What style and color chairs should I get to match my living room?

5 years ago

I'm looking to buy two chairs to finish off my living room. I LOVE the idea of velvet but not sure about the livability of velvet. Also loves teals/navy/blues but I'm not sure on the shade of blue to choose. I've included some photos of my inspiration and of the room to help. Love the chairs I've seen at Anthropologie and all the shades of velvet are beautiful but it's a little out of my price point. I'd like to keep my budget for two chairs at $1,000.

Club chair? Chesterfield chair? swivel chair? Ikea? Anthropologie? West Elm? Crate and Barrel? Value City? I'm all over the place.
This has my head spinning with options!

Any suggestions or help is appreciated!

Featured Answer

PRO

Beth H. :

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Brittany, love the sofa! I think the teal chair would work fine. (I don't know about the company, as far as quality or customer service). you could check out Zgallerie. I just got one of their velvet recliner chairs and love it.

as for the photos behind the sofa, unless you guys are 7 feet tall, they are hung way too high. any artwork or pictures should be hung at eye level. and that's eye level to the middle of the picture. for instance if you hung a large canvas piece there (which would really look so much better) the bottom of the frame would be about 6 inches above the sofa. yes, that low. Like this:

If you want to do family prints, that's fine, but get them enlarged. your photos are so small, how can people even see them? leave the smaller ones for a photo album on a coffee table, and frame larger prints. Leave you ribbon hanging ones for a hallway or bedroom.

11x14/16x20 and maybe an 8x10 if doing a collage. like this:

see how much better this looks above the sofa? and notice there isn't a 2' gap above it.

I think your floral artwork would look perfect above your cute blue cabinet.

Comments (23)

ilikefriday
5 years ago
Love your sofa. i would do the blue swivel chair you posted.
loobab
5 years ago
Need to see photos of the rest of the living room to know what style of chair will suit the room.

That photo of the floral print that is your inspiration- what are you going to do with that?

Yes, you absolutely can get velvet in a chair or an ottoman, get a polyester velvet it wears well.

And please take this suggestion the right way, as has been stated in innumerable threads on Houzz, family photos do not belong on the living room wall.

They belong in an album, or on a gallery wall appropriately framed so they look like a collection on the wall in the hallway outside the bedrooms, or in your bedroom.

What would look absolutely stunning is if you could take that inspiration photo, or something similar and blow it up and put that on the wall above your sofa appropriately framed.

With the frame and mat, the total horizontal dimension should equal 3/4 the width of your sofa, and it should be hung approximately 6 inches above the sofa.

Your room would look marvelous with a deep blue velvet chair as you have posted, or if you want something more neutral, you can get a paler, or more neutral chair or chairs, and get that marvelous blue in a blue velvet ottoman.

Do you like prints or weaves? You could get a chair in a marvelous print or weave that works in the colors of your inspiration peace, or you can get a more subtle print or weave, and use the accent colors in weaves and prints in throw pillows.

The lamp on the end table looks thin and insubstantial, and that shade silhouette is outdated.

You are young and fresh.

Why not keep your eyes open at consignment shops for a lamp with more body, and a shade can be picked up inexpensively at a discount store.

