Rocking chair style is something hardly anybody talks about, but who really needs to fade away in a rocker that looks like the same old chair from decades ago? I want a rocking chair -- emphasis on rock! I'll have a chair with flames on the side, please. Or some other feature that cries out unique character.

Sure, everybody knows the look of a typical rocking chair. It is as basic and simple as anything comes. Most rocking chairs are made of stained wood in a classic shape. We have all seen them -- we could draw them from memory. Nobody is required to be stereotypical chair buyers. The world of chairs that rock is not limited to the basic. This world has style -- and style for miles. There are round chairs that look -- perhaps -- uncomfortable. There are chairs made with no rails, but inner workings to make them more stylish in a modern home. You can find very modern models molded into one sweeping piece of durable vinyl. The options are plentiful.

One rocker concept even has lots of legs instead of rails. Ready to rock? In this chair you just lean toward the back legs -- you can see it would have to be a precision piece of craftsmanship. My dear grandfather made rocking chairs. He was a gifted furniture maker, and made a living at it. As for me, I've no such talent. Would that he were here, so I could ask him to make me a rocker that stands out from all the others.

When you go looking for rocking chairs, you will find some that lift you up high, and some that demand you get practically right down on the floor to rock in them. The threshold for comfort varies among chair makers. Would that all such chairs gave us great comfort, but sometimes style forgets what is comfortable. The only real rocking chair worth having is of course, one that combines style and comfort. Otherwise, what is the point?

Rocking chairs come not only in shapes galore, but in colors across the spectrum. Sure, stained wood is nice, but shall we all own the same chair as our neighbors? Put something on your porch with character. Place something in your living room you won't need to hide when you entertain. Buy a chair with color -- color shows style as well as shape.

Might I suggest a chair painted red, or maybe yellow? I know when I go to visit my home state of North Carolina, it is easy enough to find rocking chairs painted Carolina Blue. If your alma mater matters to you, look around at your local furniture purveyor -- it's not unusual to find rocking chairs painted in university colors.

If you are seeking something a little more trendy with less school spirit, you can find chairs in any color under the sun. These chairs come painted or upholstered -- it just depends upon the style of chair. I recall once I saw a pair of rainbow-painted rocking chairs when my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Bar Harbor, Maine. Now, that is what I call rocking chair style.

If you still prefer a more traditional rocking chair, don't forget what I said above about color. Now, if the painted look does not suit you, consider this alternative -- the chair made of tree limbs and branches. You have probably seen this sort of rocking chair. Its maker takes limbs about an inch or so thick -- with the bark left on the limbs -- and with minimal shaving and puncturing of the wood, makes a gorgeous, rustic rocking chair. For sure, a cushion would be required to sit in one of these, but what a grand alternative to the same old thing!

When you go rocking chair shopping, you have a range of places from which to choose. Of course, if you are going traditional, one of those unpainted furniture stores would suit your needs just fine. You can also find traditional-type rockers at state and county fairs -- among the exhibitors' areas someone will surely be selling rocking chairs.

If you want to shop at a place that has a blend of the old and the painted and updated, I recommend the Cracker Barrel restaurant and general store chain. Cracker Barrels are typically found along U.S. Interstate highways. It is a great place to find country-fried grub and kitsch. This chain started in the South, but today they have locations as far flung as New England, and the Northwest, so you may just have one near you.

Of course if you are very much into stylish furniture, you will know to shop modern furniture chains and boutiques. These places will always have the up-to-date styles. Online, you can find rocking chairs all over the Web. From Amazon to eBay and stops in between, selection abounds. There is even a site called RockingChairs.com -- and what do you think they sell? An array of rocking chairs -- yes, they sell rocking chair style, and not just the same old thing.

When you are considering which way you want to rock, do consider what I have written here, and consider if you would like to rock away your days like the gentlemen represented in the video below. Either way, happy rocking!