Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available armchairs in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any choices that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any that clearly exceed your price limit.
There are many different styles of armchairs to meet your needs for seating in your rooms. These upholstered chairs with side supports upon which to rest your arms have firm seats that enforce a good posture for reading or conversing, or perhaps even lying down or sleeping.
Wingback chairs have trademark panels or wings that extend up from the arm and join with the back at an angle. Wingback armchairs typically have a high back that is tightly upholstered, although other back styles are available. The original 18th century purpose of the wing was to shelter the sitter in gusty old homes or protect lady callers from the heat of a roaring fire. Wingback chairs typically have exposed carved wooden legs, although skirted models are available.
Club chairs are armchairs with pillow backs. Traditional club chairs have a rolled arm and a skirted base and they are frequently accompanied by a matching footstool called an ottoman. They typically have a semi-attached or loose pillow back and a removable seat cushion.
Tip: Know your chair history! Wingback armchairs are traditional furnishings that create a formal feel, while club armchairs convey the casual camaraderie from the cigar clubs where they originated.
Recliners are armchairs with mechanisms that allow the back to lower and the footrest to raise, easing the sitter into a reclining position. They may also have added motions like gliding, swiveling or rocking.
Other armchair styles include loveseats, which seat two people; snugglers, or the “chair and a half,” which is extra-wide; chaises, which have a long seat for reclining; and even sleeper chairs, which have a pull-out mattress for sleeping. Occasional chairs are smaller accent chairs that come in many styles and materials.
Tip: Don't give up in your search for the perfect armchair! While there are many options, the wide selection guarantees you will find the perfect chair for your home - including armchairs with heated seats, massagers or lift mechanisms!
Besides the obvious benefit of providing a comfortable place for you to sit, armchairs serve other practical and design functions in your home. Armchairs can be used to draw attention to a focal point such as a fireplace or window with a lovely view, inviting you to rest with a good book or cup of tea. An armchair is a more personal and intimate place to sit than the communal sofa, and two armchairs around an occasional table can be used to define a conversation area in your room.
Always consider the room's overall design when choosing new furnishings such as armchairs. Identify your decorating needs: are you casual and laid back, like a club chair? Or does a formal wingback suit your traditional style? Will a sleek and modern leather design mesh with your contemporary edge, or does your country cottage call for a plump and ruffled armchair?
Tip: Knowing your personal style will streamline your search for the perfect armchair. It will guide you to appropriate manufacturers in a full-line furniture store, or it may steer you toward a store that specializes in a certain look.
Armchair backs may be tight, as is common on the wingback, with no pillowing. Tight backs may be shaped at the top, tufted with button details or channeled with stitching. Attached pillow backs can be fluffed up but not turned over, compared with the loose back that has a removable back cushion.
The arms of the armchair may be winged, or rolled, like most club chairs. A square tuxedo arm and a cushioned envelope arm are also widely available, especially on contemporary styles. The Charles of London arm is wrapped in the front by the seat cushion and is popular on petite sizes.
The armchair cushion may be attached or loose and may have welting or flat seams. Pay close attention to cushion construction, as this will determine your armchair's comfort and durability. The cushions may have coiled springs inside or be filled with fiber, down or foam - or a combination of these materials. The type of cushioning does impact on the armchair's price.
Tip: Sit on several differently constructed cushions to feel the difference yourself. Ask to see a cut-away of various cushion techniques, and the price differences for the various methods will become clear.
Many armchairs have wooden legs, with styles ranging from graceful curves to straight lines. You may often choose the finish of the wood when custom ordering an armchair. Skirted armchairs hide the legs while a boxed plinth base creates a low and solid appearance.
Choosing a cover for your armchair may be either a joy or a pain for you, depending on your decorating experience. An endless array of fabrics in natural and synthetic fibers, a dizzying selection of patterns and every possible color under the rainbow mean the selections are limitless. Always consider a particular cover's suitability for the armchair frame (for example, a gingham check may not compliment a contemporary chair), it's durability and aptness for the chair's intended use (a club chair that will be your primary spot for watching television needs a tough cover) and the colors and textures of other furniture already in the room.
Tip: Bring an arm cap or cushion from your existing upholstery and paint swatches from your room when you go shopping, and ask to take home fabric swatches to compare with the lighting and accessories in your home.
Don't forget to check out the underside of an armchair and look closely at the frame. Durable frames are constructed out of hardwoods and are glued and screwed in place with corner blocks. The foundation of the armchair is where the seat cushion rests, and it gives the armchair its bounce. Eight-way hand tied, sinuous springs and Pirelli webbing are all quality foundation methods that will ensure your new armchair will provide you with a comfortable seat for years to come.
When you were considering your requirements in an armchair it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as style, comfort, durability and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price.
Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various armchairs meet your personal needs:
Features Checklist
Armchair Styles
- Wingback - armchairs with panels or wings that extend from the arms and join with the back at an angle
- Club chairs - pillow back armchairs with a skirted base, often accompanied by a matching ottoman
- Recliners - armchair whose back can be lowered and footrest raised so the sitter can recline.
