Understanding Different Types of Accent Chairs
When it comes time to furnish your home, there are many different pieces of furniture that you're going to have to get to understand. One of the most commonly misunderstood pieces of furniture is the accent chair. Not only do many people not understand what exactly an accent chair is, but they also don't understand what types of accent chairs there are. For anyone looking for a simple and easy guide to buying and understanding accent chairs, this article is for you!
What Is an Accent Chair?
Accent chairs are called as such because they "accent" your home, as well as your other pieces of furniture. They do so in two ways. Firstly, they provide a secondary place for people to sit outside of your main pieces of furniture. Secondly, they accent the overall design of your home's furnishings. For these reasons, it is generally important that these chairs are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Understanding Different Types of Accent Chairs
Given the loose definition of the term, many different types of chairs can be accent chairs. Those individual types of chairs can come in a wide variety of different styles. Not only can you find ones with wildly differing designs, but you'll also find ones that specifically cater to your own style preferences. This means color, size, shape, and upholstery material. Despite the seemingly infinite variety of chairs that can be used to accent your home, there are certain styles and designs that are predominantly more popular. In this section, we'll take a look at some of the most common types of chairs used for accenting the room.
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Arm Chair
The armchair is widely considered to be the absolute most popular variety when it comes to accent chairs. This popularity is widely due to the arm chair's versatility of use. The armchair is named as such due to the fact that it has side supports for your arms. These will typically be upholstered with some type of material. They are generally found in the living room. They can take up a bit of space, meaning you won't be able to pull an arm chair up to your dining table.
Wingback Chair
Wingback chairs have a unique design, with large backs and small wings coming off the side. A wingback chair is generally fairly extravagant, and not for those looking for a more modern design. These chairs will often come with leather upholstery and are some of the nicest looking chairs you'll find.
Occasional Chair
Occasional chairs are named as such due to the fact that they are easy to pull out and put away when the situation calls for it. Because of this, occasional chairs are generally fairly modest in size and only provide the base amount of comfort and chair features. However, this makes them the perfect choice for those without a lot of room. These chairs can be easily pulled up to the coffee table, or used for extra seating in the dining room.
Slipper Chair
A slipper chair is going to look familiar to anyone who has seen an armchair, because a slipper chair is typically just an armchair without side supports. This streamlined design makes slipper chairs a little bit less cumbersome and a little bit easier to slip into whatever tight spot you need them to fit into. These may interest those looking for club chairs, or lounge chairs.
Side Chair
If versatility is what you're looking for, a side chair is going to be an even better option than a slipper chair. It is essentially a slimmer version of the slipper chair, meaning it can fit in a much wider variety of spaces. This piece from Bel Furniture is an excellent, affordable, and simple side chair.
Barrel Chair
Barrel chairs are rounded, with a back that looks like it might have been fashioned out of part of a barrel. This gives the chair a unique design, with a rounded back and deep seat that's comfy to curl up into. This red barrel chair is incredibly comfy, and comes with its own ottoman.Â
Other Types of Accent Chairs
There really is no limit to the type of chair that can be used to accent a room. You can find ones that swivel, rock, and recline. If you've got an idea of what you want, there's likely an available type that will fit your needs. For instance, this red accent chair has a style reminiscent of the barrel chair, but set on a steady swivel.
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Accent Chair Sets
If you're shopping for accent chairs, you may also be interested in options that are sold as sets. This set features two chairs alongside a small table.
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How Do You Pick an Accent Chair?
Picking out the right accent chairs for your home is really up to your own stylistic preferences, as well as your own comfort needs. Some people are limited by the size of their living space or have already decided on their home's general aesthetic. In these cases, you may be forced to go with one chair over another. However, homeowners generally have a whole lot of freedom when it comes to their choices. As long as it accents your home to your liking, it's a good choice for you!
Determining the Best Style of Accent Chair for Your Home
The main factor that needs to be taken into account when determining the correct style of accent chair for your home is determining the style, material, color, and size of chair that you'll be wanting. Once you've decided all of these, determining the right choice for your needs is simple. Besides the overall type of chair, there are many different styles that can affect how well a chair fits in with your home's established aesthetic. The style can be modern, contemporary, rustic, and traditional style, as well as many niche categories designed for more specific accouterments.
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Which Accent Chairs are the Most Comfortable?
Picking the right chairs for your home is often a fight to balance comfort, aesthetics, and practicality. The prettiest chair isn't always the most practical, or the most comfortable. As well, the most comfortable chair is not always going to be easy to put away if you only have limited living space. How comfortable a chair is can often be affected by it's upholstery and padding.
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