Longtime SBTB reader Heather S reached out to ask a very important question about chairs.
Yes, we are here for your furniture needs!
Heather wrote:
I’m in the market to get a cozy reading chair. Since we’re headed into cozy seasons (well, in places that aren’t South Texas and clinging to 90-100 degree temps for at least another month or two), I figured y’all would have some good suggestions.
Heather’s budget is about $600, and she says, “I don’t want to go too wild, but would like something sturdy and comfortable to sit in for long periods.”
And I figured y’all were the most logical people to ask! I do have suggestions.
First, I have two of these chairs from Ikea, the Strandmon:
STRANDMON wingback chair, Ikea, $299USD
I have this chair in a light blue, which doesn’t seem to be available though there is a truly fabulous deep blue paisley.
I’m also looking at that ottoman because I want one.
Two tips for the Strandmon: first, we accidentally installed the legs backwards. Two are shorter than the others, and we reversed them without realizing it. But because I have The Shortest Legs in the World, I found the shorter chair legs in front to be more comfortable, and the mistake didn’t cause the seat to pitch forward, either.
Second: my dog and my cats LOVE this chair, so: slipcovers it is.
I don’t love slipcovers. I don’t like how they look. But I found this slipcover in nearly the same color a the original chair, and it’s a lot easier to wash dog and cat hair off the slipcover than it is to have the chair itself cleaned every year.
Stretch wingback chair slip cover, $37
I found that one by searching for “Strandmon” on Amazon, and there were a number of reviews that mentioned how these chairs show up on the curb in college towns after students have moved out, and when the original fabric is in not-great condition, a slipcover gets the job done for another few years of use.
I made the mistake of letting the Ikea algorithm tell me things, and look at this chair, oh my gosh.
Ekolsund reclinter in light pink, $429
That’s absurdly cute and looks very cozy.
There’s always places like discount furniture stores, or sales from retailers like La-Z-Boy, which sells recliners and the like.
Other suggestions I would have for Heather: do cursory searches of Facebook Marketplace for secondhand chairs or chair-and-a-half style chaises from more expensive furniture stores. That involves more interaction, and possibly deciding you love something only to find out that the accompanying odors make the purchase a no-go, but there are often some great deals there.
I’ve also spotted upholstered furniture in our local Buy Nothing group, but that’s much more by-chance, and you have to be selected in the comments, which adds uncertainty.
But I’m curious: What’s your favorite cozy, comfy reading chair, and where did you get it? Any shopping suggestions for Heather?
*just here for all the recommendations*
Depending on how much space you have, I recommend getting a “chair and a half”, also sometimes called an oversized chair. It’s somewhere between a chair and a loveseat, and it’s glorious. It has enough room for me and the cats, so we don’t have to fight over who claims it. It’s big enough not just for reading, but for snoozing too.
I got mine from Art Van but they went out of business? or something? so I can’t find the exact one. There’s something very similar called a Dorsten Oversized Chair at Ashley Furniture for $499. Ikea looks like they might have one as well, but I don’t know how comfortable it is (it’s called the Backsalen).
My one recommendation is to think carefully about where the chair hits you on your back. My husband and I bought a chair and half and sofa a few years ago that had low profile backs. We’re fairly tall and it means when you settle in, your shoulders are just up against the wall. It doesn’t feel uncomfortable for short distances, but it can cause a lot of lower back pain if we’re not really conscious how we sit.
*uncomfortable for short times (facepalm) that’s what I get for typing before my caffeine kicks in.
Furniture pretty much always comes from the sidewalk. Occasionally from people one knows, eliminating the sidewalk step. There are sometimes truly great finds in thrift stores. If you score something free you could probably spend your budget having it reupholstered or certainly slip covered in the fabric of your dreams. Which is a lot of delayed gratification, and chance. I have just found older furniture so much more comfortable and better made than “affordable” alternatives. It’s astonishing how expensive furniture is – that is still flat pack, and not hand made, or even really wood, or you know, any of the things that make obvious to me the value for the expense. Even the ikea ones I don’t mind cost more than $600 new.