- Loveseats - extra-wide armchair that seats two people
- Snugglers - oversized upholstered armchair, also called a “chair and a half,” that is 10 to 18 inches wider than a conventional armchair
- Chaise - chair with an extra-long seat for reclining; often has one arm or may be armless
- Sleeper chairs - armchairs that convert to a twin-sized bed with a bed frame and mattress folded inside the chair's frame
- Occasional chairs - smaller accent chairs with or without arms
Armchairs in Room Design
- Provide additional seating
- Steer interest toward architectural features
- Create conversation zones in a room
Furniture Styles
- Casual - informal, relaxed, earth tones
- Traditional - classic and formal designs in rich colors
- Contemporary - clean styling with bold colors and geometric patterns
- Country - cottage charm, rustic treasures and vintage prints
Back Styles
- Tight - flat, shaped, tufted or channeled upholstered back
- Attached Pillow Back - pillow is sewn to the chair back
- Loose Pillow Back - has a removable, reversible back cushion
Arm Styles
- Winged - with panes extending up from the arms and attaching to the back at an angle
- Rolled - padded and rounded
- Tuxedo - tall and squared
- Envelope - flat attached cushion
- Charles of London, or English - padded and curved
Cushion styles
- Bullnose
- Boxed (no welt)
- Boxed with welt - fabric covered cord used as trim
- Knife edge - flat seams
Cushion Filling
- Coil springs
- Cotton or polyester fiber
- Down
- Foam
- Combination
Base Styles
- Exposed leg or bun feet
- Skirted base - hanging fabric that covers the legs
- Upholstered leg
- Plinth base - upholstered box base in lieu of legs
Cover Choices:
- Natural covers - cotton, wool, silk, linen, leather
- Synthetic covers - nylon, acetate, rayon, acrylic, polypropylene (microfiber)
Frames
- Made of kiln-dried hardwoods, hardwood and softwood plywood, plastic and steel or a combination
- Joints and stress points are held in place by corner blocks with glue, screws, nails or staples
Foundation
- Eight-way, hand-tied, coil-spring construction
- Sinuous or zigzag springs
- Pirelli webbing
Wingback Chair Sizes
- Widths range from 29 to 35 inches (73.6 - 88.9cm)
- Height ranges from 40 to 45 inches (101.6 - 114.3cm)
- Overall depth ranges from 31 to 37 inches (78.7 - 93.9cm)
- Seat depth ranges from 19 to 21 inches (48.3 - 53.3cm)
Club Chair Sizes
- Widths range from 32 to 40 inches (81.3 - 101.6cm)
- Height ranges from 36 to 40 inches (91.4 - 101.6cm)
- Overall depth ranges from 33 to 38 inches (83.8 - 96.5cm)
- Seat depth ranges from 19 to 23 inches (48.3 - 58.4cm)
There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your armchair needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require.
Once you have finished evaluating the armchairs available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the armchairs one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.
Evaluate how well an Armchair compares with competing Armchairs
Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best product we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of armchairs that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of armchairs that stand out from the crowd.
Questions to ask yourself:
Which armchair on my short-list can fit in the space I have?
Which of these is the style I want?
Which of my short-listed choices has matching cushions?
Which armchair is the easiest to fit in with my existing decor?
Which of the chairs seems of the highest quality?
Which short-listed armchair is the most comfortable?
Which armchair do I like best?
By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating armchairs that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.
Physical Quality
Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the armchair, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the armchair is put together. Check the assembly - is the item solidly constructed? It's also important to examine the armchair from the perspective of ease of use. How easily is the item prepared for cleaning and maintenance? On an adjustable model, are any controls easy to use? Make sure the armchair fits you physically, and that it is user-friendly - some armchairs look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your bottom on them.
Physical Inspection Checklist:
- Materials - quality, appearance
- Assembly - all parts held together securely, good quality fittings
- Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
- Proper fit of removable parts - easy to remove and replace, fit snugly
- Controls - easy to use, accessible
- Size - appropriate for surroundings and purpose - fits user correctly
- Appearance - well finished, appropriate color, neat fittings etc
- Easy and comfortable to use
Warranty Conditions
Similar products may be available with significantly different terms and conditions, and you want to get the best deal you can. Materials and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods; sometimes there can be a significant difference in the warranty offered with one model compared to that offered with the next model up. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a warranty, such as using unsuitable cleaning products or placing the armchair on a porch where it will be exposed to the elements.
Warranty Checklist:
- Duration - check the specifics
- Materials, labor
- Exactly what is covered
- Exactly what is excluded
- Conditions or actions that may void the warranty
Accessories and Extras
When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what accessories are really necessary, and whether these are included with the purchase. What else is required - do you need fabric protection, for instance? Are matching cushions available, or protective covers for the arm and head rests?
Accessories Checklist:
- Accessories - included or extra cost?
- Compatibility issues - will it work with your existing furniture and décor?
- What else will you need to get the most out of your armchair?
Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of armchairs that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.
Video Links
Buyz123.com Research Links:AccessoriesThe uses of an ottomanYour armchairs partner - the ottoman