A mistake many of us make when shopping for furniture is buying matching furniture sets. While it does seem practical, it makes the living room look cheap and boring. The key to creating a stylish blend of furniture is variety. And to add variety, you need to include different colours and textures, and accessorize your pieces properly.
But worry not, you don’t need to spend large sums of money to achieve this. Sometimes, simply combining your well-picked sofa with one or two contemporary chairs can make a big difference. While electric recliner chairs may seem like a reliable and comfortable seating option, several decades have passed since they were considered trendy. Interior design is constantly evolving and finding better solutions for conventional furniture that is comfy and stylish at the same time.
What are the Characteristics of the Contemporary Style?
The contemporary style is defined by simplicity, sophistication, use of textures and lines. Lines can be found in architectural details, wall art, sculptures or even bare windows. Contemporary homes often include air ducts hanging from the ceiling or exposed plumbing pipes, they can include broken bricks to add some texture. The lighting elements are often metallic, while the decorations are made of metal, stone or clear glass. Plants should be large and dramatic, with interesting leaves and placed in simple containers. Lastly, the contemporary style mostly uses black, white and grey, but you can freshen up your space by adding colourful decorations or trendy furniture.
What Are the Best Contemporary Chairs for a Living Room?
Although there are many options to choose from, not all of them will give you the comfort you’re searching for. Some contemporary chair ideas that are stylish and comfortable are tufted chairs, rattan chairs and egg lounge chairs.
His Majesty – the Tufted Chair
Tufting is achieved when layers of fabric are tightly stitched into a pattern. Such furniture has been around for a very long time. The first tufted sofa was created in the late 1800s by the commission of Philip Stanhope, the Earl of Chesterfield, hence the name of the famous Chesterfield sofa we all know today. Although it’s a fairly old trend, tufted furniture is constantly being reinvented and is still relevant in the contemporary interior design.
Tufting in chairs adds a lot of visual interest, while at the same time anchoring the stuffing and keeping the upholstery from looking lumpy over time. This can be blind or buttoned, and it can be applied in different techniques, such as diamond, channel or biscuit, the most popular being diamond tufting.
To add some drama, you can choose a tufted wingback chair softened by a decorative throw blanket. If you want to incorporate simpler contemporary chairs, go for a cabriole or tub-shaped tufted chair accessorized by a simple decorative pillow. Another version is the modern tufted rocking chair, for cosy relaxing afternoons.
Modern Rattan Chairs
Rattan chairs are continuously growing in popularity these last few years with the new trend of bringing nature indoors. Rattan is an eco-friendly furniture material. It’s a type of plant related to palm trees and it relies on other vegetation for survival.
While they’re ideal as outdoor furniture, rattan chairs can be applied to any kitchen or dining room accessorized by a couple of indoor plants. Lounge and club rattan chairs on the other hand, can greatly contribute to the comfort and aesthetic of your living room, giving it a warm and homely vibe. They can be used both for family gatherings and quiet afternoons with your favourite book.
In terms of accessorizing, you can do it in many ways – decorative pillows, throw blankets, abstract art prints and especially with indoor plants. The sky is the limit! Just be careful not to overdo it.
Egg Lounge Chairs
This is another example of a timeless piece of furniture that’s in fact still growing in popularity. In 1958, Danish architect Arne Jacobsen set the world of interior design on fire by designing the egg chair. It was primarily designed for the SAS Royal Hotel Copenhagen hotel, but today we can see it in many traditional and contemporary home designs.
The egg chair comes in a variety of materials from wool to leather. Its almost cocoon-like structure resembles a chic study carrel and gives off a feeling of privacy and safety, which is ideal for studying or relaxing by reading a book. Pairing it with a matching ottoman adds in to the comfort and style and makes your egg chair the star of your living room. In terms of additional accessories – they aren’t necessary, although you can add a colourful throw blanket. Mixing together the aesthetics of a rattan and an egg chair, you can opt for a rattan egg chair, which can be heavily accessorized according to your taste.
Choosing the Perfect Chair
When shopping for a new chair for your living room, you have to make sure it fits in with the rest of the furniture. Having some variety is crucial, but you shouldn’t mix two completely different styles together. For example, adding a modern panton chair to a traditional style living room will look distasteful and out of place, but it can work wonders as a part of a minimalist style living room with its simple yet intriguing design.
For a contemporary styled living room with a neutral palette, you need a modern chair in a lively colour made from a comfortable material. Lines and textures are very important with this simple design style, so accessories such as pillows and throw blankets will work great as decor.
One thing that often gets overlooked is making sure your chair is properly placed. As with all furniture, you need to leave some negative space (but not too much) around it and avoid placing it right next to a wall. Ideally, you’ll want no more than your chair’s front legs to rest on the carpet. You need to have in mind how big your living room is to pick the chair that’s just the right size.
