How to Choose Accent Chairs for Your Living Room
Accent chairs can help define the living room in a number of ways. They help distinguish the purpose of the space, and do so in a way that allows you to express your personal style in decorating the room. In choosing accent chairs for your living room, you’ll first want to decide how you want to use the chairs. Then, take the time to familiarize yourself with the inventory available online through design catalogues, and retail websites for stores. This will help you set a realistic budget. Lastly, decide whether you want this chair to be a replaceable design element that you can update when your tastes and trends change, or if you are looking for a timeless piece that will always be in fashion.
Define the Space
Before you shop for living room accent chairs, decide on how you want to use the chairs to define the space. Determine the functional needs you have for the chairs. Accent chairs are popularly employed in living room design to accommodate more seating, establish conversation space, or a private reading nook. Once you know how you want to use the chairs in your living room, you can prepare to select the accent chair that’s the right fit for the space.
The Right Fit
There are several types of chairs that fit differently in living room spaces. When you set out to choose your accent chairs, familiarize yourself with the various types of chairs on the market. For additional seating, you may want a chair-and-a-half that could fit two smaller individuals, or perhaps a mobile ottoman that can double as bench seating for more than one person. Conversation spaces in living rooms should be comfortable. Consider chaise attachments for sectional sofas, or placing a Victorian-style fainting couch against the wall. For a more contemporary look, consider stand-alone lounge chairs with clean lines in the frame and cushions such as squares, rectangles, or rounded edges. Pairing wing chairs, arm chairs, club chairs, rocking chairs or recliners can also pull double-duty as conversational space and a reading nook for two or more. However, these larger chairs tend to take up more space. In a tighter fitting space, consider cube storage ottomans, or armless armchairs.
Style and Budget
Once you know what you’re looking for in an accent chair, the options can be overwhelming. Choosing accent chairs that suit both your style and your budget can be time-consuming. Although some chairs are inexpensive, most are costly. As such, you will want to be sure that you take the time to familiarize yourself with your options prior to making a purchase. Before you buy, decide whether or not you want the chairs to be timeless additions to your living room furniture, or replaceable pieces that are trendy and can be changed as the trends and your tastes evolve. To get the best of both worlds—consider choosing a more timeless chair in a neutral color, classic fabric or leather, and accenting your accent chair with trendy pillows in bold colors, or fun designs.
When choosing accent chairs for your living room, if you plan accordingly before you shop, and you are certain to make savvy choices within your budget.
