What is an Accent Chair? Exploring Our Favorite Designs

While browsing our catalogue you might stumble upon a term you’ve never heard of: accent chair. What is an Accent Chair? How is it different from a regular chair? In today’s blog post, we want to introduce you to the glorious possibilities that accent chairs can bring to your interiors.

This post is a follow-up to last week’s exploration of wood veneer and our history of the wardrobe and armoire. As part of a series of blogs delving into the terminology and function of art historical words and structures, we hope these posts will give you new ideas for interior design projects or simple additions to your living space.

Exploring the Accent Chair

Accent chairs, also called side chairs, are single seat chairs added to a room. They are most often independent of other furniture and stand apart. As a result, accent chairs have the ability to pull focus. Like any artwork, they can be specifically emotive or excitingly innovative. And there are infinite options for what kinds of chairs can serve that function – and how.

In the dining and living rooms of aristocrats from previous centuries, you might have found an occasional chair. An occasional chair was a supplemental chair that stood about the room and could be added to a table or a seating arrangement if additional seating was required. It was likely from this arrangement, which is no doubt familiar to you today, that the concept of an ornate individual chair arose.

Unlike a chair associated with other furniture, like a table chair or even an armchair that pairs with a sofa, an accent chair is completely unique, and sometimes even strikingly different from the furniture around it. When curated properly, the result can be completely enchanting. Like a wink of the eye from a different era, or the center of attention in a room of many items.

A Multitude of Styles

While browsing our store, you may come across all kinds of chairs – sets of dining table chairs in a traditional style or sets of armchairs. But our most common kind of chair is, in fact, an accent chair. We have a huge variety of items for you to explore, all unshackled from an overbearing furniture context.

The particular beauty of an accent chair is that you can put it in any room. In that empty corner of your living room, the awkward space between shelves in your office, the side of a dining room, opposite your bed by your favorite dresser: an accent chair can be right at home anywhere. Add throw pillows, if you desire, and see how it can change the mood of the entire room.

From Mid-Century Modern to Rococo, wood framing to metal legs, foam cushioning to faux leather – follow us into our collection to explore the variety of accent chairs at your disposal.

Browsing the Styylish Catalogue: Antique Accent Chairs

Let us begin our showcase of accent chairs with antiques. Imagine putting one of these in a room with largely contemporary furniture of similar wood tones or color and you’ll get to the heart of what an accent chair can do. It will stick out with grace and elegance and transform your space.

This Biedermeier Wingback Chair exemplifies the clean angles and celebration of wood features of Biedermeier design. It could be a striking addition to any space – a single chair by a fireplace, a reading nook, or a large window. For more on the history of Biedermeier style, check out this blog post from last month.

A more ornate example is this Louis XV Armchair, which embodies the Rococo sensibilities of the period. This chair features curved legs and whimsical wood design. It has the kind of stately sensibilities that suggest the splendors of the late Baroque. For more on the history of Baroque style, check out this blog post.

Browsing the Styylish Catalogue: Modern Accent Chairs

Accent chairs, however, do not need to be confined to antiques. We have a selection of the finest vintage and modern accent chairs. Let them add a splash of sleek contemporary vision to your interior. As a reminder, we consider any object younger than a hundred years to be vintage instead of antique.

This Mid Century Modern Lounge Chair lets its striking dark wood play with the light blue seat cushion. The tapered legs of a new sensibility allow this chair a somewhat timeless appearance: both classy and modern, refined and playful.

Eames LCW Chair, by the legendary chair manufacturers Charles and Ray Eames, is the first chair to ever use a responsive backrest. Its sleek plywood look makes it appear almost simple and understated. But because of the obvious craftsmanship and modern design legacy, this piece can elevate a drab office in style.

For something radically different, check out this Modern Chair with an armless design. Modeled after a Japanese Ginkgo Leaf and custom-made by artisans in Europe, this unique chair is at the cutting edge of avant-garde design.

This Japanese-style Lounge Chair is a barrel chair, or a chair that erupts from a cylindrical shape. It is a brand new addition to the Styylish collection, representing an innovative design frontier. The craftsmanship emphasizes the texture of handmade cloth. This piece is sure to be the most striking feature of any room.

A Seat for any Space

Whatever accent chair strikes you as most interesting, rest assured that there are plenty more in our Styylish catalogue. Go ahead and browse for the perfect accent to your interior space. Like the colorful lilt in the voice of a stranger, a well-placed accent chair opens up new worlds.