Lounge Like a Pro: Your Guide to the Perfect Living Room Chair

Pick a lounge chair by answering three questions in order: how you actually sit in it, how much floor you have around it, and what your sofa already looks like. Style comes last, and it comes easily once the first three are settled. Here is how to work through them.

Start with What You Need

The chair you sit in for an hour

If the chair's job is a long evening sit, buy for the cushion and the back support before anything else. Deep foam or a feather blend, a back that holds you upright rather than folding you into it. A swivel like the Fitz Swivel Chair by CB2 is worth it in an open floor plan, where the chair has to face the TV sometimes and the room the rest of the time.

Look for these features:

• Soft, supportive cushions: Memory foam or a feather blend.
• Reclining or adjustable backs: Worth it if you actually recline.
• Swivel base: Lets one chair serve two seating groups.
• Plush fabrics: Velvet and boucle feel warmer against you than a flat weave.

The chair in a house with kids and pets

If the living room takes daily traffic from kids, pets and snacks, buy the fabric first and the shape second. Performance weaves and removable covers are the difference between a spill you wipe and a spill you live with. The Gather Swivel Chair by Crate and Barrel comes in a range of performance fabrics for exactly this.

Here's what to prioritize:

• Stain-resistant materials: Treated leather and performance fabrics clean up with a cloth.
• Removable covers: Washable when something goes wrong.
• Durable frames: Solid wood or metal takes the daily knocks.

The chair you curl up in

For reading and blankets, look for depth and a supportive arm, usually on a Scandinavian or mid-century shape. The Kya Upholstered Chair by Pottery Barn has both, and depth plus arm height is most of what makes a chair good for long sits.

Look for:

• Oversized shapes: Room to sit sideways with your legs up.
• Natural materials: Rattan, wool and woven fabrics add warmth.
• Neutral tones: Quieter in the room, easier to live with.

Consider Your Living Space

Plan Your Layout

Leave 30 to 36 inches for the walkways people actually use, and never less than 24 to squeeze past. That single measurement decides most placement questions.

• Compact Spaces: Opt for a sleek armless chair or a swivel chair to keep things light and airy.
• Larger Rooms: Go for statement chairs, like the Rumford Accent Chair by Crate and Barrel, which commands attention without overwhelming the space.

Match Size to Your Room

A chair that's too large will dominate a small room. One that's too small looks lost in a big one. Scale matters more than almost anything else on this list.

Style is Key

Your lounge chair should suit your own taste and sit comfortably alongside the rest of your decor.

For a modern room

Clean lines and a low, simple profile. The Raya Chair is a good example: contemporary, quiet, and it does not fight the rest of the furniture.

For a classic room

Tufting, a visible wood frame, and a fabric with some weight to it like velvet or linen. The Penn Chair by West Elm is that shape, and it sits comfortably next to furniture you already own.

For a rustic room

Reclaimed wood or distressed leather, in an earthy color. The Dylan Chair from Four Hands is built from those materials, and a chair like it grounds a room full of lighter pieces.

Match it with Your Sofa

Pairing your lounge chair with your sofa creates a cohesive look:

• With a Sleek Sofa: Choose chairs that echo its silhouette and proportions.
• With a Sectional: Go bold with an accent chair in a contrasting color or unique shape. If you have a lot of straight lines in your sectional, a curved back accent chair will help soften the room and bring balance.
• With a Casual Couch: Opt for beanbags or low-profile chairs for a relaxed, boho look.

Keep Your Chair Looking New

You found the chair. Now keep it looking good. Care routines are worth checking before you buy, too, since a fabric that needs careful handling is harder to live with. Here is what each material asks of you:

Start with the sitting, the clearance, and the sofa. Once those three line up, browse the pieces you like from Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Four Hands, and the rest.

Ready to buy the chair? Join Designer Discount Club free and pay 10 to 40 percent off retail, an average of $3,246 a year, on the chair you actually want rather than the one that happens to be marked down. We partner with over 400 top brands, including the ones you already shop like Pottery Barn, West Elm and Crate and Barrel, so the chair can come from one and the side table from another and you check out once. Ask our designers how the chair will read next to your sofa before you commit, and your member success rep takes it from checkout to your door. We'd love to see how you style your living room. Join our Facebook group and share your lounge chair setups.