From traditional to modern and everything in between, you should know the cost, frame, upholstery, and dimensions of a living room chair.
The living room is an influential area of any home. Besides entertaining guests, a living room is a place to relax with family and friends. You can display your taste and style through the furniture. When choosing living room chairs, consider your family’s needs and lifestyle.
If you are looking for one that will last, go for solid wood or metal frames. On the other hand, for affordable options, choose plastic or aluminum chairs. Based on our experience and research, we give you an informational guide on the types of living room chairs.
A Brief History of Living Room Chairs
In ancient times, Egyptians and later Romans and Greeks used various kinds of chairs. Back in time, it was considered a symbol of power and superiority. Later, Chinese culture influenced the chairs’ design. Europe and the West developed them into a contemporary form.
Traditional chairs included stools, benches, wooden and marble chairs, and thrones. In the 19th century, an enormous transformation took place in the chair industry.
Modern chairs are made of metal or wood and range in design from accent chairs to recliners and ergonomically designed sofas, massage chairs, bean bags, etc.
Types of Living Room Chairs
Recliner Chair
These are modern-style chairs with ergonomic lumbar support. A recliner is an armchair with an adjustable backrest angle. It also features an extendable footrest. Living room recliners are either manual with a pull handle or automatic and run on electric power.
They’re renowned for their comfortable and plush seats. Different kinds of upholstery materials are used for recliners like fabric, high-grain leather, bonded leather, etc. At the same time, their frame is made of wood or metal.
These chairs are versatile when it comes to their design. They come as sofas or armchairs and patio seats. Recliners can also be used as massage chairs. Finally, if your recliner gets stuck it’s easy to fix at home without any professional help.
Lounge or Club Chair
Lounge chairs are an integral part of any home decor. It is often used for reading, watching television, or socializing with friends.
The lounge chair was designed to be placed on the floor. It is a low-slung chair with a backrest that is not very high. People use them to sit and relax.
In the early 1900s, the lounge chair evolved into the modern-day version. It was first introduced as a chair for use in the home. It has a higher backrest and a more upright design.
Wingback Accent Chair
A wingback chair is a type of high-backed chair. It was invented in the 16th century and named because it resembles the wings of a bird. Wingback chairs are usually upholstered with leather or other fabric and typically have a high backrest.
The chair has a rectangular seat and is upholstered in a rich damask pattern. The base of the chair is covered in a dark brown varnish.
The earliest known winged chairs were made in the 15th century, but they were not used as armchairs. They were used in palaces, monasteries, and public buildings and were often gilded. This elegantly styled chair is best suited for the fireplace or as a corner piece.
Bergere Chair
A Bergere is a French-origin upholstered chair. With luxe fabric armrests, it has a carved wooden frame. It comes in a variety of colors and carvings.
These formal seats are ideal for living areas and offices equally. They’re comfy and wide-seated chairs meant for big and petite people.
Couch or Corner Sofa
A couch is a fabric or leather upholstered sofa. It is either a single or double seat. Some variations of the couch are known as loveseats. It is commonly known as a settee in India.
A couch is the favorite living room chair worldwide. People use it for sitting, sleeping, or enjoying TV and movies.
Fact: The term sofa comes from Arabic, meaning bench or ledge.
Bar Stool
A bar stool is a stool used to stand at the dining counter or in a bar, for people to sit on while drinking. In some countries, it is also used as a table.
Bar stools are often made of wood, metal, plastic, or other materials and are generally low-to-the-ground stools with legs. Though sometimes high-backed stools are referred to as “bar stools.” The height of the bar stool on average is two feet off the ground.
Rocking Chair
These vintage-style wooden chairs never get old. They are chairs with carved wooden legs meant to rock them to and fro.
Antique rockers are expensive because of their sturdy and high-end build. It is necessary to keep it in good condition. The best way to care for it is by keeping it out of direct sunlight while instantly cleaning dirt and spills.
Ottoman Stool
The Ottoman-style chair is a type of wooden furniture, designed in the 18th century and popular through the 19th century, especially in France. It is named after the Ottoman Empire, where it was first manufactured.
Today it is used as a fireside stool or a corner seat with cushions. Many lounge chairs like Eames use it as a footrest. An ottoman is a necessary element of reclining living room sofas.
Sectional or L-shaped Sofa
If you’ve got a big family living together then you will need this sofa for Christmas or Eid. Sectional furniture needs space and is difficult to move around.
Just like a couch, it is upholstered but it is multi-seat. For years people living in mountainous and cold regions have built rooms with wall-mounted sectional furniture.
Massage Chair
Living rooms are your personal space for peace and tranquility. You can accentuate your home with an ergonomic massage chair. There are two popular kinds of these chairs: one is a traditional manual massage chair and the other is an automatic version.
Although they are expensive, they’re good for the elderly, sick, and recovering members of your family. Powered massage chairs provide a variety of massages like vibration, kneading, rolling, shiatsu, etc. They help you break free of day-to-day worries.
