Ideas
I wouldn't want them to COMPLETELY remove this. Maybe a compromise where the distance from the sim is part of the selection criteria. Like most comfortable within xxx spaces of sim, increasing the distance a couple times until it reaches whole lot in case there's nothing near (same room, then 20 squares, then 40 squares, then whole lot?). If distance is too difficult maybe current room plus adjacent rooms? It would also make sense that the more comfortable a chair is the more likely the sim would be to travel to it, so there could be some variety added depending on difference in comfort level and distance. Likes could impact it too (a RED chair? I'll never sit in a RED chair!!). Not sure what best option is, but it definitely needs to be smarter with how the sims make some selections.