How To Choose An Armchair

Choosing the right armchair is about more than just looks; it's a decision that affects your comfort and your room's daily function. This guide provides clear, practical steps to help you find the perfect armchair that fits your space, suits your body, and matches your lifestyle. We'll walk you through everything from measuring your room and yourself to inspecting the frame quality and selecting the best fabric for your needs, ensuring you make a choice you'll be happy with for years.

Fast Answer

Measure First: Always measure your space, doorways, and hallways before shopping.
Define Purpose: Decide if it's for reading, watching TV, or as an accent piece.
Test for Comfort: Check seat depth, back height, and armrest position against your own body.
Match Fabric to Use: Choose upholstery based on who will use it (kids, pets, adults).
Inspect the Frame: Look for a solid hardwood frame for longevity.

1-3 Hours (Planning) Time needed

Easy Difficulty

Buying without measuring Watch out for

Before You Start

Proper preparation is the key to avoiding buyer's remorse. A few simple checks now will save you from the headache of a chair that doesn't fit through your door or feels out of place in your room. Gather these items and run through our checks before you even start browsing.

What You Need

Tape measure: Essential for checking room dimensions and potential armchair sizes.
Notepad or smartphone: To jot down measurements, take photos, and make notes.
Photos of your room: Keep these handy when shopping to help you visualise styles and colours.
Painter's tape (optional): Useful for marking out an armchair's footprint on your floor to gauge its size.

Safety, Timing, or Context Checks

The most important check happens before you fall in love with a specific chair. An armchair is only perfect if it can actually get into the room you want it in.

Check your delivery path: Carefully measure the width and height of all doorways, hallways, and stairwells the chair must pass through. Don't forget to account for tricky corners or low-hanging light fixtures.
Consider the user: Who will use this chair the most? A chair for an elderly person might need to be firmer and higher for ease of getting up. A family with young children or pets will need a stain-resistant, durable fabric.
Assess the room's function: Is this a quiet reading corner or part of a busy, social living room? The chair's function will dictate its style, size, and features, like a high back for support or a swivel base for conversation.

Check first: The single biggest mistake is failing to measure the delivery path. Confirm the armchair's dimensions (packaged and unpackaged) will fit through every door and corner on its way to the final room.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Define the Armchair's Purpose and Placement

Before you look at styles, decide on the chair's job. What will you be doing in it? An armchair for a cosy reading nook needs different features than one for a formal sitting room. A high, supportive back, like that on a wingback chair, is ideal for reading or resting your head. For a conversational area, you might prefer a lower back and a swivel base to easily turn and face people.

Think about exactly where it will go. Will it sit in a corner, by a window, or opposite the sofa? The placement determines the ideal size and shape. You need to ensure there's enough space to walk around it comfortably, at least 50-60cm of clearance for main pathways. Consider the room's overall flow and how the chair will impact it.

Measure Your Space and Yourself

This is the most crucial step. First, measure the floor space where the chair will live. Note down the maximum width and depth the area can accommodate. Use painter's tape to outline these dimensions on the floor. This gives you a powerful visual cue of how much room the chair will occupy and helps prevent choosing a piece that overwhelms the space.

Next, consider your own measurements for a truly comfortable fit. This is the "ergonomics" of chair shopping.

Seat Depth: Sit back in a chair. There should be a 5-10cm gap between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. If the seat is too deep, you'll slouch; too shallow, and your thighs won't be supported.
Seat Height: Your feet should rest flat on the floor with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Typical seat heights are between 45cm and 50cm.
Back Height: If you want to rest your head, look for a high-back chair that supports your neck and shoulders. If it's more of an occasional or accent chair, a lower back is fine.
Armrest Height: Your arms should rest comfortably on the armrests without you needing to hunch your shoulders.

Tip: Take a photo of the painter's tape outline on your floor. It will give you a much better sense of scale when you're looking at chairs in a large showroom.

Choose the Right Style and Shape

Now for the fun part. The armchair's style should complement your existing decor, but it doesn't have to match perfectly. In fact, a contrasting chair can add character and become a focal point. Consider the overall shape. Chairs with slim legs show more floor, creating a sense of spaciousness, which is great for smaller rooms. Solid, chunky chairs that go right to the floor have more "visual weight" and can anchor a larger space.

Common styles include:

Club Chair: A deep, comfortable, leather-upholstered classic with low arms.
Wingback Chair: Features a high back with "wings" that were originally designed to shield from drafts. Excellent for reading nooks.
Tub Chair: A compact, rounded chair where the arms and back form a continuous line. Good for corners and smaller spaces.
Mid-Century Modern: Characterised by clean lines, organic shapes, and often wooden, tapered legs.
Chesterfield: Known for its deep button tufting, rolled arms, and nail-head trim, typically in leather.

