Reviewed: The Trendiest, Most Comfortable Accent Chairs We Could Find

Have an empty living room corner that needs some pizzazz? Accent chair. Feel like your master bedroom looks too…sparse? Accent chair. The list goes on and on, but one thing is clear: an accent chair is like the Telfar bag of furniture. It instantly elevates a space with color, texture and dimension—and spares your wallet thousands in renovations for the same effect.

That said, not all chairs are created equal. That’s why we spent months testing 10 of them—from cloud-like loungers to sculptural statement pieces—to find the most comfortable, stylish and actually worth-it options on the market. Think: the West Elm Millie Swivel Chair, which our editor-in-chief dubbed “comically comfortable,” or the Archie Lounge Chair from Article, which earned a 93 points in a PureWow100 review. There’s even the Mario Capasa Feathers Chair, a cloud dupe that’s editor-approved for tall people and red wine-proof.

Below, find every editor-tested accent chair that lives up to the hype.

We didn’t just comb through product specs and five-star reviews—we called in the chairs, lived with them, and evaluated how they held up to real life. PureWow editors tested each piece in their own homes, gauging everything from how the cushions felt after hours of laptop work to whether the upholstery could survive pets, kids or the occasional wine spill.

To earn a spot on this list, each chair had to meet a few key benchmarks:

• Seat height: at least 24 inches (so you’re not crouching like a toddler).
• Plush yet supportive cushioning: whether that meant foam, down-alternative or a mix of both.
• Durable, design-forward upholstery: including bouclé, velvet, linen, leather or performance blends
• Functional comfort: deep enough to curl up in, structured enough to sit upright without a back pillow fortress

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“Usually upholstered, a [comfortable accent] chair should be relaxed yet supportive (not too laidback—save the dozing off for your sofa or chaise). A winning combination in a chair is a design with a high, firm back—to provide sufficient neck and back support—and a comfortable, plush upholstered cushion for your seat. Midcentury-style chairs, in particular, tend to have low backs, so be sure to look at measurements to make sure you have somewhere to rest your head. As for cushions, a [foam- or down-filled cushion with a feather blend] is recommended,” writes Cate Shanks, an expert design writer for Chairish, which is an online source for vintage and unique decor, art, furniture and decorating inspiration. That said, Shanks also outlines a few key features you should look for when choosing a comfortable accent chair: 

• Size: “Some people prefer an oversized [accent] chair, as it can accommodate a big throw or blanket and a pillow or two. If you have a pet or kids who like to sit and curl up with you, a large chair is a worthy option,” she says, adding that oversized accent chairs are sometimes referred to as a “chair and a half,” since they’re larger than average but still smaller than a settee.  
• Seat Depth: “If you have an extra-tall family member in the house or you just love to curl and put your feet up on your chair, a deep-seated chair may be the best option for you. However, if you’re not especially tall, and you like to keep your feet on the floor while you read, a deep seat could actually be uncomfortable.”
• Leg Heights: “Unlike dining chairs, [accent] chairs generally look and feel more inviting when they have a shorter leg—tall enough so you can comfortably have your legs bent…A seat height of around 17 inches, give or take, is common. As you compare chairs, you may notice that a chunky leg tends to look more inviting and casual, while narrow legs look a little more formal. You should also consider the leg style of other furniture in your room—too many competing styles can feel disorderly, but all the same can look matchy-matchy.”
• Armrests: “There are numerous types of arm styles to choose from, from a tight and narrow English arm, which is more traditional, to a chunky and rounded Lawson arm (which can be transitional), to a track arm, which is definitively modern. In addition to upholstered arms, wooden or metal arms are also an option for an accent chair (and both can be a nice choice for small spaces thanks to their slender profile).”