Or you might want to consider two sconces to attach to the wall behind the couch on either side of your art piece, they come as plug in types so you don't need to call the electrician.
Related Discussions
Should I remove the chair rail in my tiny living room?
Q
Comments (5)
You love the chair rail, but should you remove it? Hmmm. Will the room really look larger if you do? :) It's more how you use the rail that'll make a difference. If you paint it cerise to contrast with white walls and form a belt around them, it will squeeze them in. If you do the walls and molding in harmonizing shades that blend into each other and to some degree with most of the furniture and curtains, the room will feel a lot more spacious than ripping all detail out could accomplish, and the molding will ad depth and shadowing, part of the layering of interest. Small rooms can be wonderful because they're small. I remember Katharine Graham, a very wealthy woman, saying her ideal size for relaxing and chatting was 15x15 (tiny in her houses). How about looking at that as an asset to develop?
...See More
What type of chairs should I use , and what's my style? (pics)
Q
Comments (27)
Thank you all, again! Les-I love your idea...it was one of the first plans that I tried when we got the new furniture. The EC was a bit large for that corner unfortunately. (It's been in both corners and along the couch wall already!) I also tried the couch on the wall where the EC is, but that wall is shorter and the couch pretty much went from end to end (from what I remember), so no room for a table. But I'll measure and try again. While this is the room that we do watch tv, I agree with you...I do not like it looking as though it's the center of our lives, b/c it's not! I'm wondering if maybe I put the tv on a smaller table (I have one or two that may work) and put it in the corner you said, then move the couch, either to the windows or the back wall, if it works. Thanks for your help! kswl: I love your idea about chairs with legs, for a more roomy look. That never occurred to me. I like the idea of a slipper chair as well. I'm considering turning our DR into a reading room, since with small kids, we don't use that room much at all! We have a morning room with a table large enough for us and more, so losing the DR is not really an issue. So if we change the DR, the overstuffed chair would go in that room. I don't love the EC...it's a Sauder piece that we bought years ago. The *only* nice thing about it is that is has great storage for dvds/cds/kids puzzles & games and even the sides have tons of storage for books etc. Our plan is to send it to the basement, if and when we ever finish it. In this market, we don't want to do it, b/c we may move in the next few years and would never recover the $$. One more question?? Can I do decorative curtains on the two far ends of the windows? So the middle window would be open? I do want to add some color, softness, coziness, but it seems like curtains on all 3 windows is way too much. I've tried valances on all three, but they did nothing for the room and made it seem very choppy to me, if that makes sense? Thank you again, everyone...I wish I knew what I was doing...this is really helpful. At least I know for sure to measure next time before I make a purchase this big. :)
...See More
What color chair should I get for my room?
Q
Comments (29)
I like the dark gray, which is what I was going to suggest, but you've already bought it! The pillow looks good too, but you could also have gone with a soft gold, which might be hard to find. If you can get an ottoman in a matching fabric I'd go for it. Especially if you read or relax in this room a lot.
...See More
what style is this kitchen? what should I get for the family living ro
Q
Comments (62)
Hi Kurln! Maybe a sofa table under the window is a good idea. I don't like that empty space. And put the couch backing up to the opening I think wouldn't be "inviting" for those who are entering the space. I've heard that it's always good to have the space opened for those who are entering, so they feel welcomed.
...See More
Brittany Gesing
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you for your input! I'm trying to mix new furniture with some family pieces as well in the room. The photos of the room are outdated but show the furniture as well.

I'm hoping to keep the glass cabinet and two side tables in the room.

The teal side table is a new purchase.

The floral watercolors are original artwork that I'm having framed.

The curtains are being tossed. The side chair is too expensive to reupholster and will be tossed.

The walls are Colonade gray by Sherwin Williams.
Brittany Gesing
Original Author
5 years ago
Here is another chair I'm contemplating on sale at Anthropologie in "marine" blue. what do you think about the style and color? does it match the style of my sofa?
JustDoIt
5 years ago
"...family photos do not belong on the living room wall."

Why not? Is the poster looking for advice on how to decorate a family home or for selling or a magazine shoot?
ilikefriday
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Brittany - I especially like that teal side table. It looks fantastic and it looks like you have some good pieces to start with. I would opt for the swivel chair over the Anthropologie one but yes, the Anthropolgie chair would look fine with the style of your sofa. Will you be adding a rug or coffee table?

I do know that people here often have strong opinions about family photos in the living room. I agree with FinallyHome. This is your home, not a magazine shoot. Display them wherever you want. I have just as many on my living room wall. There are all sorts of decorating rules that I think are sometimes best forgotten. An example would be the artwork 3/4 the width and 6 inches above the sofa as stated above. It all depends on the entire look and feel of the room imo.
Bri Bosh
5 years ago
I see nothing wrong with family photos in the area where family hangs out. However, I would keep them in a gallery-type arrangement and make them larger so they don't look like confetti on the walls...also, they are hung too high!

