Decorating Guides
12 Ways to Dress Up a Room With an Accent Chair
Ornament your interiors the fashionable way, with a chair done up in statement-making style
I've never really been a shoe-and-handbag girl. As a matter of fact, my standard-issue shoe is flat and comfortable. Additionally, my handbag hasn't changed for a couple of years now. I know that is a fashion no-no, but I found a cool purse (diaper bag) that was big enough for my tape measure, iPad and bottle of water. Why change?
Now if you want to talk chairs, that's a different story. Give me a good-looking, comfortable chair over a new pair of shoes any day. As with fashion, chairs are great ways to make a statement in a room. Here is your chance to be a little daring — c'mon, it's just a chair. Try throwing one or two interesting chairs in a room and see how they not only liven up the room, but define the mood. I'll show you how.
Now if you want to talk chairs, that's a different story. Give me a good-looking, comfortable chair over a new pair of shoes any day. As with fashion, chairs are great ways to make a statement in a room. Here is your chance to be a little daring — c'mon, it's just a chair. Try throwing one or two interesting chairs in a room and see how they not only liven up the room, but define the mood. I'll show you how.
1. Go bold with pattern. This chair is like that bohemian, chic tunic in the Chico's catalog. It's comfortable and casual, and says, "Don't be so serious."
2. Stay neutral, modern and classic. The Egg Chair designed by Arne Jacobson for a Danish hotel lobby is like the classic trench coat. It's been around since the late '50s. It still looks good; it always will. When in doubt, throw on a trench coat and throw in an Egg Chair.
3. Try an animal print in moderation. Just a little splash will do, and no mixing, please! If you're feeling a little tiger, stick with tiger. This perfectly executed tiger pattern on the inside back of the chair is sassy but restrained.
4. Go big with color and form. This reminds me of one of those lightweight summer hoodies. If you are going to experiment with a bold shape for a chair, you might as well throw in big color too. Contrast bold color with crisp white for a modern, fresh-feeling aesthetic that says, "No wallflowers live here."
5. Don a classic black strapless. I promise, a little black chair in a room always works. Black is classic and anchors a room; it looks good with everything and gives the eye a focal point. I love this strappy version that looks great from the front and back. Just as with the little black dress, it's always good to have one or two.
6. Show chair whimsy. Convey your lighter side by including something unexpected. A completely neutral room of white and gray shows its whimsical side with a hot-pink Saarinen Womb Chair. Bet you didn't see this one coming.
7. Cause a stir with red. I'm not really a fan of red, but I do understand how effective it is in causing a commotion. If you want to be provocative with a chair, use red. Red is especially fun in a dining room, where it is said to increase appetite.
Get the how-to on this DIY chair project
Get the how-to on this DIY chair project
8. Go light, airy and organic. Here is a version of that organic white cotton T-shirt many of us default to in the summer. This chair beckons us for casual moments with just a hint of earthy mixed in. It's a great look for the color shy.
9. Freshen up a classic with paint. This wing chair is painted a sassy blue, with complementary fabric. It's OK to paint furniture that's feeling too stuffy.
10. Try everyday faux bois. Just throw some in anywhere; it will look good. A faux bois chair is really like a pair of Levis. It complements everything and can feel casual or elegant depending on the mix. I like this eclectic mix of faux bois and black accents.
11. Take one of each. Can't decide which color you like best? A color roundup at a dining room table is great fun. There really are no rules here.
12. Create a memory. This may be a little over the top for some people in their everyday living spaces, but what about for a party? Do you think the guests at this party remembered the meal or the chairs? Life is made of small moments streamed together, so make a memory with something brave and fabulous.
Tell us: Which one of these chairs would you like to see your room wear?
Tell us: Which one of these chairs would you like to see your room wear?
