Accent Chair Buying Guide: How to Choose and Place One

An accent chair adds a seat, a colour or a texture to the living room, and it only earns its place if it fits the space around it. This guide explains how to choose an accent chair by size, back height, arm style and fabric, and how to place it so people actually use it. Browse our accent chairs once you know how much floor you can spare.

Decide What the Chair Is For

The job decides the design. Most accent chairs do one of these:

• Extra seating for guests: a lighter, smaller chair that is easy to move is enough.
• A reading corner: look for a supportive back, comfortable arms and a seat you can settle into for an hour.
• A conversation partner for the sofa: it should be about the same seat height and sit close enough to talk across.
• A hit of colour or texture: the fabric and shape matter most, as long as it is still comfortable to sit in.

Sit in the chair for as long as you would use it at home. A few seconds in a store is not the same as a long phone call or a chapter of a book.

Scale, Seat Height and Proportions

A compact accent chair is usually 26 to 32 inches (66 to 81 cm) wide, while an oversized or cuddler style can reach 32 to 40 inches (81 to 102 cm). Overall depth often falls between about 28 and 36 inches (71 to 91 cm), so measure the space with the chair's back and front edge in mind.

Seat height matters as much as footprint. Most sofa seats are about 17 to 20 inches (43 to 51 cm) high, and an accent chair with a seat from 17 to 19 inches (43 to 48 cm) keeps everyone at a similar eye level. Look at visual weight as well. A chair that looks lighter than the sofa, with legs showing and a slimmer frame, makes the room feel layered rather than crowded.

Back Height and Arm Styles

• Low or open back: keeps sightlines clear, which suits open-plan homes and small rooms.
• High or wing back: feels enclosed and cosy and gives your head a place to rest, though it takes more visual space.
• Armless or slipper: the smallest footprint, easy to slide beside a table or use as a pair, with less support for resting your arms.
• Track arms: straight and slim, a good fit with modern sofas.
• Rolled or barrel shapes: softer and more traditional, but usually wider.

Check the arm height against any side table you plan to put next to the chair so a drink is easy to reach.

Swivel or Fixed?

A swivel chair turns toward the television, the window or the conversation, which makes it a favourite in open-plan rooms. Leave enough clearance for the full turn, including the corner of a nearby table, and check that the base moves smoothly and quietly. Some swivel chairs return to centre on their own, and others stay where you leave them.

A fixed chair is steadier and works better against a wall or in a tight corner. If you want a footrest for long evenings, compare an accent chair with our recliners, or add an ottoman in front of the chair.

Fabric and Colour Pairing

Fabric sets both the look and the upkeep. Leather wipes clean and tends to age well, velvet gives depth of colour, and textured weaves feel soft and warm. Our guide to boucle, corduroy and chenille explains how those textures wear. Read the care label, because fabric ratings and cleaning instructions vary by manufacturer.

To pair the chair with your sofa, try one of these approaches:

• Pick a colour that already appears in the rug, curtains or art, so the chair looks chosen rather than added.
• Choose a solid chair beside a patterned sofa, or a textured chair beside a plain one.
• Stay in the same warm or cool family as the rest of the room, and keep to about three main colours.
• Look at a fabric sample in your own light, both by day and in the evening.

Placement, Pairs and Reading Nooks

A pair of matching chairs can sit across from the sofa or flank a fireplace. A single chair looks natural angled toward the seating, in a corner, or at the end of a sofa near a window. For ideas on full room plans, see our guide to living room furniture layouts that work.

These guidelines keep the area comfortable:

• Leave 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) between the chair and the coffee table.
• Keep 30 to 36 inches (76 to 91 cm) clear for walkways.
• Keep the seats within about 8 feet (2.4 m) of each other so people can talk without raising their voices.
• For a reading nook, add a floor lamp behind one shoulder and a small table within arm's reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big should an accent chair be compared with my sofa?

Match the seat height, within an inch or two of the sofa's seat, and keep the chair visually lighter than the sofa. Many compact chairs are 26 to 32 inches wide, and the footprint should still leave 30 to 36 inches for walking around it.

Should an accent chair match the sofa?

It does not need to match, and it often looks better if it does not. Pick a colour already in the room, or a contrasting texture in the same warm or cool family. Keep the scale and seat height similar so the two pieces work as a group.

Are swivel chairs a good choice for a living room?

They suit open-plan rooms, because you can turn toward the TV or the conversation. They need clear floor around the base, and the mechanism should turn smoothly. A fixed chair is steadier and may suit a tight corner better.

Should I buy one accent chair or two?

A pair gives a balanced look and extra seats, and suits larger rooms or either side of a fireplace. One chair is enough for a corner or reading nook. If you buy two, make sure you have room for both with a clear walkway.

Try the Chairs in Person

A chair that looks right in a photo can feel quite different once you sit in it. Visit our pet-friendly showroom at Unit D200, 9737 Macleod Trail SW in Calgary to compare back heights, arm shapes and fabrics, or explore the living room collection online to see what would sit well beside your sofa.