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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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Accent chairs stand for more

More than extra seating, they can brighten any room

The Columbian
Published:
2 Photos
CB2
Accent chairs tend to be used only when extra seating becomes necessary. Here, CB2s Tayabas Cane Side Chair with black cushion.
CB2 Accent chairs tend to be used only when extra seating becomes necessary. Here, CB2s Tayabas Cane Side Chair with black cushion. Photo Gallery

For designer Betsy Stires, accent chairs are a decorating treat. They’re mobile pieces, easy to move from room to room, and one of the quickest ways to spruce up a dull space and express personal style. They add flair.

“If a room were an outfit, the accent chairs would be the jewelry,” said Stires, who owns an interior design firm in Old Town Alexandria, Va., called Frog Hill Designs. “It’s the spark. It pops from the rest of the palette but also ties it all together.”

Traditionally, accent chairs are intended to be used only when extra seating becomes necessary, so they tend to be equal parts functional and decorative. That makes them a fun piece to shop for and a great way experiment with color and texture. But they can also have deceptively large footprints, particularly those that rock or recline. In apartments and condos where space is precious, finding one that’s stylish, comfortable and lean can feel impossible. But it isn’t.

“Accent chairs add so much flavor and character to a room, sometimes you only need one to do something big,” Stires said. “It can make a statement.”

Stires, 52, recently moved from a large home in Great Falls, Va., to a 2,300-square-foot Alexandria apartment. Her new home is still large for an apartment, so the downsizing wasn’t terribly dramatic, but accent chairs and poufs have been vital for when guests come over, she said. “If you only have room for one big upholstered piece, you have to get creative.”

The first step to shopping for accent chairs is determining your spatial constraints. Lisa Scroggins, the retail market manager of Room & Board in Washington, said those in small spaces should look for chairs that fall between 25 to 32 inches wide. And although the market is flooded with vastly oversized armchairs, the standard seat depth hovers around a generous 20 to 22 inches.

The next step is to figure out what purpose the chair will serve. Is it purely a statement piece that will be pulled out twice a year for parties? Or will friends use it every week when they come over to watch the game? More recreational chairs should be durable, so shop for fabrics such as leather and canvas. Chairs destined for life in the hallway can be more artsy; think of them like practical sculptures you can sit on when you get in a pinch.

Erin Raines, a designer in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood, said that living-room seating arrangement is a predicament for the majority of her clients at Space 3 Interiors. “Needless to say, I’ve done a lot of research on small accent chairs.”

She has a few go-to chairs for problem-solving. West Elm’s Button Slipper Chair ($399) measures 25 inches wide and straddles vintage and modern design, “so it works with a variety of decor styles,” she said. Room & Board’s Celeste Swivel Chair ($749) is a client favorite, and because it’s low to the ground, it can visually open or close a seating area depending on which direction it faces. Ikea’s Poang chair ($69-$149) is far and away the “household staple,” she said, because it’s affordable, comfortable and lightweight.

Raines suggests a money-saving design hack: ordering custom slipcovers from Bemz, an online shop that sells covers specifically measured to fit Ikea products. “It’s the easiest way to give your furniture an upgrade,” she said.

Of course, creative seating solutions don’t have to come in the form of accent chairs. Poufs, ottomans and benches can double as extra seating.

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