Short answer
An armchair is defined by its shape, an upholstered chair with arms; an accent chair is defined by its role, a chair chosen to add colour, texture or a striking form to a room.
Many accent chairs are armchairs, and many armchairs are chosen as accents. The difference is intent: an accent chair is picked to stand out, a plain armchair to be sat in.
In the US, accent chair is the everyday word for almost any single chair in a living room. In the UK, occasional chair means much the same: a chair used from time to time rather than every day.
A lounge chair is an armchair built for relaxing: lower and deeper than a standard chair, with a seat around 35 to 45 cm high and a back that leans back.
The low, tilted seat is what makes you sink back into a lounge chair instead of sitting upright in it. That makes it ideal for reading, films and long evenings, and less suited to sitting at a table.
The chart below compares the common types by seat height, depth and use.
| Type | Typical seat height | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lounge chair | 35 to 45 cm | Low, deep, leans back | Reading, relaxing |
| Standard armchair | 42 to 48 cm | Upright, easy to rise from | Conversation, everyday |
| Club chair | 40 to 45 cm | Low, fully upholstered, rounded | Snug, traditional rooms |
| Wing chair | 42 to 48 cm | High back with side wings | Fireside, support for the head |
| Accent chair | Any | Chosen for colour or form | Adding character |
Nearly: a reading chair is a lounge chair chosen for long reading, with a deep seat, a back that supports the shoulders and arms low enough to rest a book on.
Reading chair is a use, lounge chair a shape. Most good reading chairs are lounge chairs, but not every lounge chair has the full-height back that reading needs.
Our reading chair guide explains what to look for, and how to light and furnish a reading corner.
A recliner has a mechanism that tilts the back and raises a footrest; an armchair has a fixed position, usually slimmer and lighter.
Recliners suit people who want to lie back fully, for example to watch television. They are bulkier, need space behind and in front to recline, and are harder to place in a small room.
A lounge armchair with a deep, slightly reclined seat, plus a footstool if you want one, gives much of the same comfort in a smaller, simpler piece.
A dining chair with arms is built for a table: a seat of typically 45 to 48 cm and an upright back; a lounge armchair sits lower and deeper, for relaxing away from the table.
The two are not interchangeable. A lounge armchair at a dining table leaves you with the table at chest height, and a dining chair in a living room is too upright for a long evening.
For chairs at the table, see our guide to dining chairs with arms. Kent and Einar are lounge armchairs, not dining chairs.
Choose a lounge chair for reading and relaxing, a standard armchair for conversation and an easy rise, and let the accent role decide the colour and form.
Start with the use, then check the size and the seat height against your body and your room.
Kent and Einar are lounge armchairs with a 38 cm seat, a 53 cm seat depth and a full-height back cushion, on black steel and solid oak. Our guide to choosing an armchair goes through the decision step by step, and all our armchairs are in one collection.
Kent ArmchairDesign your own · four frame colours · from 12.095 krView Kent
Kent ArmchairFrom 11.095 krLounge armchair · black steel
Einar ArmchairFrom 14.995 krLounge armchair · black oak
Kent ArmchairFrom 11.095 krLounge armchair · greige bouclé
Einar ArmchairFrom 14.995 krLounge armchair · dark oak