Papasan Chair
Papasan Chair is a manufacturer of high-end furniture, primarily in Indonesia. This furniture is made of solid teak and other natural materials.
Papasan Chair has a reputation both as a traditional and modern piece of furniture. It is sold internationally and has been featured in magazines and television shows.
Hammock – Types of Living Room Chairs
It can be used for indoor relaxation, but it is most commonly used for camping. The frame and hammock combination can be made from wood support and fabric or woven ropes.
It is used for relaxing, reading, swinging, and sleeping. These are sometimes called egg chairs when suspended from the ceiling. They’ve got back support and are snug for unwinding.
Slipper Accent Chair
It is an armless chair with a curved back. It is usually used as a living room and as a bedside chair. It has a low seat and a high back. It is sometimes called the “chair of eternity.”
For their classic look, these are perfect for entertaining guests. The color variations, soft high back, and wide seat make it match any decor.
Wall-mounted Chair
These chairs are meant for showers and changing areas in your living room. They help you sit in the corner as you take your shoes off.
Kneeling Chair
It is a type of chair that is designed for use while in a kneeling position. This position is typically used to pray or meditate. In the past, they were used in places of worship for use by priests and religious figures in prayer, meditation or to receive communion.
As the concept of ergonomics became popular these stools made their way to the living rooms and offices. Kneeling chairs are made of wood with an upholstered and padded seat. Many variations are available, some have a backrest while others are foldable.
They’re designed for an active sitting posture especially if you’re trying to manage sciatica. It helps to keep you in a straight position while working on your laptop at home. Or you can take a break from your regular living room chair and sit in it.
Peacock Chair
The Peacock Chair is a modernist chair designed by Hans Wegner in 1947. The form of the back and seat is similar to a peacock’s tail feathers. The back has a curve, and the chair has a teardrop-shaped seat.
This chair is a nice addition to any living space. You can enjoy it by the window-side or in the center. These chairs give a festive look to your living room. That’s why people use them as party or ceremonial chair. They make good photos too!
Bean Bag
Bean bags are specially designed to be used in the home. They are comfortable and inexpensive. These are used by children as playthings and by adults for relaxation and work. They are very soft and easy to clean. This is the ideal place to sit and relax with your friends and colleagues.
Home Office Chair
Since the onset of Covid and afterward, working from home is becoming a global trend. People with remote jobs find it comfortable to have an office chair set up in the living room.
Office chairs have versatile designs and functions. From a leather cover to mesh, swivel to stationary, reclining to active chairs, these are ergonomic for sitting for long hours. They are supportive of your lumbar, arms, and feet.
Gaming Chair
Video gaming has become a modern way of socializing with friends. Gaming chairs are usually designed to support your back and neck so that you may sit restfully for hours without soreness. They range in price from 100 to 3000 US dollars.
What to Look for in a Living Room Chair?
Studies have shown that while sitting for long your Your spine is most evenly distributed when your legs are at a 135-degree hip angle and a 45-degree knee angle.
When buying a living room chair you should consider a few things:
Lumbar Support and Adjustability
Good lumbar support will keep your back from getting strained and give it the support it needs. When buying a living room chair, the chair must be adjustable.
This is because when you sit in the chair for extended periods, your posture changes, so you need the ability to adjust the height and tilt of the chair.
Recline Angle
Research suggests that a reclining angle of 100 to 110 degrees is the best for sitting. Reclining is important as it keeps the pressure evenly distributed on the spine. And it minimizes the chances of foot swelling.
Armrests
When buying a chair, it is important to ensure that the armrests are comfortable. If they are not, then your arms will get tired and you will have to lean forward to support yourself. Arm support with a cushion is a wise choice for chairs in the living area.
Price and Easy Maintenance
The expensive chairs are generally of higher quality and if you maintain them well they can last a lifetime. A living room seat should be easy to clean. A high-maintenance chair will not be cost-efficient.
Final Thoughts
Research suggests that armchairs are comforting because of their lumbar support and sturdy build. The types of living room chairs discussed are based on our experience. In a nutshell, it is important to have the right furniture for the right space. If the furniture doesn’t fit in with the decor, the room will look awkward.
To make sure that you choose the right furniture:
- consider the size of your family
- examine the size of the room
If you have kids, you need to think about how you can arrange the furniture so they can have fun without getting hurt. If you don’t have kids, then you can focus on more relaxing options for reading and watching TV.
FAQs
1. What are the chairs in living rooms called?
They’re called armchairs. Sometimes the word accent chair is used and it includes both arm and armless chairs.
2. What is the most popular type of chair?
The recliner and couch are the most famous types.
4. What is a Bergere chair?
It is a French-styled upholstered armchair with a molded wooden frame.
5. What are high-back chairs called?
They’re known as wingback chairs. They have got a high backrest and are designed for people of varying body shapes.
