The seating you choose for your home matters. But seating is more than just the sofa. Accent seating is what defines the look of your home. It can transform a drab corner into a reading nook that is cozy and inviting. But we know that finding the right accent seat for you can be difficult, especially if you haven’t furnished a home before.
If you choose the wrong chair, you may find that you and your guests start to avoid the space altogether. You can prevent this- but only with our help.
At Payless, our goal is to help our customers fill their homes with furniture that reflects who they are as a person so that they look forward to coming home at the end of a long day. Today we are using our knowledge to complete this guide on how to choose the right accent chair for your space so you can make an informed decision about what type of accent chair you need for your living room.
Keep reading to learn the types of accent chairs that most brands produce and what you need to keep in mind when you are shopping.
Types of Accent Chair
The accent chair should not be the first item you choose for your home. First, you should pick out the perfect sofa or sectional for your space, as this will give you a style starting point that you can base all future furniture decisions around. Accent chairs should be purchased when the room is already partially functioning so that you can determine what is missing from the space and how many extra seats you need to add to the room to make it fully functional.
Incorporating accent furniture can help bring the space together. There are several styles of accent chairs to choose from. But before you can select colors, fabrics, or patterns, you must decide which style of accent chair will work best in your living room. We have listed the five most popular types of accent chairs below and what style of room they are most suited for.
The Recliner
This is the most popular type of accent chair on the market. And while La-Z-Boy styles may come to mind for most people when they hear the word ‘recliner’ today, many brands manufacture reclining chairs in a variety of styles because they understand that the demand for this type of chair is always there.
The popularity of reclining accent chairs is largely due to their ergonomic features. The recliner supports your spine’s alignment as you rest by adapting to the shape of your body. It is famous for strengthening leg and back muscles, improving blood circulation for those with diabetes, and reducing neck and shoulder stress. When your bodies relaxed after being able to rest in this way, you will have more energy and enthusiasm to go about your day when you stand up.
Most modern reclining accent chairs are controlled electronically using a remote. But some are controlled with a level meaning that you don’t need to keep an eye on the battery life of a remote when you are supposed to be relaxing. However, these electric reclining chairs usually have extra inbuilt features like the ability to control massage elements, so take these features into account when you are shopping.
We recommend reclining accent chairs if you have back problems and you struggle to get into and out of chairs. Older people often find that recliners are a perfect choice since they release the pressure on the spine that builds up through the day and stretch the legs comfortably. Recliners can keep the elderly mobile for longer, so if you are furnishing your parent’s home for them, browse our collection of reclining accent chairs.
The Club Chair
This type of accent chair originated in the design studios of France. The club chair is the ideal chair for enjoying long conversations with friends. But it is far more than this; you can also curl up on it comfortably to read a magazine or good book alone with a glass of wine in the evening.
Structurally, the cozy club chair has deep, roomy seats, which is what makes them ideal for lounging. Aesthetically, there is no one standard look for the club chair beyond its deep, roomy seat. You can find club chairs with both leather and fabric upholstery. But one dominant feature found in most club chairs is delicate decorative elements like tufting and nail-head trims.
We recommend leather club chairs for those furnishing rustic spaces, velvet pieces for simple parlor-style living rooms, and linen club chairs for coastal living rooms. If you are building the look of your living room around a sofa, we suggest that you pair a bright, colorful club chair with a neutral sofa to add a pop of color to the space. If your sofa is bright, choose a club chair in a neutral color like black, white, cream, or grey, and crown it with pillows in a color that matches the color of your sofa.
The Slipper Chair
Our guide on how to choose the right accent chair for your space would not be complete without a section detailing the slipper chair and who it is best suited for. The slipper chair is unique in that it has a petite arm-less silhouette. This makes them ideal for anyone furnishing a smaller space as you do not need to account for the space taken up by the armrests when maneuvering into and out of a chair. Simply place a low side table next to it and a sofa, and you’ll have all the seating space you need without compromising the traffic flow of a space. Moreover, since slipper chairs can function as accent chairs in living rooms, as well as doubling as dining chairs, you don’t need to worry about running out of comfortable seats when you are entertaining guests.
Slipper chairs can add a feminine touch to any space, and this look is elevated when the back paneling of the seat is tufted. If you want to masculinize an accent chair, we suggest placing a black blanket over it to obscure this detailing.
Wingback Chair
The wingback chair is named after its signature winged sides. But they have another defining feature- their tall back. These backs are ideal for those on the taller side since chairs with lower backs cannot offer them the same level of spinal support. Aesthetically this tall back draws the eye up, making use of that often forgotten wall space. This throne-like silhouette compliments fireplaces, but we think they look their best when flanking large sofas and sectionals since they vary the height of the furniture in the room so dramatically.
This type of accent chair looks its best when upholstered in a cool grey or white, but we do not recommend these colors to anyone with young children or pets since they stain easily. But if you plan to place a wingback chair in a room where your kids and pets won’t spend a lot of time or eat in very often, then the risk of your piece being damaged decreases dramatically.
A Note On Sizing
Before you buy your chosen accent chair, you must consider the size of your room and the availability of space inside of it for furniture like accent chairs. Although accent chairs are designed to draw attention to a space, choosing a chair that is too small or too large for your specific space will draw negative attention to your room and make your space feel off-balanced. So take care to measure your space before you buy anything.
We hope this guide has helped you to choose the right accent chair for your space. If you still have questions about how to choose the right accent chair for any room in your home, then visit us in store today. A member of our talented design team will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and guide you through your options. If you want personalized advice, then bring the dimensions of the room you are furnishing with you, along with color swatches and some photos of your desired aesthetic. Our team has the knowledge they need to help you.
If you are looking for living room furniture in Great Falls or you would just like more information about the accent chairs we carry, then visit our furniture store today.
We service Great Falls, Black Eagle, Conrad, Choteau, Fairfield, and surrounding areas, so visit Payless Furniture and Mattress at 116 Central Ave West and let one of our experienced staff members pair you with your perfect living room furniture.