Ngenxa yesihlalo sokugoqa ngokwaso sesiphenduke isihlalo esivamile, ngakho-ke kuye kwaba nezinhlobonhlobo zamafomu nobuchwepheshe bokukhiqiza. Ngenxa yokuthi isihlalo esigoqayo asiqukethe izimpawu eziningi zamandla nesithunzi, siphinde siholele ekuthuthukisweni kwemisebenzi emisha nemiklamo emisha. Ekupheleni kwekhulu le-19, isihlalo esigoqayo besiwumkhiqizo wokuklama odlalwa abantu abasebenza ngosizo, futhi kuvele izinhlobo ezahlukahlukene nokusetshenziswa kwezihlalo. Izihlalo ezigoqayo zinomlando omude wokusetshenziswa kwezempi. Idinga ukubukeka okuqondile nokuhlangene, futhi ihlangabezane nezici ezihlala isikhathi eside. Lapho iqala ukukhombisa ubuhle, abantu babeyikhumbula. Kodwa ayizange iklanyelwe ukuba ibe yinhle.
Igama le-napoleon chair fauteuil livela ku-Old French "faldestoel", futhi impande yalo isuka ku-"faldistorium" ngesiLatini. Esikhathini esedlule, igama lesitulo esigoqayo linencazelo yesithunzi nobukhosi, futhi lesi sihlalo se-napoleon "fauteuil" besilokhu sikhona njengegama lesihlalo esiphezulu. Kunamashumi ezinkulungwane zamalungelo obunikazi emhlabeni wonke mayelana nombono wenoveli wokugoqa isitulo (isihlalo). Abaqambi, abasunguli kanye nezingcweti ezivamile bonke babeka amandla abo ekwakhiweni kwezihlalo, benaka kakhulu ukugoqwa, ukulungiswa kanye nokunethezeka kwezihlalo. Nokho, izihlalo ezikhiqizwa ngobuningi aziqukethe zonke imiklamo emihle.
Ngenani elikhulayo lemikhiqizo egoqwayo nephathwayo, imboni ikhiqiza izingxenye ezincane nezilula kakhulu ukuze zenze ifenisha egoqayo ukuze ivumelane nezimo zezulu ezihlukahlukene. Abantu bangabona izihlalo ezigoqayo ezihlukene yonke indawo ekukhempini, ezokungcebeleka ebhishi, imicimbi yezemidlalo nokunye. Kuwuhlobo lwesitulo oluvumelana nayo yonke imikhuba nezidingo. Izihlalo ezigoqayo zingasetshenziswa emadeskini nasezihlalweni zesikole, kuma-cinema nasezishashalazini Umgomo oyinhloko wokudala isihlalo esiyisisekelo ukunikeza ikhefu elifushane nokugoqa (futhi ukuqoqa) kalula. Izihlalo ezigoqayo seziyingxenye ebalulekile yefenisha.
Isihlalo esigoqayo sesimanje kakhulu saklanywa ngemuva kophenyo oluningi lwezenhlalo kanye nengxoxo yezobuchwepheshe: ngemuva kokubonwa kwezimboni (THONET), ngethiyori ye-Bauhaus yaseJalimane, ukuklanywa kwesitulo esigoqayo kwaqala ukukhula ngeminyaka ye-1965-75.