Think about the arms. Wide, padded arms are great for comfort and resting a book on. Slim or wooden arms create a more streamlined, modern look.

Select the Upholstery Fabric

The fabric you choose impacts the chair's look, feel, and durability. Your choice should be guided by your lifestyle. A household with pets and children needs something tough and easy to clean, while a quiet, adult-only home can accommodate more delicate materials.

Here's a quick rundown of common options:

Leather: Extremely durable, easy to wipe clean, and develops a beautiful patina over time. It can feel cold in winter and sticky in summer.
Cotton & Linen: Natural, breathable fibres that feel soft and casual. However, they wrinkle and stain easily unless treated.
Velvet: Offers a luxurious, soft texture and rich colour. Modern velvets can be quite durable, but they can be magnets for pet hair.
Wool: Very durable, resilient, and naturally flame and soil resistant. It provides a cosy, warm feel but can feel scratchy to some.
Synthetics (Polyester, Microfibre, Acrylic): The workhorses of upholstery. They are highly resistant to staining, fading, and abrasion, making them the top choice for high-traffic family homes.

Tip: Always ask for fabric swatches. Take them home and look at them in your room's natural and artificial light at different times of the day. The colour can change dramatically.

Inspect the Frame and Construction

A beautiful chair is worthless if it's poorly made. The frame is the skeleton of your armchair, and its quality determines how long the chair will last. A solid, well-constructed frame is a sign of a good investment.

When you're in a store, don't be afraid to do a few checks. Gently lift one front corner of the chair. If the other front leg lifts almost instantly, the frame is rigid and strong. If it twists or wobbles, the frame is weak. Wiggle the arms and back; there should be no give or creaking.

Look for these quality indicators in the product description or ask a salesperson:

Frame Material: The best frames are made from kiln-dried hardwood (like oak, ash, or beech). Kiln-drying removes moisture, preventing the wood from warping or cracking. Avoid frames made from particleboard, plastic, or softwoods like pine, as they are far less durable.
Joints: Look for joints that are dowelled, glued, and screwed. This creates a very strong bond. Stapled joints are a major red flag and indicate low-quality construction.
Springs: The springs provide support for the seat cushions. The gold standard is eight-way hand-tied springs, which are very durable and comfortable but expensive. A good, common alternative is sinuous springs (S-shaped wires). The lowest quality option is webbing, which can sag over time.

Assess the Cushion Filling

The filling inside the cushions determines both the immediate comfort and how well the chair keeps its shape over the long term. There's a wide range of options, each with its own pros and cons.

Foam: This is the most common filling. Look for high-density or high-resilience (HR) foam. It's firm, supportive, and holds its shape well. Low-density foam will soften and flatten quickly.
Feather and Down: Incredibly soft, plush, and luxurious. However, cushions filled entirely with down require constant plumping to maintain their shape and can be expensive.
Polyester Fibre-fill: A budget-friendly option that gives a soft feel initially but can compact and clump over time, leading to a lumpy cushion.
Foam Core with a Feather Wrap: Often considered the best of both worlds. A supportive foam core is wrapped in a layer of down or feathers, providing the structure of foam with the plush comfort of feathers.

When testing a chair, sit down and feel the cushion. Does it support you, or do you sink right through to the frame? A good cushion will have some give but bounce back into shape when you stand up.

Test for Comfort in Person

If at all possible, you should always try an armchair before you buy it. An online photo can't tell you how a chair feels. When you find a contender, don't just perch on the edge for a few seconds. Really test it out.

Sit in the chair for at least five to ten minutes. Try to relax in your natural sitting posture.

Does the chair fit your body based on the measurements you took in Step 2?
Can you rest your feet comfortably on the floor?
Is the back high enough and angled correctly for you?
Are the arms at a natural height for you to rest your own arms?
Try getting in and out of the chair. Is it easy, or do you struggle? A seat that is too low or too soft can be difficult to get out of, which is an important consideration for anyone with mobility concerns.

This simple real-world test is the ultimate check. A chair can tick every box on paper, but if it isn't comfortable for you, it's not the right chair.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this	Why
High-traffic family room with pets	Synthetic microfibre or treated leather on a hardwood frame	Maximum durability and stain resistance for heavy daily use.
Quiet, adult-only reading nook	High-back chair (e.g., wingback) with wool or velvet upholstery	Comfort, head support, and a luxurious feel are prioritised.
Small flat needing a flexible accent	A compact tub chair or a mid-century design with visible legs	Smaller footprint and visible floor space create an illusion of roominess.
User with mobility concerns	A chair with a firmer, higher seat and sturdy, easy-to-grip arms	Provides better support and makes standing up much easier.

