By: Nicole Harris
Choosing the perfect accent chair can be a daunting task. With so many styles, colors, and fabrics to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your options. To make the process easier, it's important to consider your space, lifestyle, and budget. Taking into account these three factors will help you find the perfect accent chair that will bring a touch of style and comfort to your home. This blog post is full of tips and tricks for how to choose the right accent chair for your space - whatever your style may be.
What is the chair's purpose?
Do you plan on sinking into this chair after a long day of work to relax? Or will this chair be in a rarely used entry way? Determining what you plan to use the chair for can help you narrow in on what type of fabric to choose, the size chair, and the most important features you are looking for in a chair. If the main purpose is to relax in the seat, you'll want to prioritize comfort. If you plan to use it to finish off a space that rarely is sat in, maybe you want to choose a style that is not necessarily comfortable but fits the style of the space well.
Whatever its purpose, you want your accent chair to be the right fit for you, your lifestyle, and your home decor.
Where will you put the chair?
Because of their size, accent chairs can be placed in almost any room of your home. While traditionally in sitting rooms, conversation rooms, and living rooms, an accent chair can be an excellent addition to a large entryway, bedroom, or office. For the purpose of this blog post, we are going to be considering living room spaces only.
In these spaces, you can easily put an accent chair on the side of a bookcase or fireplace, perhaps with a matching ottoman. Or you can place it opposite a couch with a coffee table floating between the furniture pieces. If you are filling a smaller space, maybe you choose to sit two matching accent chairs opposite each other with an end table between. This set up better enables conversation when the chairs are angled in toward one another.
By considering where you'll put the accent chair you are shopping for, you'll have a better idea of what it should look like to tie into the room, how much space you have, and whether you want to purchase one or two.
Consider the Scale
Scale is one of the easiest things to mess up in design, and easily the most important for making a space look luxurious. The easiest way to determine the scale is to measure the space you have for the chair. Determine where you'll place it and get a measurement of the floor area it'll go, making sure there is enough room to comfortably go around the chair and sit in it. The last thing you want is a chair that dominates the space or is just too close to your coffee table to comfortably sit. Your accent chair should do exactly what it sounds like, accent your featured furniture pieces and art. It should work with your couch to create an inviting environment.
Here's a trick: pay attention to armrests. Bulky armrests can make a chair appear bigger than it actually is, working in your favor in larger spaces. In tight spaces, having a chair without any armrest might be your best option. Chairs with thinner, wooden armrests can be be the best of both worlds, with the armrests not seeing bulky to the eye but still there to provide the sitter comfort.
What is your home style?
Now that you've decided how you will use the chair, where it will go, and what size you are looking for, the only thing you have left to decide is what this chair should look like. This can be the most difficult part of choosing a chair, but if you know what styles you are already drawn to and have in your space, it can be much easier. Choose a chair that contrasts pieces already in your space to create dimension, or choose a more neutral chair that just helps fill the space and draw your eye to other details within the room. As you narrow in on your style, you'll hopefully narrow down your accent chair choices.
Keep in mind, most homes are not only one home style. Most people mix 2-3 home styles naturally. This is actually a great way to make your home feel unique.
How will the accent chair tie into the room?
Your accent chair can be a wonderful way to tie in your color palette. Maybe you want to reinforce the colors already in the room, so you choose a patterned chair with variations of each color the fabric. Maybe you want to add a pop of a contrasting color. Choosing a chair with a bold color or pattern and then pairing it with a throw pillow or blanket that ties it back into the rest of the palette can be a wonderful choice. Think about what is missing from the room, whether it's texture, color, pattern, or contrast. Use your accent chair to help finish your space.
Conclusion
When choosing the perfect accent chair, it is important to consider the size, style, and color of the chair to make sure it fits with the overall design of the room. Additionally, consider the comfort of the chair when making your decision. With a little research and consideration, you can find the perfect accent chair to fit your needs and make your space look even more inviting.
Happy shopping!