Since you really, deep down, don't want either chair I don't think "less or more pleasing" makes any difference when making your selection. Neither one is going to thrill you.

I'd go with the chair that goes better with your decor..in this case the brown one. That's assuming that both are equally comfortable, of course.

I'm curious, what is it about the black chair that makes it look better to you than the brown one?

First off, I guess I should say that I've been feeling rather emotional lately - no real reason, I just am....but your post brought tears to my eyes. Smiley tears. Good tears :)

Secondly, IMHO, Love (the unconditional, heartfelt kind) in a happy home will win out over style every time. BUT....you have to still feel the love when you look at that which does not please you stylistically, you know? When you look at That Chair, will you feel the love for your Mr. weedy, or will you have a twinge of...something else....that's there every time you look at it? Important, imho.

Is there no chair in existence that meets his comfort level and also pleases your eye? Is it really down to these 2? If so, and they are both within your price range, forget about price as a criteria. Which one makes you smile more when you look at it? Is there a difference when you envision your happy hubby sitting in it?

I'm probably not much help, but I'm trying! ;-D

why don't you post some pics that you like and would be comfy enough, here are some good shoppers that might be able to guide you in right direction so both of you can be thrilled.

Love wins in our house any day, any time as well :D

Buy the one that's more comfortable.
If both are equally comfortable, buy the one that looks better. :-D

It's a sweet gesture, but I've learned that you have to play Goldilocks and try them out first. You've already done that to a degree, but before you buy I suggest another visit to see which is the better fit for him. What feels good to you may not to him.

If it were me, I'd get whichever chair he thinks is the most comfortable.

natal is right. after 37 yrs of marriage I can say when giving HIM a gift that HE wants...it is all about him. Get the one he wants......if this is the chair he really wants then believe me it won't do to get one almost like it but cheaper and a different color.

Otherwise get him something else and let him have the joy of getting the chair he really wants. He will love what you pick out more since it came from you and was your idea. Just my .02 c

I am with trailrunner. If it is a gift for him, get him what he wants-- if you knowingly get what you prefer over what he prefers, then it isnt really a gift for him.

I also think that in your house, you already have a blending of two personalities .. it's ok to have a little of his style there too, it is what makes it a home rather than your house that he lives in.

I think it's important for your DH to try out the chairs. He's the one who will be using it and needs to have it fit him. I can't sit in my son's or my dad's recliners. They are too tall for me and the head rest hits the top of my head and pushes my neck forward. Also, for pure comfort, we still prefer Lazy Boy because of the multi-position back. You can have your feet on the floor and still recline the chair as much as you want, or have the footrest up and do the same.

BUT.. I meant to add that I recognize what a big gesture this is-- and it will be a very special and personal gift! And such a great idea for the leather anniversary!

I would take Mr. Weedy shopping and let him sit in chairs and then tell him, you will let him save up for what he loves. The sneak over to the store and buy what he loves. Maybe it would be best to find a brown chair that is more pleasing to your eyes and more comfortable that is just a little bit more money.

You are both so handy and it is wonderful you found each other. I hope to find someone also and I am in my 40's.

What a sweet story. He will be thrilled. But I agree with the others that he needs to choose the chair. If the gift is for him, he must be comfortable - after all, that is the point. I can tell you that I cannot sit comfortably at all in DH's 'man eating chair', so for me to have picked it out for him would likely not have been a good choice. Of course, I am 5'5" tall and he is 6'4", so if you don't have those kinds of physical differences, that may be less of an isue for you. Still, I would let HIM decide which is the chair of his dreams.

What about taking him to a store that sells the recliners you like (I highly recommend Lazboy for a wide range of styles and choices of fabrics/leathers) and hand him a homemade gift certificate as you walk in the store, stating that the choice is his, up to X dollars.

That is just so dear and sweet, it also brought tears to my eyes. I'm with you on being the approver of all furniture coming into the house, but nonetheless there is no piece of furniture more beautiful or comfortable than an act of unselfish love like the one you're contemplating. I'd get the brown one but make sure you can return it for a full refund (not store credit) and then after his initial happy surprise, let him know in no uncertain terms that you have no attachment to it and you know and want it to be 100% comfortable for him, and that if it's not, you want to take him shopping for one that is.

Or, do what Lynn2006 says, that would also be very sweet.

You are a good wife, Mrs. Weedyacres.

I agree with the others - he must sit in the chair.

