Choosing a lounge chair you will actually sit in
Seat depth, back height, swivel or fixed, bouclé or leatherette. What to check when you sit in a lounge chair at the store, with chairs to try.
A lounge chair is easy to buy for its looks and then rarely use. The ones that get sat in every day are the ones that fit the person and the room. Here is what to check when you try one at the store.
Sit back, not on the edge
- Seat depth. Sit right back. Your knees should bend at the front edge of the seat without the edge pressing behind them. A deep seat suits curling up; a shallower one suits reading upright.
- Back height. A low back looks light in a room. A higher back supports the shoulders and head for long sitting.
- Arms. Rest your arms. They should sit at elbow height without lifting your shoulders.
Swivel or fixed
A swivel chair turns towards a conversation or a window and is easy to get in and out of. A fixed chair on legs is steadier and often lighter to look at. Many of the chairs we carry come both ways, so try them side by side.
Bouclé, leatherette or fabric
- Bouclé feels soft and warm, and suits a calm living room.
- Leatherette wipes clean and suits homes with children, cafés and offices.
- Patterned fabric brings colour into a neutral room.
Chairs to try
- XR-12319: a swivel lounge chair on a four-star base, with a loose back cushion.
- FX-12051: a sculpted bouclé armchair with an exposed wooden frame.
- XR-12362: a swivel tub chair wrapped in a curved wood-veneer shell.
- AR-12363: a rounded bouclé swivel chair with a tan panelled back.
- FX-12041: a tan chair in a slim ivory metal frame.
- FX-12064: a bouclé swivel armchair on a brass plinth.
