Attention Ladies and Gentlemen: The Chair Has The Floor
Select the Perfect Accent Chair

Plaza Chair and Ottoman from the Nicole Miller Collection

Ergo Swivel Chair and Ottoman from Casa Novalia Leather

Waldorf Chair-and-a-Half, with Waldorf Ottoman from the Nicole Miller Collection

Marbella Armchair in leather from the Casa Novalia Leather

As cool and modern as our tastes may be today, the majority of us grew up in more traditional surroundings. In the living room, that means there was likely a traditional sofa with a matching loveseat that we may or may not have been allowed to sit on…with the exception of those brief moments when children were trotted out to meet "the company."

If this word picture sounds in any way familiar, it's time to say "bah-bye" to the traditions of the past and "hello" to one of the hottest decorating trends in living room décor today: the accent chair.

In the old days, the aesthetic value of an accent chair usually outweighed its function. In a traditional setting, accent chairs were often less about seating comfort and more about a statement of style. More frequently than not, the chair was both antique and ornate and not really meant to be used for what it actually was meant for: a place to sit.

Now, however, it's all about living well in the living room and being comfortable doing so. In upholstered furniture, the tired, old "matchy-matchy" approach of a sofa/loveseat configuration is giving way to more relaxed seating arrangements. In lieu of a loveseat, many designers are instead opting to pair a sofa with two accent chairs, sometimes with a coordinating ottoman and sometimes without. In this kind of design plan everybody still has a place to take a seat, but they've also got more flexibility and their own space.

ll this means accent chairs have moved out from the corners of the room and into the spotlight-making them the signature piece in many a space. Since an accent chair acts as a way to focus attention, it makes sense to opt for one that is a bit out-of-the-ordinary in terms of shape, scale, or fabric. Seek out modern silhouettes with plenty of sex appeal and/or interesting geometry: the most important thing is that a chair feels as good as it looks.

Simply put, an accent chair can make your room more personal, comfortable, and fun and doesn't require the same commitment that settling on, say, a sofa does. Indeed, the wonderful thing about a chair is that it can easily move from room to room. When you are ready to change up the living room again somewhere down the road, you might consider shifting the chair you choose now to a home office, den, or bedroom. So choose a chair and then take a seat, sit back, relax, and maybe even put your feet up. After all, your design statement has been made and the results are fabulous!