Type of chairs
An armchair is a piece of furniture with a soft seat, a rigidly fixed backrest, and armrests (there are models without them).
A chair-bed can transform into a bed when necessary. It’s a good choice for small spaces or in case of the arrival of guests. The mechanisms of transformation are folding, pull-out, and so on.
According to reclinerfaq.com, a recliner is a chair with a tilting backrest, which can be set in the right position and provide greater comfort. The recliner is equipped with a swivel base and footrest.
A rocking chair allows you to swing back and forth. This model is good for relaxation and falling asleep (especially in case of insomnia). The rocking chair is useful for young mothers who rock their babies. Such furniture will be perfect for the interior of a country house or a summer residence.
A lift chair has a special mechanism that lifts and lowers the chair by pressing a key. The chair is suitable for elderly people, people suffering from arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Some list chairs have a tilting backrest with the adjustable tilt angle.
A lounge chair is a folding model, which provides fixation of a comfortable position of the footrest and backrest. This chair usually has a metal frame.
A massage chair performs vibration, heating, kneading on the back and neck. Its intensity can be changed. Some chairs can massage the body from neck to limb.
A frameless chair consists of a filler and a case. This chair takes the shape of the body, keeps it warm, prevents accidental injury. Some frameless models allow you to both sit and lie on it. These chairs can have the forms of a pouf, pillow, sack chair, ball, pyramid. Frameless model is suitable for children.
Construction
Non-folding construction is monolithic. The chair doesn’t unfold, it takes up more space, but is characterized by high durability.
Folding construction consists of moving parts (a chair-bed, a lounge chair). These models essentially save space in a living room. The disadvantage is the connection of details.
Detachable construction is assembled from separate parts (often pull-out rocking chairs). This model is easy to transport, and it takes up little space in its disassembled form. The chair requires time and effort to assemble/disassemble, and with intensive use will break faster than a monolithic chair.
Material
Frame
The chair frame is made of wood, chipboard, fiberboard, metal. Wood is an ecological and expensive material. Rattan, hyacinth, bamboo, walnut, cane are used to make wicker chairs, which fit perfectly into the interior of a country house and a living room, decorated in ethnic style.
Chipboard is much cheaper but emits toxic substances. Metal frames are ecologically clean, but they make the product heavier, which makes it difficult to rearrange. The strongest and most durable are wooden and metal frameworks.
Frame upholstery options
Depending on the style, the frame can be open (without upholstery), partially closed, and completely closed. Models with an open or partially closed frame may not look as interesting, but they are easier to take care of, and they fit better into a small room.
Chairs with a closed frame look fancier but are more difficult to take care of. Such furniture is suitable for a spacious interior.
Fillers
Typical fillers are polyurethane foam and synthetic padding. It’s better to choose a filler made of polyurethane foam, a flexible and soft material that retains its shape well. The polyurethane foam is subdivided into a soft and hard one: the first one is used under the seat, the second one is for the backrest.
It’s better to choose models with seats that have a hard-base spring block with a latex layer at the top.
A frameless chair has a polystyrene foam filler. Users note that such an armchair may lose its shape over time. In this case, it’s necessary to add filler from time to time. Another option is to buy a chair with the synthetic fiber that prevents deformation of styrofoam.
Upholstery
Armchairs are upholstered with different materials such as velvet, velour, leather (natural or artificial), jacquard, microfiber, flock.
The velvet and velour upholsteries are pleasant to touch, but they quickly become dirty. Also, they aren’t resistant to wear and tear, and they need gentle care. Leather, on the contrary, is durable, resistant to stains and moisture, easy to take care of, but cold to the touch and expensive (artificial leather with similar characteristics will cost less).
Jacquard is a very beautiful fabric with a complex pattern. It’s wear-resistant and durable, but expensive and difficult to take care of. Microfiber is often used as the upholstery too. It’s durable and pleasant to touch. Another upholstery material is a flock. It’s soft, has a variety of colors and textures, and is easy to take care of.
If you have a pet in your house, you should choose a puncture-resistant upholstery.
Sizes
When choosing the size of your chair, take into account the space available in the living room. The model should be comfortable to use. A low seat is difficult to get up from, while a high one is uncomfortable to sit in. A seat that is too narrow is tight, and a wide one is uncomfortable because of the distance between the armrests.
