How to Use Occasional Chairs: Enhance and Accentuate Your Home
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Categories :
Dining Room
, Living Room
, Office
We love to fill our homes with chairs for every occasion. Dining chairs. Loungers. Bar stools. Recliners. Office chairs. Even the toilet is a purpose-built chair. They all serve a very specific idea and function, telling us how a space should be used.
But what about the obscurely named ‘occasional chair’? Why does this one seem to break the mould? Were the designers just trying to trick us into buying a fancy sounding furniture item we’d have no clue what to do with? Or do occasional chairs have a special place and purpose to fill in our homes?
If you’ve been ‘umming and ahhing’ about how to use occasional chairs, where to put them, or why you should even buy them in the first place, browse no further! We’ve got you (and your seat-loving posterior) fully covered.
Let’s start with the most obvious (and totally justified) question of, what is an occasional chair, exactly?
On the one hand, we can define it as a chair that’s literally only used ‘on occasion.’ Rather than being a regular component of any main seating arrangement, it’s a ‘stand-by’ you can call on and move around for a spare seat whenever and wherever you need one. Pretty handy.
But going by this definition alone would be way too limiting. After all, any old stacking chair or footstool could fall into that camp. An occasional chair isn’t just some blend-in-to-the-background (or hide in the closet) extra on set. Rather, think of it as the guest star in the show. It’s not just there to fill in a gap, but to play a key role–specifically, by adding personality.
Now, that doesn’t mean over-the-top personality (contrary to 99% of sitcom guest star roles). But you can definitely use an occasional chair to add a bit of ‘drama’ to your space, whether it’s with a pop of colour, a contrasting texture, an interesting pattern or an eye-catching design.
In other words, an occasional chair can be used as an accent piece that stands apart and adds visual interest. But at the same time, it should walk a fine line between standing out, and fitting in. After all, you want it to feel like your furniture cast are all still part of the same show.
Wondering exactly how to pull off that perfect balance? Here are some tips you can follow to pick and pair your occasional chairs with an expert touch.
You’d be surprised just how many places and creative ways you can use occasional chairs in your home. If you’re looking for a good place to start experimenting with one or two, here are some great options for just about every room in your home!
1. In the living room
2. In a bedroom
3. In the dining room
4. In the kitchen
Need some more inspiration? Take a browse through our wide selection of trendy contemporary occasional chairs online or at your nearest Cielo showroom to get those ideas flowing!