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The living room is where the whole family gathers after a hard day’s work to watch a favorite movie, discuss the events of the day, sit with a cup of tea and a favorite book, or, on the contrary, work on a laptop. It is the room in which all the holidays and gatherings with friends take place. That is why it is challenging to imagine this room without cozy, comfortable furniture. Of course, the sofa is rightfully considered the “king” of the living room, but do not forget about such a piece of furniture as an armchair.! Without it, the living room interior will be incomplete and unfinished. Let’s say, initially, you limited yourself to buying only a sofa, but over time, you wanted something more secluded, and you decided to buy an armchair or even a pair. How to be in such a situation? Which chair to choose in the living room is comfortable and combined with the rest of the furniture?
Even choosing an armchair for an empty room should be treated very carefully, because this thing should serve you for many years and never cease to please with its appearance. At first glance, an ordinary action, buying an armchair, can make any person confused because the choice of this type of upholstered furniture today is extensive. This article will help you understand the main criteria influencing the choice.
1. Chair Frame
The first thing to look out for is the frame. The strength and durability of the product depend on it. Previously, almost all furniture had a wooden frame. Now manufacturers offer, in addition to wood, its various options, for example, pressed boards of fiberboard, chipboard, and MDF, as well as metal or a combined frame. Let’s take a closer look at each of them significantly since the cost of the product can also change from the material of the frame.
The undoubted leader, of course, remains the frame made of natural wood. It is relatively lightweight, very durable, and most importantly, environmentally friendly!
The metal frame also has a high strength indicator, dramatically facilitates the structure, and is cheaper. Suppose the armrests or legs of the chair are, as it were, a continuation of the frame. In that case, such an armchair can also interestingly complement the overall interior of the living room, made in the style of a loft, high tech, or minimalism. The wooden frame is connected using threaded joints, and the metal frame is often welded. So it allows them to withstand heavy loads.
As for fiberboard, chipboard, or MDF boards, there are both pros and cons. The positive aspects include a significant reduction in the cost of construction. But! Such materials are not remarkably durable since they are made by pressing wood shavings and sawdust. That is, they are not monolithic. In addition, some pressing technologies include synthetic binders, the quality of which cannot always be guaranteed, which means that it will be difficult to judge the environmental friendliness of such a product. Combined frames, such as chipboard with wood or metal with wood, will probably be the best choice in terms of price and quality. They significantly reduce the cost of the product and combine the maximum indicators of strength and durability.
2. Chair Filler Type
The following important factor is the filling of the chair. There are, fortunately, fewer options here. Now there are three most common fillers:
- Foam rubber
- Synthetic winterizer
- Polyurethane foam
The cheapest, but at the same time, the most short-lived, is foam rubber. Over time, it loses its elasticity and ability to regain its shape and later completely turns into dust, leaving dents on the seat of your favorite chair. Sintepon filler, after a specific time, also loses its elasticity and gets lost in some places. Polyurethane foam is the clear leader among fillers. It will perfectly hold its shape and maintain elasticity for a long time due to its unique, dense structure.
3. Upholstery Material
Next is another exciting stage – the choice of upholstery material. The ease of care and the beautiful appearance of your chair will depend on your choice of fabric? There are a great variety of options, ranging from quality and texture to color and the presence of a pattern. Or maybe you would like to compliment your armchair with a cute little printed pillow? Here your flight of imagination is not limited! But it would help if you also had durability.
You can choose from leatherette, velour, and velveteen, as well as mysterious upholstery called “fabric category 1” or “fabric category 2”. Let’s figure it out.
With the upholstery made of genuine leather, everything is clear, and its cost is also precise. To restore, that is, in simple words, to make a constriction of such an armchair will be an expensive pleasure.
Let’s decipher the concept of “fabric of category 1” or “fabric of category 2”. This is absolutely any fabric from the manufacturer’s catalog. The only difference is that the lowest category is the cheapest and less durable material, and the higher the type, the higher the quality of the upholstery material. In each catalog of fabrics, these categories exist. It is necessary to select a higher one. The price, of course, will also be higher, but it’s worth it. The fabric of the highest category will be denser, which means more durable, easier to clean, and the finished product will look much more expensive and of better quality.
4. Chair Shape and Style
Perhaps it will be classic soft shapes with beautiful carved legs and armrests. Or maybe the chair will have an anatomical shape and will not have armrests at all, but your back will be comfortable and comfortable in it. You can spend hours in such a chair. Or a loft-style chair, which will have only a padded seat and headrest, and the rest of it will be made of metal.
Nowadays, cocoon chairs have gained immense popularity. They are made of natural or artificial rattan with a soft cushion instead of a seat. Such chairs can be mounted directly to the ceiling or stand on an arched stand. In any case, they look fascinating and impressive! Such a chair will become an absolute favorite in a house with small children because it is unusual and exciting.
For optimal use of the free space, you can choose Japanese -style chairs. They are very compact, and they look original and complete. Or do you often receive guests? Then folding chairs are the right choice for you. Even a teenager can cope with such a design since the folding mechanism is very simple. But when it comes to an extra bed, such a chair will certainly come to your aid!
The choice of forms is plentiful. The main thing is that the shape of the chair is convenient and comfortable. So that one glance at this chair makes you want to sit in it quickly. When choosing a chair, you must also focus on the height of the person who will sit in it. When properly seated, the angle between the bent knees of the seated person and the floor should be approximately 90 degrees. If your knees are above this level, you will, as it were, fall through, sitting down from the chair, then it will be difficult for you to get up without support on the armrests. If the angle is less, the knees will be constantly tense, which will not allow your legs to rest.
You should also not choose a chair that is too narrow or too wide. You will not sit comfortably or cross your legs in a bit of a chair, but you will be uncomfortable in an extensive chair. The feeling of comfort and security that should arise when sitting in an armchair will not be present, and soon you will completely cease to feel an extraordinary difference with the sofa.
Do not forget to evaluate the interior of your living room before buying. If you already have a sofa in your room, then you need to focus on its shape so that the chair harmonizes with it and complements the overall picture. You should not radically change the style when choosing an armchair if other furniture attributes already set it. You can make an attractive accent in your living room in this way, or, on the contrary, spoil everything. Then an expensive and comfortable chair will look ridiculous and inappropriate.
It is better to make a color accent and tie the color of your future chair to the color of the pillows on the sofa or the color of the curtains. It will be the best solution to complement your interior.
5. Chair Size
It is also necessary to decide on the size of your future chair. It will depend, firstly, on the shape of your living room, and, secondly, on the amount of free space remaining in it. If the vast majority of the room is already occupied by other pieces of furniture, give preference to a small, perhaps even corner chair. If you are not limited in free space, then you can afford a chic armchair in a classic style with wide armrests and a comprehensive high back. Such a chair looks very rich and expensive and will become the center of attention of your room.
If there is a lot of space, but you do not like massive armchairs and prefer simplicity and comfort, get a medium-sized armchair, but not one, for example, a pair. They can be placed around a small coffee table and create a unique and cozy atmosphere. It will be a place of natural relaxation, where you will relax, drink aromatic coffee and enjoy a conversation with your loved ones.
A competent and balanced approach to choosing such an important detail of your living room as an armchair in the future will bring you true pleasure and the opportunity to sit down and relax, plunging into its soft and comfortable embrace. And most importantly, a correctly chosen chair will serve you for many years and not lose its visual appeal!
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