Secondly, would you go over budget for something that met both your standards of comfort and design? I'm thinking that an Ekornes Stressless chair might work for both of you. Really comfortable, but not as massive as your average Lazy Boy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ekornes

Get him the Shelby Mustang. He'll never bug you about getting a recliner again. :)

Yeah, the Shelby would be the ultimate...but he'll have to wait until our 11th anniversary (steel) for that. :-)

Thanks to everyone for your comments and advice. I truly will not resent a chair that I don't fully love if it makes him happy. When I look at the chair, I'll see my love for Mr. Weedy, not a cringing style decision...my change of heart has merely broadened my standards of acceptability.

My slight preference for the black chair is because to me it looks a little better-made: smoother leather, a little less of the "poof" factor. And the shade of brown isn't perfect (I'd prefer a little darker), which is why I've dithered ambivalently.

I'm 95% confident that the two chairs I've narrowed it down to both meet his standards of comfort. There are things he's mentioned in previous shopping, like full-leg support (not a split ottoman) and full-arm support (some have a gap in the arm support when you fully recline) and lots of cush. He's only 2" taller than me and outweighs me by just 10 or 15 lbs. Nonetheless, it's a good point to let him try them out so that he loves the chair.

So here's what I'm leaning towards doing. He's en route back home from Iowa right now, due in early afternoon. I'm thinking I'll take him to both stores to see both chairs, hiding the price tags, and let him choose. Of course, if either didn't completely meet his standard of comfort we'd be back to the drawing board, and I'm fine with that, and in fact that would probably be good to avoid purchasing something that he's not perfectly happy with. But that takes the load of the final decision off of me. Not only will it make him the happiest, it'll eliminate any second-guessing I might be prone to do later ("I wonder if I really should have gotten the brown one instead...").

Happy Anniversary. You will always feel good knowing you made him happy.

Great plan Weedy.. and what a wonderful gesture. He will be thrilled!

Good luck with this venture! I just want to chime in with those who say DH needs to try out the chair. My DH has very long legs and he seldom finds a recliner that is "long" enough for him. His feet hang too far off the edge of the foot rest.

I want to second the Ekornes Stressless chairs, although they are chair + ottoman rather than a recliner. There is no recliner more comfortable than these, I promise. They somehow magically take the stress off the lower back, and allow for very minute adjustments (ottoman adjusts, too). They also come in narrow, standard and wide widths -- you actually get "fitted" for the chair by the salesperson.

My DH had wanted a recliner for a long time until we stumbled upon the Ekornes at a Scandinavian furniture store. He fell in love. Sadly, our budget did not permit it at the time (minimum $1,600 on sale, up to $2,600) and he is making do with an IKEA Poang chair that he also loves (bless him!)

I don't know about your decorating style, but there are some Morris chair-looking recliners out right now that have a nice look to them -- very Arts & Crafts. But they have wooden arms, and your guy may not like that.

Can the black chair be ordered in brown? Do you have a La-z-boy store near your. I found a couple of styles of comfortable non objectionable chairs there and they could be ordered in your choice of leather. I know that you wouldn't be able to get it in time for your anniversary, but you could give him a picture of the chair, and it might be worth it to wait to get just the right chair.

Sounds like the perfect solution. That is one very lucky man ! c

Jakabedy, is the Ekornes Stressless only available in leather? We're shopping new chairs for the keeping room and that design looks ideal for dh, but leather doesn't work when you live with kitties. Typical recliners don't work for him either; his feet hang over the edge.

Well, we did it! I met him for lunch when he got back to town and then said we were going shopping. I made him put a blindfold on so he wouldn't have a clue until we got there. I led him through store #1 (still blindfolded), sat him down in the chair, and pulled off the blindfold. His reaction was incredulous and ear-to-ear grin. He loved the first chair, said it was fine/perfect, etc. This was the brown one. I told him we had to check out another option so he could pick his favorite, so back on went the blindfold, we drove to store #2, and he tried it out as well. He didn't like the black one as well: it didn't rock (I didn't know his preferences in that regard) and it didn't recline as well as the brown one.

So I sent him on home and went back and purchased his favorite. Glad I let him choose. It'll be here in 3 weeks, and it surprised him and made him very happy. Mission accomplished!

Yay! Glad to hear it worked out so well.

That is a very serious couch potato chair.

Natal,

This company supposedly has chairs that are comparable in comfort and style (and price) but come in microfiber and fabric finishes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fjords