Interior Designers on the 7 Most Comfortable Chairs

WHILE WE anxiously wait to resume regular programming, comfort has become a high priority on the home front. With that in mind, we asked scores of interior designers to name the most sink-into-able chairs available today. Two respondents enthusiastically backed the Song Armchair from 3-year-old British company Maker&Son. New York designer Ghislaine Viñas called it “freakishly and deliciously comfortable…[it makes] you want to immediately curl up and snuggle.” Who among us wouldn’t welcome a hug from a chair these days? Here, six more designer-recommended seats waiting to embrace you.

Gerrit Rietveld’s 1935 Utrecht Chair

Greg Roth said his team at Home Front Build, in Los Angeles, is in love with Dutch modernist Gerrit Rietveld’s 1935 Utrecht Chair. “The incline of the seat and backrest are just so, with a very gentle and comforting slope that welcomes the body and encourages relaxation,” said the senior designer. Don’t let its angular lines spook you, he said. “This chair is firm, yes, but also cushy and soothingly comfy.” From approx. $6025 for standard size, cassina.com

RH’s Yeti Sheepskin Armchair

Miami designer Travis London chose RH’s Yeti Sheepskin Armchair, calling out its long-shorn fluffy pelt. “The fur is incredibly soft, warm and comfortable,” he said. The silhouette nods to midcentury French design, with upholstered elements filled with poly-fibre wrapped around a foam core. “The cushion feels like it’s a memory-foam mattress, and it’s the perfect height to sit just right.” approx. $3052, rh.com

a funky 1980s chair

Years ago, Jenny Dina Kirschner, founder of Brooklyn’s JDK Interiors, paid $150 for a funky 1980s chair she found online. When it arrived at her office, its filthy condition kept her from sitting on it, but a visiting client plopped into it. “I was preparing coffee for us, and she yelled to me, ‘Oh my gosh, Jenny. This is the most comfortable chair I’ve ever sat in!’” Ms. Kirschner impulsively offered the client the chair, which was then reupholstered. “It feels like a fluffy cloud hugging you,” said the designer, who sometimes wishes she had kept the chair for herself. The model can still be found online, “for a lot more money,” she said. 1980s Vintage Post Modern Curvy Accent Chair, approx. $4755, chairish.com

Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman was the seat our respondents cited most frequently. “The bent plywood veneer and leather make it comfortable and durable,” said architect Grant C. Kirkpatrick of the midcentury modern classic. The partner at Los Angeles’s KAA Design Group added that the wide base and reclining angle make it “great for reading.” Tish Mills appreciates that it’s a good fit for both men and women, regardless of height. The Atlanta designer, who has included the pair in both contemporary and traditional homes, also values its timelessness. “It is like a chameleon and works in every space.” From approx. $7466, store.hermanmiller.com

Quiver Klismos Chair from Soane Britain

One of the few traditional chairs our designers singled out, the Quiver Klismos Chair from Soane Britain riffs on 18th-century revivals of the ancient Greek klismos design. Said Amanda Lindroth, an interior designer based in Nassau, Bahamas, “The scale is just right and it encompasses you.” Its classic shape, leather cladding, tufted cushion and brass socks and casters make a very posh and proper perch. From $14,266, available at retail in the U.K. and through the trade in the U.S., soane.com

the Pitu Chaise Lounge Chair

“The whole idea is to give the sensation of being suspended in a hammock,” said New Orleans designer Valerie Legras of the Pitu Chaise Lounge Chair from Brazilian design distributor Sossego. The seat comprises a Brazilian wood frame and a canvas sling “reminiscent of a suspension bridge over a waterway” that supports down/feather cushions. “Last time I sat in one, I was in the Sossego showroom in Chicago and wearing a noise cancellation headset. I felt so relaxed.” Chair, from approx. $6739, and Ottoman, from approx. $2241, Sossego

Pantone has released its 2024 Colour of the Year — and it’s warm and fuzzy.

Peach Fuzz has been named as the colour to sum up the year ahead, chosen to imbue a sense of “kindness and tenderness, communicating a message of caring and sharing, community and collaboration” said vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, Laurie Pressman.

“A warm and cosy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary this creates, PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz presents a fresh approach to a new softness,” she said.

Pantone Colour of the Year is often a reflection of world mood and events

The choice of a soft pastel will come as little surprise to those who follow the Pantone releases, which are often a reflection of world affairs and community mood. Typically, when economies are buoyant and international security is assured, colours tend to the bolder spectrum. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Israeli-Gaza conflict and talk of recession in many countries, the choice of a softer, more reassuring colour is predictable.

“At a time of turmoil in many aspects of our lives, our need for nurturing, empathy and compassion grows ever stronger as does our imaginings of a more peaceful future,” she said. “We are reminded that a vital part of living a full life is having the good health, stamina, and strength to enjoy it.”

The colour also reflects a desire to turn inward and exercise self care in an increasingly frenetic world.

“As we navigate the present and build toward a new world, we are reevaluating what is important,” she said. “Reframing how we want to live, we are expressing ourselves with greater intentionality and consideration.

“Recalibrating our priorities to align with our internal values, we are focusing on health and wellbeing, both mental and physical, and cherishing what’s special — the warmth and comfort of spending time with friends and family, or simply taking a moment of time to ourselves.”

Each year since 2000, Pantone has released a colour of the year as a trendsetting tool for marketers and branding agents. It is widely taken up in the fashion and interior design industries, influencing collections across the spectrum.

Interior Designers on the 7 Most Comfortable Chairs

Seven seats, as recommended by design pros.

Prepare yourself for the year of the peach