The most comfortable chairs I have experienced tend to be aesthetically frumpy old Naugahyde recliners, and yes, that surface is… well. It’s why reupholstery and slipcovers are so desirable.
I’m a La-Z-Boy fan myself because I need me a recliner. Having my feet down is not comfortable and footstools aren’t good enough because they don’t change the angle of the seat like a recliner does.
I’m also a fan of padded arms on chairs because they provide the option of sitting sideways on the chair with my knees over the arm for variety, but YMMV! You may value your dignity more than I clearly do.
I would suggest actually going and sitting (and curling up!) in a bunch of chairs until you find one that matches your size. I’m not tall, so a lot of chairs and sofas are too deep for my thighs.
We got a very comfortable rocking chair from our local Habitat for Humanity resale store. Aesthetically, it wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it’s a perfect depth and the arms are just the right height. I also have two second hand Ethan Allen wingback chairs I got off Craig’s List. They’ve held up really well.
If you can try before you buy, I definitely would. When we went sofa shopping, I had a list of ones I liked and we ended up buying something totally different because the ones that looked nice in the photos all had drawbacks (too deep, too firm, too squishy, etc.)
We recently bought a reading chair with ottoman for our bedroom. We did the search and sit at several stores. We found a good match in our price range at Bob’s Discount Furniture. It’s the Riley Chair. Around $400.
https://www.mybobs.com/furniture/living-room/chairs/p/20053080002
How do you like to position yourself when you read? I like to lean against the arm and have my legs curled up to the side. I bought a velvet daybed off of offerup. After the addition of one of those non-slip rug pads under the cushion, it’s the greatest reading chair ever (for me)
I’m a huge fan of 2nd hand and vintage stores for furniture – there is so much really well made furniture out there. There are also some great pieces on Chairish and Kaiyo but keep in mind to filter for items in your area as freight is expensive.
+1 to test the chair for your back and hips! That said, I love Laz Y Boy recliners on sale because I can rest my book on the arm and my cat loves them.
Just over twenty years ago, I found an overstuffed armchair at a thrift shop. It cost $60. It’s been my reading chair ever since, and has been covered in a succession of slipcovers that are always some shade of blue. The arms are wide enough that I can put my mug of tea on them, as well as a small plate for a snack.
I have a somewhat off the wall suggestion for a great reading chair combo. I went on an epic comfy chair quest this year due to a surgery and an old broken tailbone injury. I ended up buying a really nice camp chair and a cushion. It’s like sitting on a cloud and I can move it around the house or bring it with me to the drive-in. I no joke fall asleep in this thing:
https://www.woodscanada.com/products/woods-strathcona-fully-padded-folding-camping-bucket-chair-gray
It looks to be out of stock at the moment, but they seem to re-release it in different colors seasonally. The chair and basic outdoor cushion cost me $150.
I’d go for a chaise lounge. Some have a curve in the legs… like this one from Wayfare. https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/canora-grey-molinaro-modern-minimalist-button-tufted-wide-upholstered-chaise-lounge-with-lumbar-pillow-w011422206.html?categoryid=413911&placement=1&slot=0&sponsoredid=65e20b88c69d76e5d704b0554dd6bd9d647b9574153898d420ff689b08713965&_txid=I%2BF9OmUYUHQeTeoRiDmlAg%3D%3D&isB2b=0&auctionId=326c5651-fbf4-43cf-ba84-51454bb0c1e5&piid=501344094
And some have arms (are are sometimes almost a chair and half wide… so you can stuff cushions and pets around you. Like this one. https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/wade-logan-atlai-upholstered-chaise-lounge-w011329177.html?piid=47689873
I had an old sofa in my bedroom, where I could retreat from my family and our pets. Feet up on the sofa, back propped up against a cushion, it was a great place for reading and napping.
