Accent chair for small spaces?

If there was a manual for decorating small spaces, the rules would be as follows:

• Buy things you can hide.
• Eliminate everything superfluous.
• Be 100% tidy 100% of the time.

In other words: don't have any fun at all. While these tips are noteworthy, if you follow them too closely, you'll end up with a look reminiscent of a sterile motel room.

That's not our vision for you. Your small space in your home deserves more - much more - than a stiff bed and a mini-fridge.

I think no piece of furniture has as much energy as the cabriolet armchair.

As functional embellishments, accent chairs for small spaces manage to offer more seating *and* express your personal style.

We hear you: how do you add *another* piece of furniture to the mix without it getting in the way? And the rules? Let us help you bend them. Take a seat while we explain the transformative power of the accent chair.

1) The spirit of small spaces

In most decorating books, accent chairs are described as jewelry: they are the icing that takes a room from vanilla to vogue.

Traditionally, our (lucky) decorator ancestors only used the accent chair on the rare occasions they had company.

Even today, we see accent chairs that look more like sculptures than seats, often depicted in catalogs, living a quiet life, not being sat on anywhere: in the hallway, the living room, the bathroom?

But what if you live in an urban apartment and, like many of us, can barely get groceries through your apartment hallway?

And the star of your [small living room is undoubtedly your convertible sofa]?

And the only seating space in your bathroom is the porcelain throne?

For those of us living in small to medium-sized apartments, seating space is a precious commodity. The accent chair should not only be decorative: it must be useful.

2) Where to place an accent chair

You know you want an extra seat or two, but, as a small-space dweller, you have a few obstacles. Like walls.

You can't just place an accent chair anywhere. So how do you add a sitting decor without feeling cramped? There are a thousand ways to place an accent chair, but here are some of our favorites for small nests.

A) A round seating area

Since your living room is home to your sofa, it's the most natural place for an accent chair to settle in. Create a conversation circle by placing a single accent chair next to your sofa or a duo opposite your sofa.

With a coffee table in the middle, this setup is perfect for debating the need to rewrite Game of Thrones season eight or for centralizing access to the appetizer tray.

B) A cozy reading nook

What if you want the exact opposite of a conversation circle? Serenity now! By tucking an accent chair into the corner of your bedroom or living room, you can create the feeling of a room within a room, without actually dividing the room.

For avid readers, a reading nook - with a plush armchair to nestle into - is a non-negotiable item, regardless of the size of the house we live in.

C) An elevated home office

Standard office chairs can go up, down, and roll, but they don't add much to your aesthetic. Plus, they make you think of work, which is the last thing you want when you're trying to relax.

Consider elevating your home office by replacing your swivel chair with a lounge chair. Since multi-functionality is your friend, you can always round out this trusty addition as a stylish way to welcome guests on the fly.

D) As a stand

Curiosity attracts the eye. And accent chairs make beautiful - but unexpected - perches for baby plants, books, or alarm clocks.

Go for the side table. Opt for a nightstand. Unpadded wooden seats are a multifunctional marvel for small spaces that need surface area. They do the job without leaving a large footprint.

Bonus: you can always move the chair when you have guests. 

E) A mobile feast

By mixing and matching your accent chairs around your dining table, you can make a statement that is both cohesive and eclectic.

What's more? With their plush padding, soft upholstery, and mid-century design, contemporary dining chairs are starting to look eerily like accent chairs.

Any chair can become an accent chair if moved away from the table. How convenient.

3) Best accent chairs for small spaces: Space-saving design

Accent chairs are meant to stand out, but not initiate total domination of the living space. So how do you choose pieces that don't clutter your space? Look for pieces that *appear* smaller than they actually are. This translates to accent chairs that have:

A) Exposed silhouettes

A silhouette that emphasizes structure rather than padding tricks the eye into seeing the chair as smaller than it actually is. Take the cabriolet armchair, for example.

Because of its frame-dominated design, your gaze passes through its low, open back and bare, unpadded limbs. (But not before a cheeky glance, of course.) In return, your room looks less cluttered.

B) Open arms

In small spaces, you want to feel liberated, not confined. Your dad's old lazy armchair may envelop you, but those arms impose visual limits that overwhelm a small space.

Armless chairs, like the Twirl chair, welcome your gaze instead of blocking sightlines with a square design.

C) All the right curves

In all the right places. Chairs with rounded corners occupy the same usable space as square pieces, but thanks to their curves, they have a smaller visual footprint.

The Scandinavian chair's generous, curved back, for example, still offers full seating and full lumbar support while reducing angles.

D) Low construction

Just as high ceilings create the illusion of a larger space, low furniture creates the illusion of higher ceilings.

Thus, accent chairs that hang close to the floor save room vertically. By using this tactic, you can even afford geometric patterns.

For example, although the Echo chair technically falls into the square furniture category, it can still be suitable for a small space because it is short, sturdy, and does not take up space with its high back.

E) Light upholstery fabrics

Airy tones, pale neutrals, and soft naturals lighten a room. And light means space, which is precisely the goal. By choosing accent chairs in powdery hues, you can even detach from some of the other tenants.

The Sven's silhouette is anything but light. But in birch ivory, the Sven can transform a corner into a cozy reading nook without engulfing the room.

Another creative way to use color to your condo-living advantage is to match your upholstery to the wall. This way, the armchair blends into its surroundings, and the boundary between wall and fabric blurs.

Your small space is your little castle and deserves to be embellished to feel like home. And accent chairs are an easy way to elevate a space while meeting our utilitarian need for extra seating.

By seeking visual balance and employing some decorating strategy, you can achieve your big design dreams without feeling confined in your small space.

Moreover, you can always decorate and embellish your space with cabriolet armchair covers, unique patterns and designs, perfect for modernizing your space.