10 Types of Accent Chairs Perfect for the Living Room

When you are planning to host more than a handful of people in your house, it is always better to have additional seating. This is where accent chairs come into play. These are simply chairs that are placed in a room in a strategic position to offer more seating. There are two ways you can utilize an accent chair. You can either create a secondary seating space within the living room, or position the chair in such a way that it complements the textures and colors of larger pieces of furniture, like a sofa.

Accent chairs come in a wide range of designs. It can be a large piece, like a chaise lounge (don’t worry, the nitty-gritty details are explained below), or a simple straight back chair with arms, like a rocking chair. The most important thing is that the chairs work with the rest of the furniture in the room harmoniously to provide extra seating. The living room is a very good example of where accent chairs can come in handy.

With that in mind, here are ten different styles of accent chairs that could work in a living room.

1. The Club Chair

The club chair is a roomy, upholstered armchair with very deep seats. This accent chair is so comfortable that you are more likely to end up snoozing happily as you engross in an interesting book. It can be used as the perfect accompaniment to a living room sofa, or in pairs as a cozy nook. The chair is most likely to have a nail head trim or leather upholstery (or both).

2. The Slipper Chair

Like its previous cousin, the slipper chair is armless and upholstered with a small silhouette. However, it is noticeably closer to the ground than most people are used to. The slipper chair can come in handy if you have limited space in your home, where it can be used as additional seating besides a coffee table. It is particularly ideal for petite people, as the low height of the seat can make it conspicuously awkward for tall people.

3. The Occasional Chair

The star features of these chairs lay in their style and shape. They have a particularly eye-catching, shapely design. They are armless and extremely light, a feature that can be useful when it comes to moving the chair.

4. The Wingback Chair

Thanks to its characteristically tall back and dramatic winged sides, the wingback chair is a very easy chair to spot. The chair’s huge wingback makes it a perfect companion to a large sofa, giving the living room a sense of balance. It can work excellently next to the fireplace, shielding you from the heat and the drafts from a roaring fire. What’s more, you can use it an end chair at the head and base of a dining table. The chair can be extremely hard to move due to its heft and size, so plan ahead when you are hosting a party.

5. The Bergère

The Bergere features a vividly exposed wooden frame that surrounds an upholstered back and seat, making it particularly easy to identify. It would have been an overly formal chair if it wasn’t for its loose seat cushion. The chair is frequently used in pairs next to a sofa with a matching ottoman. It can also add an air of elegance to contemporary rooms.

6. The Rocking Chair

Rumors have it that Benjamin Franklin invented the rocking chair himself. It could have been created by Sherlock Holmes for all we care, but the rocking chair has respectfully gained its place in the modern living room. Rocking chairs are typically connected to two curved pieces of wood, giving you the freedom to swing back and forth instead of staying in the same position. The chair is also comfortable because the rocking usually depends on your center of gravity, only stirring to and fro as gravity dictates. This rocking motion is the most popular reason most people use the chair as an accent chair. There are several different styles of rocking chairs, some with arms and others armless; sometimes upholstered, other times with cushions. The common denominator is that they are almost always made of wood, although some may come in different materials.

7. The Chaise Lounge

“Chaise Lounge” refers to “long chair,” and these types of accent chairs began in Ancient Egypt. They are basically a footstool and a chair that have been combined to form a long chair with the ability to recline. Some chaise lounge chairs can also accommodate more than one person.

8. The Tub Chair

The tub chair is a continuous piece with arms that are attached to the back of the seat. As such, the arms of the tub chair tend to be higher when compared to other types of chairs, and they are naturally rounded instead of rectangular. In any case, tub chairs can be more modern in design or traditional and come with a wide range of fabric materials, including leather for an extra price.

9. The Roundabout Chair

The roundabout is one of the best options for providing additional seating in a living room. The chair features a very specific design that can be traced back to the 1700s when they were created with the main aim of fitting easily into small rooms. It includes a square seat that is turned at an angle, with the corner and one of the legs facing the front. The design of the roundabout chair is very traditional, complete with wooden legs and even claw feet in some instances.

10. Chair and a Half

This type of accent chair is slightly larger than a standard chair and pettier than a love seat, making it very useful for a small living room. Its extensive width makes it perfect for lounging. There are both modern and traditional styles in the market, but you can find a chair and a half in any style. Some may come with loose cushions for the seat and back, while others may include a tight seat and a tight back (or even a loose seat with a tight back and vice versa). The chair is extremely versatile, meaning that it can work with several different settings, whether it is a bedroom or a small living room.