I don’t need a recliner to rock or dance; I just need it to recline. I’m still lamenting the demise of my vinyl recliner, with its wide seat, wide, squared-off arms, and extensive footrest. The arms were great for either plates or cats. The footrest was also good for cats. The recliners one sees any more just aren’t big enough. My feet always hang off the footrest, and I’m barely 5′! The footrests are neither wide nor deep enough for a cat. The seats are barely wide enough for me, let alone me and a cat. All those skinny, curved arms are good for is luring a cat into falling off. What’s up with that?
Whether you nestle into the corner of a sofa, or pillow into a chair/ottoman combo, or lounge in a recliner, I recommend a couple of other necessities to make reading time even more comfy. First would be a u-shaped neck pillow that can be worn sideways or even under the chin. I keep mine inside a zippered washable silk pillowcase but there are washable covers available. Second would be a 3-sided tablet pillow that will bear the weight of your print book, Kindle, or tablet (Amazon ASIN B07MQBP3Z8).Those two accessories will save your neck & shoulders!
Love my Ektorp chair in solid red – very cushy and comfy and a reasonable price. I can sit upright using the large footstool or sit sideways and flip my feet over the arms to more casually lounge. Loved you could purchase slipcovers in several colours and patterns. I have the white Ektorp chair to read in my bedroom with a set of red ones in the Living Room. Sorry to hear IKEA have discontinued the Ektorp in North America, but sounds like they have replaced it with something similar called the Uppland.
At Providence’s center for writers, LitArts RI, we use Standmon chairs BUT we increased comfort by changing the bottom seat cushion interiors for a higher end commercial grade cushion (custom made avail online, or a local upholsterer can help you.) We also had custom tweed slipcovers made (local but you can find some on Etsy) and then had matching 16×16 pillows. Note: for a 16” pillow, you stuff with an 18” insert because the upholstery world is weird.
These are very comfy. BUT if you weigh over 200lbs, please be aware IKEA does not make any chairs safety rated for you. We had to install other chairs for heavier people.
I personally like womb chairs-they give you lots of room and are easy to get comfortable in. Normally they can be expensive, but I found this online if you don’t mind a return: https://thereturncompany.com/products/06165cc5879b48e5bd6e2aac8f7ceafc-1?variant=43835225571570¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOoo-FSOWBSC9Tyf3VtU3Hbc2Z6QJs6JOERp5Vt8b6JjwdMHQv9VhJ_Y&com_cvv=d30042528f072ba8a22b19c81250437cd47a2f30330f0ed03551c4efdaf3409e
I have this chair in yellow from West Elm
https://www.westelm.com/products/crescent-swivel-chair-h2914/?pkey=cliving-room-chairs
I’m so glad to see this sort of question here :). As an architect (whose dad is always expecting her to design a chair…) I wouldn’t know where to start suggesting (we’ve inherited chairs and bought some but I don’t think the Eames plywood lounge chair is what she’s looking for) but I do agree with a lot of the comments about height relative to the reader’s legs, considering the width (or chair and a half), and accessorizing, along with trying before you buy. Ikea is a good place to start. We have a CB2 sofa we love – you could check their sale section, looks like there might be a few options in the 600-750 range on sale.
I’ve had this one for about a year. It’s very comfy but a little on the small side and lower to the ground than I expected? Since I exclusively use it with the footrest the lower profile is ok. I like the plush look and feel of it.
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Home-Garden/Lucrecia-Swivel-Lounge-Chair-with-Ottoman/34379742/product.html
We had a very difficult time finding anyone local who would reupholster. We finally found someone a few towns away. Cost to reupholster an old BarcaLounger is over $800, so Heather’s budget may not work for that.
A little warning. Following some years lusting, and then saving, I bought an Ekkornes stressless chair. Unfortunately, the built-in cushion at the top of the back pushed my head forward and was never comfortable to relax into. The uncomfortable angle wasn’t noticeable when sitting 15 or 20 minutes at a time while in the store. Seat depth and width are not the only size considerations if you buy a chair with fixed cushions.
