We spend a lot of time in our lounges; on average, we each spend 4.4 hours a day in this particular room of the house. Whether that’s sat on the sofa in front of the TV, hosting games evenings with friends or having a cosy duvet day, this space is called a ‘living room’ for a reason.

However, sometimes your comfortable sofa isn’t going to offer enough space for everyone to sit – enter the accent chair. The perfect piece of furniture to complete any living room suite. If you’re looking for a striking accent chair to become the focal point of your front room, or a couple of additional seats to add extra comfort, let us help you decide how to style your accent chair.

What’s the purpose of your accent chair?

First and foremost, it’s best to think about how your accent chair will be used and in which room it will sit. Is it for additional seating in your living room, or as a decorative piece in your bedroom? This will help you decide on the best style, material and colouring to choose when selecting your new accent chair.

Accent chairs are favoured by interior designers, as they are excellent ways of adding extra colour to any room, but you don’t want to choose style over substance. Yes, the purpose of an accent chair is to look nice, but you also want it to be nice and comfy if you need an extra seat.

What type of accent chair are you thinking of?

Here at Collins & Hayes, we have a few different styles of accent chairs – Banks, Hackett and Hawthorne.

Banks: Inspired by the mid-century furniture designs of the 1960s, Banks is an excellent statement accent chair. With broad arms and a high back, Banks works beautifully by itself, or within a cluster of other living room furniture.

Hackett: Simple, stylish, sophisticated. From cool and causal bachelor pads to busy and bustling family homes, Hackett won’t look out of place in any home environment. Easy on the eye and incredibly comfortable, Hackett is style and substance all wrapped up into one.

Hawthorne: Designed to perfectly compliment any Collins & Hayes sofa, Hawthorne will fit neatly within all kinds of furniture arrangements. With a versatile style and the option of slip or upholstered covers, Hawthorne will suit any type of lifestyle.

You want your accent chair to nestle nicely within your pre-existing living room furniture, or match flawlessly with new pieces if you’re having a complete overhaul. An accent chair shouldn’t take centre stage, as this can easily overwhelm a room. As this piece of furniture may not be used as frequently as other items, you don’t want it to be too big and swamp a space, so think carefully about the style and size of the accent chair you choose.

What other furniture are you adding into the mix?

It’s important to play around with the position of your accent chair – is it being situated with other furniture items, or acting as a stand-alone item? Will it go around a coffee table, or placed in the corner of a room?

You don’t want your accent chair to look like it’s been plonked pointlessly in a space. It needs to have purpose and match with other items within the room. Move you accent chair around and understand where it belongs; this will bring a sense of harmony to the environment, instead of seeming unbalanced and overcrowded.

What colour palette are you going for?

When it comes to how you should style your accent chair, it’s important to consider the colour scheme of the room it’s going to live in. Is it a dark and cosy room, or a light and airy space? Don’t be afraid of matching the colour of your accent chair to the colour of your wall paint. We often think that having contrasting colours within a room is the only way forward, but this doesn’t always have to be the case. Coordinating colours can lead the tone of a room, creating a clear theme to elevate a space.

If you’re looking for some inspiration on colour palettes, take a look at our wide range of fabrics. This will help you understand what hues and tones you can select, helping you understand further how you can style your accent chair.

Are you playing with patterns, neutrals or bolds?

Picking the brightest and boldest pattern may seem like the best way to style your accent chair. However, this could overpower a space instead of complimenting it. This doesn’t mean you can’t select a pattern, but perhaps opt for a soft botanical, retro geometric or gentle abstract style instead.

Bold block colours are wonderful for styling your accent chair; these will naturally draw the eye, whilst not being too consuming for a space. The colour of fabric or leather you choose for your accent chair will really impact the atmosphere of a room, so you want to make sure you get it right first-time round. Neutral colours will allow a much calmer, relaxed feeling, whilst bright hues can cause excitement and a sense of busyness.

Think about the kind of ambiance you are trying to create, when choosing how to style your accent chair. This will make your decision making a lot easier.

What kind of accessories could you use?

To make your accent chair cosier and accommodating, why not try styling it with throws or cushions. You don’t want to overwhelm your accent chair with additional textiles, but hanging a soft blanket over the back, or adding a singular scatter cushion into the mix will help to complete the look. This is a great way to experiment with contrasting colours and patterns, creating a different kind of illusion within a living space.

This is a great way to connect your furniture together even further, adding highlights of matching colours and textures through soft furnishings. You want a room to feel cohesive and not thrown together; this is also an easy way of changing the landscape of your living space as the seasons change. Mix up cushion covers and throws throughout the year to create different atmospheres; this will be especially affective if you have a neutral accent chair.