Short answer
A low, deep seat you can lean back in, a back that supports you to the shoulders, arms at a natural height and cushions that stay firm.
Those four work together. A deep seat without a tall back leaves your shoulders hanging; a tall back on a shallow seat pushes you forward. Soft cushions that sink too far tire the back over a long evening.
The chart below shows how our armchairs are built for comfort.
| Feature | Measurement | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 38 cm | A lounge height that lets you lean back |
| Seat depth | 53 cm | Room to sit back, feet still on the floor |
| Back | Full-height back cushion | Supports you up to the shoulders |
| Arm height | 49 cm | Forearms rest without lifting the shoulders |
| Seat | Deep seat cushion | Holds its shape through long evenings |
For most people a low seat, 35 to 40 cm, is more relaxing, because you lean back and stretch your legs; a higher seat, 42 to 45 cm, is easier to get in and out of.
Lounge chairs are low on purpose. The seat tilts slightly back, so your weight rests against the back cushion instead of on your thighs.
Kent and Einar sit at 38 cm. For reading and evenings that height suits most people; for someone who finds standing up difficult, a higher seat is kinder, and armrests to push against help either way.
A seat depth of 50 to 55 cm suits most adults: enough to lean back fully, with your knees at the front edge and feet flat on the floor.
Too shallow and you perch on the edge; too deep and shorter people end up with their legs sticking out or a gap behind the back. A cushion behind the back shortens a deep seat, which is why a deep chair tends to suit a mixed household better than a shallow one.
Our armchairs have a 53 cm seat depth. The armchair dimensions guide sets out every measurement.
Because a back that stops below the shoulder blades leaves your upper back and neck to hold themselves up, which most people feel within the first half hour.
A full-height back cushion supports the whole back and lets you rest your head against it when you lean back to read or watch a film.
Kent and Einar have a full-height back cushion over a deep seat cushion, both removable. That makes them easy to air and, when needed, to replace: every cushion is sold separately.
Kent ArmchairVelvet cushions · 130,000 Martindale · from £699View Kent
Firm, high-density foam that springs back, under a fabric strong enough for daily use; soft, low-density foam feels lovely at first but can flatten within months.
Press a cushion and let go: it should recover its shape at once. A cushion that stays dented will sag where you sit most.
Our cushions are upholstered by hand in our factory in Malmö, in Valencia vegan leather, Matteo velvet or Dolly bouclé. When a cushion does wear, you replace the cushion, not the chair; see our guide to re-covering an armchair or replacing its cushions.
We recommend sitting in it for 20 minutes the way you will use it: lean back, read, put your feet up, and then stand up without using your hands.
The first minute tells you how soft a chair is. Twenty minutes usually tells you whether your back, neck and knees are happy, and whether the seat height suits you.
That is why we let you order a single test armchair with free returns. For reading in particular, our reading chair guide explains what to look for.
Einar ArmchairFrom £900Dark oak · ivory bouclé
Kent ArmchairFrom £699Black steel · black bouclé
Kent ArmchairFrom £699Black steel · velvet
Einar ArmchairFrom £900Black oak · black bouclé
