Accent chairs provide additional seating and create eye-catching focal points in a room. Rooms that are cleverly designed use accent chairs to draw the eye's attention and invite the viewer deeper into the space. Choosing an accent chair to complete your space, however, can be a completely overwhelming experience, with accent chair options available in thousands of styles, colors, sizes, and fabric options. It’s important to get it right, though, or you’ll end up with a chair you absolutely resent.
Read the Room
The style of your room will be a huge determining factor in deciding the type of accent chair you choose. If you have a formal living room, an art-deco styled polyester fabric recliner will look horribly out of place. If your entire room vibes of relaxation, a faux leather accent chair with a wood frame and rolled arms reminiscent of a chesterfield side chair will leave everyone wondering how that ended up in your home.
Color and Upholstery
Obviously, color is going to be a major factor in deciding on your accent chair. You can find the perfect chair that meets your form, functionality, and stylistic standards, but if it isn’t available in a color that coordinates with the existing shade pallet of your space, it’s not a good fit. It’s a good idea to search for accent chairs that are available in a plethora of colors instead of getting your heart set on a particular style that is only available in navy blue, espresso, or dark grey, which are all common, but very specific tones that fare better as part of a set like dining chairs going with a dining table.
Upholstery can be tricky. So much to choose from: leather, tweed, cotton, microfiber, or a blend of fibers. When considering the fabric options for your accent chair, you also need to think about complementary textures. If the other seat cushions and furniture pieces in the room are already heavy with texture (perhaps you have a leather sofa atop a shag rug) then you should consider choosing an accent chair that has a smooth, supple texture and tapered legs.
Size and Space of Your Room
The size of your room and the availability of space for an accent chair are options that are crucial when shopping. Although an accent chair by nature is intended to draw attention to a space and create a focal point, choosing a chair that is too small or too large will draw negative attention and make your space seem off-balanced, especially in a small space.
When considering room size and space, it’s important to remember that a small chair still has great depth; no matter how small a chair may appear, it will still protrude from its space, and anyone who sits in it will also add to that protrusion into space. In other words, if you have a chair placed in a high traffic area of your home, you run the risk of someone tripping over the legs of the chair or the legs of the guest sitting upon it.
Add some flair with an accent chair! For more information on the finest homes in the Palm Beaches, contact a Tauber Real Estate Services specialist at 561-626-4633.