Replacing Your Reading Chair Is the Shortcut to Blissful Hibernation

Exciting plot twists, well-rounded characters, deep themes, and, if you’re the superficial type, a flashy cover: these are the measures of a good book. How, then, to recognize what makes a good reading chair? The Eameses officially cracked the style-meets-comfort equation with their leather-upholstered lounger back in 1956. But just as reading Tolstoy over and over again is no way to become a true literature buff, you can’t just look at one classic and call it a day. To help with your reading-chair comprehension, we’ve rounded up five standout statement chairs that we’d happily spend upwards of four hundred pages in — and, in Coles Notes fashion, summarized the defining strengths of each. Consider it our guide to becoming a better book club member.

 

1 SUPPORT

Wingback by Tom Dixon

Four out of five NBA players agree: this towering contemporary classic is one throne you can really lean back in.

$6,750 at The Modern Shop

 

2 DEPTH

Oslo by Muuto

Ergonomic proportions make this steel-legged seat the choice pick for anyone who enjoys perching with their feet up.

$2,950 at themodernshop.com

 

3 MATERIAL

P2 Lavinia Exagonal by Marta Sala

The key to making an angular design comfy: upholster it in mohair velvet — the hottest fabric of the moment.

$8,195 USD at The Future Perfect

 

4 COMFORT

Model #3418 by Thayer Coggin

A reclined back and Italian leather cushioning make this reissue of a 1965 Milo Baughman design a welcome end-of-the-workday refuge.

$10,895 at RH

 

5 PEDIGREE

Bibendum by Aram

An underrated masterpiece of modernism, Eileen Gray’s curved leather lounger has aged handsomely without becoming ubiquitous.

$8,310 at Avenue Road

TAGS:

Chairs,Design