Find a soft, nubby throw that's not too big. Fold it like a towel and "hang" it through one of those angular arms, draping it over one of the front corners. That will soften the look. It's a lovely chair, but you're right, those arm angles look dangerous (but they're not)!

I, too, bought this chair and love it. At first, it felt too large for me, but now I love the large size. The arms don't pose a problem, but they can be softened with a pillow. The color, however, is dark brown like wet coffee grounds or bittersweet chocolate, definitely a blackish brown. The pictures online are misleading when it comes to the color. You have to get up close, very close, to see that the chair is very dark brown and has a pretty grain, nothing like the exaggerated grain in the photos. From a few feet away, it looks black.

I also purchased two of these chairs, space is not an issue, but the low arm rests on the chairs are not functional (to low) If they would have placed them a little higher they would be perfect. Love the chair style, though the first chair arrived damaged ;-/. Hoping West Elm will remedy that issue.