Students can enjoy stylish, comfortable furnishings

LOS ANGELES — In the coming weeks, kids will be hitting the books again.

One of the best things parents can do for tweens and teens heading back to school is to carve out a study space for tackling homework — and, hopefully, one that encourages good posture.

Granted, many households are short on disposable cash these days. But an ergonomic desk and chair are still comfortably within reach at midlevel retailers.

And they're super-stylish to boot.

The new crop comes in a kaleidoscope of colors, styles and versatile designs. But before you hand over the plastic, posture expert Esther Gokhale suggests first letting your kids take the furniture for a test drive in the store.

Especially chairs.

"Most of the notions people have about ergonomics are problematic because they're based on the modern assumption that the human spine is S-shaped, which reflects the average American but is not truly a normal or ideal curvature," says the author of "8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back" (Pendo Press, 2008).

Gokhale's work is based on observing cultures free of back pain. They all share the same human architecture, she said, including J-shaped spines — bottoms out and backs straight — and not S curves.

"We're taught to tuck our pelvis," she says. "Tucking the pelvis is like positioning the foundation of a structure poorly, and from there on up you're going to have problems. So when you're sitting you're either relaxed and slumped over or upright and tense, and they both do damage."

The ideal?

She encourages parents to find their kids a chair that tips the pelvis forward a bit and lengthens the spine.

And when it comes to putting the chair and desk together, Gokhale suggests sitting close enough so that you don't hunch over.

Now onto some eye candy.

A neutral study space can really benefit from a pop of color.

At CB2, there's no bolder statement than the Go Cart desk in red. Though the desk also comes in a carbon finish, it's the red, recently seen all over Milan Fashion Week, that's been drawing eyes to the $149 unit with sturdy industrial-style casters.

"If you're going to be working at a desk, it's more fun to add a splash of color," says Judy Miller, product manager for Crate & Barrel's hip young sibling.

IKEA shoppers also are responding to color this back-to-school season.

Not only are they opting for black-brown desks — the new JONAS desk, $129, is hot — but splashy accessories such as the MARKUS Swivel Chair in orange fabric, priced at $149.

"It's the new sexy in-crowd color," says Yumiko Whitaker, a spokeswoman for the Swedish retailer, of the latter. In fact, stores are perpetually ordering new stock just to keep up with demand.