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Choose the Best Accent Chair for the Living Room

Accent Chair

There is more to choosing the best accent chair for your living room than meets the eye. Like any type of furniture, the accent chair is complex both structurally and aesthetically, but it is also superbly functional, making it one of the most desirable types of furniture produced. While you can find a quality accent chair for a reasonably low price, you should concentrate on finding a piece that can reflect you.

We know that this can be difficult, especially if you haven’t furnished a home before, since most guidance and buying guides center around essential pieces of furniture like the sofa or coffee table. At Kaplan’s, our mission is to pair our clients with the best furniture for their specific home. We dedicate time for our customers to help them find their ideal piece, and we want to extend this service to you. We have compiled some of our top tips to help you choose the best accent chair for the living room. Keep reading to learn what the different types of accent chairs are and how you can choose the best accent chair for the living room.

Measure Your Space

Before you can start shopping, you need to get to know your space. Start by measuring the walls of your living room, writing down its dimensions as you go. When you have the length of each wall in hand, you should begin to develop your floor plan. The easiest way to do this is using our room planner tool, as it quickly generates a model of your home.

When you have your floor plan, you can begin to arrange your furniture in your space. When you have an idea of where you want to place essential pieces of furniture like the sofa and entertainment center, you can see exactly how much space you have remaining for the smaller pieces. This information will help you choose the best accent chair for the living room as it will prevent from overcrowding. While you may like the idea of having a chaise lounge accent chair in your living room, a small accent chair may be a better fit for a tighter spot.

But the size of your room isn’t the only thing you need to consider when you are trying to choose the best accent chair for the living room. You also need to take the scale and size of the accent pieces you are considering into consideration in comparison with the other pieces of furniture you plan to buy for your room. For example, if you have a large sofa and other large-scale furniture and accents, a large accent chair will look best as it is proportionate within the scene. If your sofa smaller, you should choose a medium to small accent chair that will fit in.

Don't Overlook Lifestyle

After creating a floor plan, you may think you have the perfect spot for your accent chair. But there are many things to consider when you are trying to choose the best accent chair for the living room, and you cannot overlook what the purpose of the chair is. If you envision yourself curling up on it to read in the evenings, you don’t want a chair without arms. You’ll need a chair with a deep base designed for lounging. If you host a lot of dinner parties that tend to migrate to the living room as the night goes on, you may need to reevaluate your planned position of a chair so that you can create a conversation space. And this may involve altering the type of chair to make this new position work aesthetically. Be truthful with yourself about what you need from an accent chair before you start shopping.

Choose Your Style, But Don't Forget Color

While choosing a color and pattern for an accent chair may seem like a difficult task, it’s an important one. So let’s break the process down.

First, you must decide whether you want a neutral piece or an attention grabber, acting as the focal point of your room. If you decide on a neutral color, there are a vast array of block black, brown, and beige chairs, and you can add subtle interest to a scene by choosing a fabric with a subdued pattern woven into the upholstery.

If you are looking to make a statement, then choose a vibrant color, like a bright red, teal, or a sunny yellow. While statement chairs can work surprisingly well with a sofa in a neutral color, we always suggest that you choose a piece in a color that you plan to use in other places throughout the room you are furnishing. For example, if you purchase an accent chair in a bold blue, pair it with a deep blue area rug and a piece of wall art or sculpture in a complementary shade.

If you are a bold person, then we suggest purchasing a sofa and accent chair in a vibrant color and altering your décor style to accommodate for the visual weight that this will carry. For example, if you choose a trendy sage green sofa and accent chair set, purchase cream throw pillows and gold bound mirrors to mute the space without stifling the color.

Types of Accent Chairs

Now that you know what your style is and where an accent chair would best fit in your room, you need to know the different types of chairs most brands offer. We have put together this list of the most popular types of accent chairs to help you choose a piece that meets your style needs and the limitations of your space without compromising your lifestyle.

slipper cahir

The slipper chair is a petite item, perfect for smaller spaces. Traditionally this type of chair is upholstered in a fabric dyed in a neutral color so that it can slip into any scene. Its low height and lack of arms make it easy to get in and out of, which is why we recommend this type of chair to older people who struggle to get into and out of other kinds of chairs.

Club chair

With its rectangular shape and deep seats, this type of chair is perfect for those who enjoy long talks with their loved ones in the evening as they steer the posture of the sitter and direct them forward- often toward the conversation. Since these chairs typically have roomy, deep seats, they are also ideal for those creating a quiet reading nook. You can find club chairs in leather and fabric in various upholstery styles since most brands regard them as sheer decorative pieces. We recommend leather chairs to those furnishing rustic spaces and velvet chairs to those furnishing parlor-style living rooms.

wingback chair

This type of chair is named for its signature winged shape. But its tall back is what makes it ideal for smaller living rooms since it draws the eye up, making the room you are furnishing feel larger. This type of chair is best placed next to a long low sofa or sectional as they help balance the room visually without reducing the number of potential seating spaces in a room. We always recommend this type of accent chair to those with a small home as it also looks great at the head of a dining table, and they are usually lightweight enough to be moved from your living room to your dining room without breaking a sweat.

We hope this guide helps you choose the best accent chair for the living room. If you are looking for living room furniture in Elyria & North Olmsted, visit our furniture store today. Our sales assistants will be happy to talk you through your options and answer any questions you have about furnishing your home.