pass was established in 1992 with the goal of providing air travelers with airport lounge access. ... Over 30 years ago our founder watched premium-class ...
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Jul 5, 2025 · Food is offered, both buffet and a la carte dining. And a very well-stocked bar. Great restrooms/showers and sleeping area. This is a lounge ...
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Observation Lounge - Silversea
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Dec 14, 2020 · To align with ongoing travel changes, Plaza Premium Group has reinforced its hygiene protocols ... 19 million capacity to Frankfurt Airport.
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How Airline Lounges Will Change Because of the COVID-19 ...
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Airport lounges are big business — they bring in loads of cash
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The History. The modern chaise longue that we are commonly accustomed to was first popularised during the 16th Century in France. These chaises provided a ...
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May 8, 2022 · A blend of traditional lounge club style with contemporary materials and innovative manufacturing made the Eames Lounge Chair a timeless classic.
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Aug 29, 2024 · The lounge car features plenty of relaxation, typically boasting swiveled-chair seating and large windows for excellent panoramic views.Missing: swivel Superliner
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29 Photos Of The Glamorous Mid-Century Streamliner Trains
Nov 16, 2020 · The Santa Fe Chief featured full-length dome cars instead of the Super Chief's smaller Pleasure Dome Lounge Car, which ran first on El ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Jan 6, 2022 · Lounge Car Layout ... This lounge is open to all train passengers, with tables, swivel seats and stationary cushioned seats that face the windows.
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Sep 23, 2013 · The optionally-available individual reclining seats in the rear are pretty much first class, with hot stone massage function and a business center console.
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The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Aug 6, 2021 · A massage function is also available. The massage programs for the rear seats include: Classic Massage, Workout back and Wave massage. The ...
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Apr 27, 2023 · Leather is a highly popular car seat material that most car owners want in their vehicles. It has an elegant look and is highly durable, so it's ideal for ...Missing: airbags 2000
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Airbags - IIHS
Front airbags have been required in all new passenger vehicles since the 1999 model year. Side airbags aren't specifically mandated, but nearly all ...