@Kareni oof! My old roommate had an entire sofa done for that, although it was just before the pandemic, and inflation is bananas, so. Yeah. A lot of the repair places went out of business during the pandemic, and they could be hard to find before that.
I’ve had an IKEA Poang chair with footrest for almost 20 years and through 5 moves. The cat destroyed the original cloth chair cushion by scratching, but the leather one has held up. Not a curl-up type of chair, but it’s my preferred reading spot. I like the back support, and my kid likes the little bit of bounce. The set I have is currently $389, but the sets with cloth cushions are less expensive.
That’s a really good point about where the chair hits your back – I usually end up curled up with my legs to the side or with legs hanging over one arm, so back height hasn’t been a huge issue for me. And +1 to all the comments about cushioned arm rests; those are crucial.
I used to pick up a lot of furniture from the curb, but I now have a morbid fear of bedbugs. My reading preference is a La-Z-Boy or a cushy loveseat with a built in recliner. A new, cheaper loveseat, or a La-Z-Boy knockoff won’t last forever, but it’ll last for 10-20 years which is pretty good. If you can find a floor model for sale in your local area it’ll be cheaper, plus no assembly, which is well worth the delivery charge!
I read in bed 95% of the time, and I’m not sure any of my chairs qualify. But my BF has a sofa I thought I’d warn people about. He acquired this handout 1950s Stickley sofa with a wooden frame and shiny leather cushions. It’s way nicer than anything he could afford. But when I try to read on it, my butt slowly slides away from the back and will slide right off if I don’t keep pushing myself back on. I don’t know if it is the cushions’ lack of friction or shape or the sofa isn’t level? (He’s a carpenter and obsessive about things being level, so I don’t think it is the floor.) Anyway, he still loves it but it is the worst for reading! So I guess the warning is, watch out for shiny cushions.
I’ll second the rec for Ikea’s Strandmon, after all, my butt decided it was the comfiest chair at the store. 🙂 The only reservation I have about it is the very upright back that became uncomfortabel after a while. There is a new version with a reclining back (not sure if available in the US) that I haven’t tested yet, though. But the best advice I can give: choose one that you have test-sat, IOW, let your butt decide, esp if you -like me and any other reader- will spend hours in it!
I got this chair from Article last year, in the mint green: https://www.article.com/product/16191/mod-spearmint-aqua-armchair
I’m short and wanted something smaller to go in my library, and while I really wanted to love the ikea armchair that’s pictured (especially the yellow one!) it didn’t fit my proportions.
If you craft at all and intend to use your chair in that pursuit, pay attention to the height of the armrests. If they’re too high and force your arms into an unnatural position, it might result in back pain. (This information is brought to you from knitting on the loveseat at my local yarn store. Oy.)(Not to mention, the seat is so soft you sink into it. Not a good combination.)
I’m also in the market for a new reading chair and leaning toward a LaZBoy. I want to get the 50 year old recliner I got from my parents reupholstered, but it’s going to cost more than a new recliner, and a lot of upholsterers won’t touch these old chairs because they can be difficult to put back together. I still haven’t completed decided not to get the old chair fixed up, though, because it’s the perfect size for me and I love it. (I also chewed the Naugahyde off the top as a toddler, thus necessitating the previous reupholstering. What I’m say is I have history with this chair.) I would keep throwing slip covers and blankets on it, but it turns out I have a massive dust mite allergy…
I had a papasan chair and it was a terrible purchase as those chairs have very little lumbar support. I purchased a recliner and so far it’s been great.
My husband and I have been looking for a chair for our living room and we just bought a Strandmon at IKEA based on these recommendations! We did have to go to the store to sit in the chair to make sure we liked it. Success! They even had a slipcover marked down, so we got that too for when we get another cat.
Oh that’s so awesome! I hope it’s comfortable for years of reading!