The Best Accent Chairs to Add Personality to Your Small Living Room

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accent chairs for small spaces

Living in a small space can come with some challenges in your home design. Whether you live in a small apartment or working with a smaller living space in a home, there’s always room for one or two accent chairs. 

Side chairs, otherwise known as accent chairs, are one of the best ways to add personality to any room in your home. If you’re looking for design inspiration, we’ve got you covered. Everything from cozy boucle living room chairs, swivel chairs for small spaces and some unique wooden arm chairs to add some charm. Below, we’re answering your most asked questions and help you find the right chair (or chairs) for your small space.

What are accent chairs used for?

Accent chairs are the perfect opportunity to add extra seating to your living room — no matter how small your space might be. Adding just one or two accent chairs to a space will make your space feel more intentionally styled.

Additionally, accent chairs make for a fun pop of color in a space. Opting for a fabric that has a bold pattern or eccentric color adds personality and character to your home.

Should an accent chair be lighter or darker than a sofa?

We typically recommend contrasting the color of your accent chairs with the color of your sofa. If your sofa is a light neutral fabric, opt for a couple of accent chairs that have a darker tone or more vibrant pattern — or vice versa to the latter statement.

How many accent chairs should you have in your living room?

Since you’re working with a small space, it depends on how much room you have to work with. You could have enough space for one larger accent chair or two smaller chairs.

In order to truly know if your accent chair will fit in your space, measure the dimensions on the floor of your apartment and create an outline with blue painters tape on the floor. This will allow you to visualize your space better and help you decide if you need something bigger or smaller.

To learn more on how to arrange your accent chair(s) in your living room, check out this living room area rug guide!

15 Accent Chairs for Small Spaces

Keeping all the tips above in mind, it’s time to have some fun and pick out an accent chair that you’ll love! These are our favorite accent chairs! We even included the one we just bought for our apartment living room!

accent chairs for small spaces

1. Cozy Swivel Chair

West Elm

This chair from West Elm is super comfy! We’ve tested it several times in the store, and it feels like a dreamy cloud! It has a mid-century modern shape and is just the cutest swivel chair to relax in.

accent chairs for small spaces

2.  Ross Chair

West Elm

How adorable is this fuzzy chair? It looks so cozy to sit and read a book in. It adds texture with the fuzzy white cushions and a unique architectural element with the cylinder wood arm rests. This is such a gorgeous chair and would elevate the look in any space.

accent chairs for small spaces

3. Penn Chair (this is the one we bought!)

West Elm

We recently ordered this chair for our living room, and are so excited to put it in our apartment living room. This chair is so beautiful. The modern curved arms add a modern touch to your space and the iron pen legs are so gorgeous.

accent chairs for small spaces

4. Andes Chair

West Elm

The Andes chair is such a cozy option. The straight lines of the chair make this chair more modern. This would look great in a space if you love balancing more modern new pieces with old, antique pieces. The size of the seat on this chair is grand for a small space, but it’s so gorgeous we couldn’t resist adding it to the list.

5. Shay Woven Leather Accent Chair

Pottery Barn

We saw this chair in Pottery Barn several months ago and were drawn by the unique woven texture. We were intrigued by the comfort of the chair and gave it a test try in the store. 

It’s surprisingly way more comfortable than you could imagine. This chair is expertly designed and is the perfect combination of comfort and elevated style.

accent chairs for small spaces

6. Balboa Upholstered Swivel Chair

Pottery Barn

Doesn’t this swivel chair just invite you to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea? Swivel chairs are amazing are one of our favorite styles of accent chairs. 

We are obsessed with this one from Pottery Barn. The large round seat is amazing. It would be an amazing lounge chair in an office or tucked in a corner in your living room.

accent chairs for small spaces

7. Ayden Square Arm Slipcovered Swivel Glider

Pottery Barn

If you’re looking for a smaller swivel chair that will fit better in your space, we recommend this one! The upholstered look is more traditional, and the clean lines of the arms are more modern. 

We love how elegant and beautiful this chair would look in any living room or for a reading nook in your bedroom.

8. Hart Upholstered Armchair

Pottery Barn

Have you ever seen a cuter chair? This chair screams “teddy bear”, and we can only imagine that when sitting in this chair you feel like your enveloped in a cozy dream. 

The heart-shape that’s emulated in the chair design is so unique. If you’re looking for a chair that no one else will have, this one is it!

accent chairs for small spaces

9. Tufeld Wood Armchair

Target

Target is perfect for finding accent chairs that are more affordable. We had a couple from Target for several years, until we moved to a bigger place. 

We love how simple and clean this chair looks. The rounded wooden arms are so special to the design of this chair. The cream cushioned seat and seat back are so beautiful as well!

accent chairs for small spaces

10. Holmgren Boucle Chair

Wayfair

We love the unique shape and design of this accent chair. The bold wooden legs are so stunning in a modern space and the boucle fabric makes it feel super cozy. It’s definitely a fun choice for a small living room.

accent chairs for small spaces

11. Sadie Pepper Ivory Lounge Chair

Article

We love the casual look of this chair. It’s a perfect accent chair for a living room or bedroom, because it has such a timeless design. The neutral colors of the chair will fit any style of room or color scheme. Add a patterned pillow (we love this one…click here) for an extra touch of personality and interest.

accent chairs for small spaces

12. Bavel Charme Tan Leather Walnut Chair

Article

Look at how gorgeous this leather chair is! The midcentury style of the piece adds so much character to a space. Plus, It feels so chic. We can’t stop looking at it!

13. Beta Cypress Green Modular Chair 

Article

If you’re looking for a show stopping piece for your living room, this modular chair is a stunner. Not only do we love the deep cypress green color, but the ribbed detail also creates a cozy vibe. This is quite a large piece, so you may only have room for one of these in a small living space.

accent chairs for small spaces

14. Quinn Mushroom Brown Swivel Chair

Article

We love the elevated design of this swivel chair. The mushroom brown color is warm and inviting in a living room, however they do offer a lighter white variation which could lighten up a small space too.

accent chairs for small spaces

15. Bieke Accent Chair

All Modern

Looking for a fun patterned chair that will stay timeless for years to come? This chair blends modern design and geometric patterns to create a contemporary take on an upholstered accent chair. It’s sophisticated and cozy all at the same time.

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