Yup… you’re looking at it. The PERFECT arm chair for our new living room. My husband and my father in law have to fight for when my in laws are over. It’s seriously just THAT comfortable. You know how your dad always had ‘his’ chair when you were growing up? It was normally a big bulky recliner or just a big eye sore in the family room. Those days are long gone. Now, with these 5 easy steps you can totally find something that’s comfortable, practical and sexy too!

1. SIZE. Size matters when it comes to your arm chair. Make sure that you’re not investing in something that is too small OR too large for your space. It’s so important to measure these out before you make the commitment. If your arm chair is anywhere from 36 – 40″ deep or wide you’re looking at a larger arm chair that’s going to need some room. You don’t want it to look like your furniture is ‘too big’ for your space. The same goes for smaller arm chairs. You’ll find that small arm chairs normally range from about 26-33″ deep or wide. If you don’t have access to a floor plan software you can always use green painters tape to trace the outline of your furniture to make sure that it fits properly.
2. Location. Think about where this arm chair is going. Are you looking to have it in a more formal space like a living room or dining room? Is it going in a family room? This will completely change which arm chair you should choose. In a living room, you’ll want to use it for more formal entertaining. High backs can give you a classic and sophisticated look. I love a wing back chair for these spaces. Try to have an arm chair that has less down and more foam so that it can easily maintain a sleek and chic look. For a family room, you may want more down to create a casual look and feel. This is where comfort really comes into play. If you’re hoping to sit in your arm chair to watch television with your family you may want to test it out in store first.
3. FABRIC. Just like clothing the fabric you choose for your arm chair can either dress it up or dress it down. If you’re looking for something casual and worn I’d highly recommend the Savoy arm chair from Urban Barn. It’s what we ended up choosing for our space because it gave us the modern casual feel that we really wanted. Did I mention it’s INSANELY comfortable? It’s also made in Canada which is a major win, it’s genuine leather so it smells incredible and the patina will wear well over time so we know this arm chair will transition with our family. For a more formal feel I would suggest something like velvet or a tight knit neutral fabric. Keep in mind you could still choose a leather arm chair but I would suggest going with something with a more formal shape like Franco or the Yates.
4. LEGS. Lets talk legs! These can also make your arm chair feel more formal or more casual. At Urban Barn sometimes you can pay to upgrade to a stainless steel leg. This can definitely make your furniture feel more formal and look a bit more traditional or modern. You can also achieve this look with a dark wood leg. For a more casual feel I suggest going with black leg or choosing a warm wood tone.
5. CUSTOM. One way to make sure you get EXACTLY what you’re looking for in an arm chair is to go custom. I love that Urban Barn allows you to pick the fabric and the finishes for a lot of their pieces. We’ve created some incredible arm chairs (and sectionals) from Urban Barn. I suggest going into your nearest location to check out the wide selection of fabrics and test out the furniture in person. The staff are ALWAYS extremely helpful if you have questions. If you have kids and pets you might be looking for more of a synthetic fabric. Live alone and want to entertain? Maybe a luxe velvet is for you. There’s a new pink chair coming out this season that I’m in love with! It’s called the Loden. I got to test it out at the Fall Preview and honestly… it’s to die for (see below).

I really hope you learned something today and I’ve helped you know what to look for when searching for your perfect arm chair. To see the Savoy in my living room reveal click here.
Jackie
*This post was in collaboration with Urban Barn.