Accentuate the positive with accent chairs "Von't you zit down, Mademoiselle?" Perhaps that's what an accent chair would say if it were a Pixar or Disney character. But in this case, "accent" means something other than a bad faux-European voiceover. Accent chairs accentuate. They display a distinctive feature or quality or draw attention to a feature or quality that's displayed elsewhere in a room by either contrasting with or complementing it. Accent chairs are sort of the black sheep (or red sheep or green sheep or mottled sheep or ...) of a room's furniture scheme. They're independent by definition, and are seldom part of a furniture set. Yet they're not entirely off on their own eccentric orbit. A well-chosen accent chair makes a room interesting by adding to or drawing out its colors, its angles, its stylistic strengths, its textures and materials. It provides both perspective and visual interest. What Is an Accent Chair? So what qualifies as an accent chair? That depends on what you're accenting. Anything from ottomans and stools to armchairs, chaise lounges, recliners, or antique rockers could be used to accentuate an element of your room's decor or give it some much-needed personality. |  |
Accent chair features and styles
Knowing what you want to accent in or add to a room is step one in choosing a great accent chair. Obvious, right? To figure that problem out, take a look around the room, assemble a visual palette in your mind, and decide which would look best: fabric, wood, or leather accent chairs? Bold or neutral colors? Is there a color or feature of your room's style that you really like? Use the patterns and colors of upholstered accent chairs to draw attention to it.
Once you've made those decisions, consider what the room needs in terms of functionality. If the room is often cluttered, storage benches might work as both accent pieces and room declutterers. Leather club chairs would add comfort without sacrificing elegance. If a room corner or one of the walls is a decorative dead spot, a wooden armchair with some patterned cushions might enliven it.
Whether you prefer casual or formal, modern or antique, small or large, there's virtually no limit to the accent chair styles that can be used to accentuate the positive elements of your home's decor.