In regards to the chairs, I think blue velvet would be stunning. In general I would avoid Anthropologie. Their customer service is appalling, especially in regards to furniture orders.
Molly
5 years ago
I like the higher back of the Anthropologie one, but one with higher arms would be more comfortable. Is this room used every day or for company. The round ones don’t look all that comfortable to me (hard to tell from a picture though).
ilikefriday
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I agree with Beth regarding putting the art at eye level and that the scale is off with the small photos. And I agree, look at Zgallerie. I purchased a dark blue velvet sofa and chaise from them a few years ago and I have been very happy with botlh of them.
sheloveslayouts
5 years ago
OT: I had no idea people disapproved of family photos in the living room. How cruel--kids feel so loved seeing photos of themselves hung proudly.
ilikefriday
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Benjesbride - LOL. People often comment about family photos here. I think I mentioned on another thread that I have something like 19 family photos on my living room wall and all but one are of my kid. That other one is really tiny and of me and my dh. We are in some of the photos with our son but we are the fillers. He is clearly the star of the photo.
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
i never said I disapproved. I disapprove when I have to step on the sofa and strain to see them! They're almost at the ceiling! I also said if she wants to display them, then get them enlarged so they are proportioned to the sofa. I even showed an example. (when I was a kid mom hung some of our pictures in the hallway. everything else was in a photo album. and we all took it out and flipped through it all the time. I didn't feel any less loved. lol)

But, personally, I'd hang a beautiful canvas art over the sofa. (she has plenty of walls to hang the pictures elsewhere in the room) since sofa is usually the focal point in the room. It's a beautiful sofa, pretty pillows and she wants the velvet side chair in the same blue. why not put up a beautiful canvas w/colors the accent all of that?

bring in a nice rug

maybe a gold/white side table

with a plant

and, maybe do a deep teal for the wall. look how great wood looks against this shade. And look! a great piece of art that goes w/the sofa and the chair!
sheloveslayouts
5 years ago
OT: Beth - I didn't mean to suggest you did. My comment about family photos was a reaction to loobab's comment, 2nd from the top. "And please take this suggestion the right way, as has been stated in innumerable threads on Houzz, family photos do not belong on the living room wall." I think this is totally silly.
ilikefriday
5 years ago
I was so confused for a second. Yes Beth, there was a comment above about photo rules.
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
yes, I saw that. benjes, I didn't mean to suggest that your comment was for just me. I did suggest she move the photos, I just didn't say 'they don't belong'. I'm on the fence with it. If one doesn't have any worthy art, and the family photos are done in a way that look good, coordinate w/one another and properly sized, then I suppose you could do it. But for over the sofa, I still prefer one or two large pieces of actual art. or a mirror.

and I'm loving this danish chair w/the teal cushions
Irene Morresey
5 years ago
Some inspiration, chair from one kings lane
Olga Kramar
5 years ago
A chair should, above all, be comfortable. I’d be very reluctant to buy online without in-person seat testing first. Judging quality and therefore durability is also best done in person.
Brittany Gesing
Original Author
5 years ago
Beth H.,
where is the chair you posted from?
thanks!
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
brittany,,,I can't remember where I found that. I tried searching, but couldn't find it.

some others..

cost plus

Wayfair
Overstock (same chairs)

Neiman Marcus has this blue
Molly
5 years ago
Pink? These also come in blue from Grandin Road.
ilikefriday
5 years ago
Those pink chairs are fab!
PRO
Lumar Interiors
5 years ago
We think you can do green, pink, teal, or blue velvet chairs. All would be absolutely gorgeous.
Summerhill · More Info

Royal York Renovation and Decoration: Family Room · More Info