Common Problems When You Choose An Armchair

The chair looks too big or small in the room. This often happens when you judge scale in a large showroom.
Fix: Always go back to your measurements and the painter's tape outline you made on the floor. Remember to consider "visual weight" – a leggy chair looks lighter and smaller than a solid one of the same dimensions.
The fabric wears out or stains almost immediately. This is a classic case of choosing looks over lifestyle.
Fix: Be honest about how the chair will be used. If you have pets that shed, avoid velvet. If you have young kids, a light-coloured linen is a risky choice. Opt for performance fabrics or easy-clean materials like microfibre or leather.
It feels uncomfortable after a few days at home. The "showroom slouch" can be deceivingly comfortable for five minutes but lacks long-term support.
Fix: This highlights the importance of checking cushion fillings. A super-soft, down-filled chair may feel amazing at first but might not offer the back support you need for longer periods. High-density foam often provides better ergonomic support.
The colour clashes with your existing decor. The lighting in a store is very different from the lighting in your home.
Fix: Never choose a colour based on a website photo or how it looks in the shop. Always get a fabric swatch and view it in your own room at various times of day to see how it looks in your natural and artificial light.

Advanced Tips for Choosing An Armchair

Coordinate, Don't Match: Unless you're buying a complete suite, your armchair doesn't need to be an exact match for your sofa. A coordinated look is often more stylish. Choose a chair in a complementary colour, a contrasting texture (like a velvet chair with a linen sofa), or a subtle pattern that picks up a colour from your sofa or curtains.
Think About Ergonomics for Long Sittings: If you plan to spend hours in your armchair working, reading, or gaming, look beyond basic comfort. Consider a chair with good lumbar support to protect your lower back. A slight recline or an accompanying footstool can also dramatically increase comfort over long periods.
Create a "Zone" with Your Chair: Use an armchair to create a designated zone within a larger room. Place it next to a small side table and a floor lamp to create an instant reading nook. In an open-plan space, two armchairs facing each other can create an intimate conversation area.
Invest in a Timeless Design: Trends come and go, but a classic, well-made armchair can last for decades. Iconic designs like a traditional club chair, a wingback, or a mid-century-inspired lounger are style chameleons that can adapt to different decorating schemes as your tastes change over time.

How To Choose An Armchair FAQ

How high should an armchair seat be?

The ideal seat height allows your feet to rest flat on the floor with your knees at a 90-degree angle. This is typically between 45cm and 50cm from the floor to the top of the seat cushion. It varies depending on your height, so testing is key.

What is the most durable fabric for an armchair?

For sheer toughness and longevity, top-grain leather is hard to beat. Among fabrics, tightly woven synthetic materials like microfibre and polyester blends offer excellent resistance to stains, fading, and abrasion, making them ideal for busy households.

Can I put a large armchair in a small room?

Yes, you can, but it needs to be a deliberate choice. A single, large, and comfortable armchair can work better as a statement piece than several smaller, cluttered items of furniture. To make it work, keep other furniture minimal and choose a chair with legs to create a sense of space underneath it.

How do I know if an armchair frame is good quality without taking it apart?

Check the product specifications for "kiln-dried hardwood frame." In the store, perform the "lift test" by lifting one front leg; the other should rise quickly, indicating a rigid frame. A heavier chair often suggests a more substantial, solid wood frame compared to a lighter one made of particleboard.

Should my armchair match my sofa?

No, it doesn't have to. A more modern and curated look is often achieved by choosing an armchair that coordinates with the sofa but doesn't match it exactly. Use colour, pattern, or style to create a link. For example, a patterned armchair could feature a colour from your plain sofa.

Final Checklist for Choosing An Armchair

Use this checklist to confirm you've covered all the important bases before making your final decision.

You have measured your room, doorways, and hallways.
You have defined the primary function of the armchair.
You have considered the ergonomic needs of the main user (seat height, depth).
You have chosen a style and shape that complement your room's scale and decor.
You have selected an upholstery fabric that is appropriate for your household's lifestyle.
You have checked the product details for a high-quality frame (kiln-dried hardwood).
You have assessed the cushion fillings for both comfort and durability.
You have tested the chair in person for at least five minutes, if possible.

What should I check before acting on advice about how to choose an armchair?

Use this guide as a starting point, compare current specifications and costs, and check the details that apply to your own situation before making a purchase or booking.

Where can I find related furniture-lighting guidance?

Browse the related guides in this section for practical comparisons, planning notes, and next steps that support the same decision.