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How to Use Occasional Chairs: Enhance and Accentuate Your Home
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Categories :
Dining Room
, Living Room
, Office
We love to fill our homes with chairs for every occasion. Dining chairs. Loungers. Bar stools. Recliners. Office chairs. Even the toilet is a purpose-built chair. They all serve a very specific idea and function, telling us how a space should be used.
But what about the obscurely named ‘occasional chair’? Why does this one seem to break the mould? Were the designers just trying to trick us into buying a fancy sounding furniture item we’d have no clue what to do with? Or do occasional chairs have a special place and purpose to fill in our homes?
If you’ve been ‘umming and ahhing’ about how to use occasional chairs, where to put them, or why you should even buy them in the first place, browse no further! We’ve got you (and your seat-loving posterior) fully covered.
What is an Occasional Chair?
Let’s start with the most obvious (and totally justified) question of, what is an occasional chair, exactly?
On the one hand, we can define it as a chair that’s literally only used ‘on occasion.’ Rather than being a regular component of any main seating arrangement, it’s a ‘stand-by’ you can call on and move around for a spare seat whenever and wherever you need one. Pretty handy.
But going by this definition alone would be way too limiting. After all, any old stacking chair or footstool could fall into that camp. An occasional chair isn’t just some blend-in-to-the-background (or hide in the closet) extra on set. Rather, think of it as the guest star in the show. It’s not just there to fill in a gap, but to play a key role–specifically, by adding personality.
Now, that doesn’t mean over-the-top personality (contrary to 99% of sitcom guest star roles). But you can definitely use an occasional chair to add a bit of ‘drama’ to your space, whether it’s with a pop of colour, a contrasting texture, an interesting pattern or an eye-catching design.
In other words, an occasional chair can be used as an accent piece that stands apart and adds visual interest. But at the same time, it should walk a fine line between standing out, and fitting in. After all, you want it to feel like your furniture cast are all still part of the same show.
Wondering exactly how to pull off that perfect balance? Here are some tips you can follow to pick and pair your occasional chairs with an expert touch.
Tips for Decorating with Occasional Chairs
- Read the room
- Start by looking at where you want to put your occasional chair (more on that below), and what’s already going on in the space. Always think about what you want the chair to ‘do’ for the room, and take cues from your existing colour palette to create a sense of continuity.
- For a more neutral themed room, you could consider an occasional chair in a bolder tone or pattern to add a touch of contrast.
- If you prefer to keep things more subtle and minimal, choose a chair in a complementary hue with a contrast in texture or style.
- Is the room already colourful and bright? An occasional chair in a dark or neutral shade can help bring a sense of settling balance to the space.
- Watch the scale
- You also want to keep a sense of continuity in the scale of the furniture pieces in the room. An occasional chair shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb, but rather create a point of difference that still meshes with the vibe and scale of the rest of your decor.
- Don’t forget to consider the dimensions of the space itself. A smaller or more minimalist style room may call for a less imposing armless chair, while you may want a more weighty armchair to help anchor a larger space or an empty corner.
- Know when to mix or match
- Whether you want to go for matching occasional chairs depends on your general style, and how you want to place the chairs. There are no hard and fast rules.
- In general, if you’re placing two occasional chairs side by side, it’s usually a good idea to have a matching pair.
- If you’re placing chairs separately in different parts of the room, you can go with different styles to give a more modern feel and add visual interest. Using matching chairs in this case will create a more traditional look.
- Go for something versatile
- Unless you’re after a specific statement piece for a particular space, it’s a good idea to go with a style that gives you some flexibility to use the chair in more than one place–especially if you decide to move homes, or do some renovations or redecorating down the road.
- Versatility doesn’t have to mean neutral or bland. Rather, take cues from your personal brand–the colours, accents and decor styles you love and use throughout your home. That way you’ll have a piece you’ll love featuring anywhere in your home.
How to Place Occasional Chairs
You’d be surprised just how many places and creative ways you can use occasional chairs in your home. If you’re looking for a good place to start experimenting with one or two, here are some great options for just about every room in your home!
1. In the living room
- A classic combo is pairing one or two occasional chairs with a two-seater or three-seater sofa. Place one on either side of the sofa, or have them facing the sofa to create a conversational space.
- Having a pair of occasional chairs in front of a window with a side table in between creates the perfect morning coffee nook.
- In front of the fireplace is always a perfect place to set up two matching occasional chairs, or perhaps an Eames-inspired chair and footstool combo.
- If you need extra seating in your living room from time to time, you can always place an occasional chair just on the perimeter of the room, or in an empty corner. Add a side table and a lamp, and you’ve got a cosy reading nook.
2. In a bedroom
- A comfy but stylish chair in the corner of a bedroom makes an ideal spot to sit and put on shoes, or just chill with your morning coffee as you contemplate the day ahead!
- If you have a little extra space, a chaise lounge along a corner wall makes an elegant statement piece and creates beautiful flow with its low profile. Plus, you’ll have a spare bed if you ever need it.
3. In the dining room
- You are allowed to use an occasional chair on a more regular basis if you wish! Adding
a unique pair of armchairs on either end of a rectangular dining table creates a very inviting and classic setting to enjoy your meals–and the occasional dinner party, of course.
4. In the kitchen
- The kitchen may be the last place that comes to mind for an occasional chair–and given how much time we all spend in the kitchen, it might just become one of the most used seats in the house!
- You might not have the room for one in your main kitchen area, but placing two pretty chairs at a built-in breakfast nook will really take your kitchen up a notch, and provide the perfect perch for any kitchen visitors.
5. In the hallway or entryway
- Place an occasional chair next to a console table in your hallway or entryway for a convenient place to sit while putting on shoes, or waiting for everyone else to get
ready. - Under the stairs is another perfect, out-of-the-way spot for a comfy armchair where
you can snatch a few private minutes to make a call or catch up on your social media.
6. In a study or home office
- A traditional home study offers the classic opportunity to add a leather wingback beauty in the corner or by a window, and start getting in touch with your inner philosopher!
- Of course, you can choose any suitably comfy occasional chair to place by a bookshelf or in any sunny spot in your office, giving you the perfect place to do some reading, some thinking… or just, some sitting.
Need some more inspiration? Take a browse through our wide selection of trendy contemporary occasional chairs online or at your nearest Cielo showroom to get those ideas flowing!