An accent chair is the one piece in a living room that is allowed to be different. It can be a bolder colour than the sofa, a softer texture, or a shape that turns to face the window. It is also the piece people most often get wrong, because it is chosen last, in a hurry, from a photograph. This guide covers the main types of accent chair, how to size one to your room, where to place it and how to choose the fabric.
What an accent chair is for
An accent chair is a standalone seat that complements your main furniture and brings its own personality to the room. It also has a job: it gives guests somewhere to sit, it completes a conversation area, or it creates a reading corner. Decide the job first, because the job decides the type.
Types of accent chair
- Club armchair: a deep, plush seat and a relaxed posture, good for long conversations and lounging.
- Wingback: a high back with side wings, which gives more structured support for reading.
- Slipper chair: armless and low, so it tucks into a small space or a bedroom corner.
- Barrel chair: a curved back that wraps round the person sitting, for a sheltered, enveloping seat.
- Chair-and-a-half: an oversized seat for sinking into, or for sitting with a book and a child.
- Swivel chair: a rotating base that turns between the television, the window and the conversation.
- Upholstered dining chair: an armchair or side chair covered in boucle, velvet or leather, to sit at the table for a long dinner.
We draw swivel tub chairs, barrel chairs, club armchairs and upholstered dining chairs as single statement pieces. The Ember swivel tub chair and the Colin fluted swivel armchair turn, the Cocoon barrel chair wraps round you, the Saddle club armchair gives a deep seat with wide flat arms, and the Tivoli dining armchair and Strata dining chair are made for the table.
Choose the size and scale
Measure the space before you fall for a shape. An accent chair has a smaller footprint than a sofa, but arms, curved backs and swivel bases take up more room than the footprint suggests, so measure the full width and depth of the chair, not just the floor it covers. Leave easy flow round all the furniture.
- Seat height: choose a seat that feels comfortable next to your sofa, so conversation feels natural. A chair that towers over a low, soft sofa looks out of place.
- Small rooms: an armless or slimmer shape works better. A huge, overstuffed armchair can overpower a small room.
- Large rooms: a barrel chair or a chair-and-a-half can balance a large sofa or a sectional.
- Legs: exposed legs keep a room feeling lighter than a chair with a skirt down to the floor.
Mark the footprint of the chair on the floor with tape and leave it there for a day. It is the cheapest way to find out whether the chair fits.
Where to place an accent chair
- In the living room, angle the chair toward the sofa, or set it at a right angle to it, so people can talk without turning sharply.
- Leave about 45 cm (18 inches) between the chair and the coffee table, and a gap of about 60 cm (2 feet) or more where people need to walk round the chair.
- Keep about 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches) between the chair and a side table, so a cup is within reach and the path stays clear.
- Beside a sectional, a swivel chair lets you turn between the television and the conversation.
- In a bedroom, a compact wingback or slipper chair, a floor lamp and a small table make a reading corner.
- In a home office, an upright chair gives a visitor a seat without crowding the desk.
These are starting points, not rules. Try the arrangement at full size before you decide.
Match one thing, contrast another
A good accent chair echoes one thing in the room and contrasts another. Pair a smooth leather swivel with a textured sofa, or a patterned chair with a neutral room. Repeat the finish of the chair legs on the coffee table or the media unit, so that a bold chair still looks planned.
Choosing the fabric
- Velvet: soft, rich and luxurious to the touch.
- Boucle and textured weaves: add depth and warmth to a plain room.
- Tweed and linen blends: lighter and more breathable, with a relaxed look.
- Leather: wipes clean and suits a chair that is used every day.
- Performance fabrics: made to resist spills, which helps in a home with children or pets.
We make accent chairs in boucle, velvet, tweed and leather. Fabric is softer and cooler in a Hyderabad summer, and leather wipes clean. Choose from physical samples rather than a screen, look at them in daylight, and sit on them for a while, because the cover changes how a chair feels.
A quick comfort checklist
- Its main job: a reading chair needs a supportive back and a cushioned seat, while a guest chair needs a comfortable seat height and structured arms that make it easy to stand up.
- Maintenance: leather and performance fabrics are easier to clean in a busy home.
- Ergonomics: check the lumbar support, the height of the back and the style of the arms.
- Your household: think about children, pets and who sits in it most.
Custom accent chairs
A custom accent chair is drawn as a single statement piece for your room, instead of the nearest stock chair. Every chair is made in our own factory in Cherlapally, east Hyderabad, and sold factory direct. Visit our Gachibowli studio to see fabrics and sit on samples. Our accent chairs page shows the designs, and our price guide gives a guide price.
Questions people ask
What is an accent chair?
A standalone seat that complements the main furniture and brings its own colour, texture or shape to a room. It gives extra seating and often completes a conversation area.
How do you choose an accent chair for a living room?
Decide its job first: reading, conversation or extra seating. Then match its scale and seat height to your sofa, echo one element of the room and contrast another, and choose a fabric that suits how you live.
Where should you place an accent chair?
Angle it toward the sofa so people can talk without turning sharply, with about 45 cm (18 inches) between the chair and the coffee table and 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches) to a side table.
What is a swivel accent chair?
A chair on a rotating base that turns between the television, the window and the conversation. It suits open-plan rooms.
Which fabric is best for an accent chair?
Leather wipes clean and suits everyday use. Velvet and boucle are soft and textured. Choose from physical samples and sit on them before you decide.
Do you make accent chairs to order in Hyderabad?
Yes. We draw each accent chair as a single statement piece for your room and make it in our own Hyderabad factory.
Book a design session at our Gachibowli studio with photographs of your room, and we will draw an accent chair that fits it.