Occasional Chairs

What is an occasional chair?

An occasional chair - sometimes called an accent chair - is a standalone single-seat chair used "on occasion," rather than as your main everyday seat. They tend to have slimmer frames, exposed legs, or armless silhouettes that make them easy to move between rooms whenever you need to, whether that's extra seating for guests or simply finishing off a corner that's felt a bit bare.

Find the accent chair of your dreams at Homebase

While it’s rarely the first chair you might plan for, you’ll be surprised how much you use it as part of your home setup. Most of the time it comes down to one of three things.

The empty corner: Every living room's got one, and it’s always a challenge to find a way to fill it. A single occasional chair in a contrasting colour or fabric makes great use of the space, especially paired with a small side table and a lamp.

Guests, occasionally: If you love to host, you’ll know the struggle of being short of seats for your guests. That's the whole point of an occasional chair, light enough to carry from the bedroom or hallway into the living room for the evening, then just as easily carried back.

Making a small room feel bigger: If you're tight on space, an accent chair can help rather than hinder when you get the right style - look for a tub shape or slim, raised legs. Letting light through underneath the seat does more for a room than people expect, and it's a much easier win than an armchair or recliner, which tend to need a bit more room to look their best.

FAQs

What's the difference between an armchair and an occasional chair?

Armchairs are built for comfort first, featuring deep, heavily cushioned seats and wide arms, made for lounging in your main seating area. Occasional chairs are lighter and more compact, often with slimmer or armless frames, so they're easy to move around and bring in as extra seating when you need it.

What type of occasional chair works best in a small room?

An armless slipper chair, a curved tub chair, or anything with slim, tapered legs. Raising the chair off the floor visually opens the room up more than a solid-based frame would.