In a catalogue, a bedroom armchair looks cosy. In a real room it often ends up as a clothes rack or something you walk into at night. The difference between the two comes down to where it stands and how big it is.
Short answer
In a standard bedroom the armchair goes in the corner by the window. It needs about 80 × 80 cm, and it should not narrow the walkway beside the bed to less than 60 cm or block the wardrobe doors. Compact armchairs 70–80 cm wide and up to 75 cm deep fit into that square.
Where to put it
- The corner by the window is usually the best spot: there is light for reading, and the corner is rarely used for anything else.
- Beside the bed on the side nobody sleeps on, if one side of the bed is against the wall.
- Opposite the bed, but only if there is still a walkway between the bed and the armchair; otherwise it sits on the path you take every morning.
Two places to avoid: in front of the wardrobe doors (you will have to move the armchair every time) and on the way from the bed to the door, where someone will trip over it at night.
Three measurements to check
- Walkway beside the bed: 60 cm or more. Any less and you have to squeeze past the armchair sideways.
- Wardrobe doors. Hinged wardrobe doors, when fully open, take up 50–60 cm in front of the wardrobe. The armchair has to stand outside that zone.
- Overall size including the backrest tilt. The product page gives the width and depth. If the backrest leans back, the armchair will take up more space against the wall than it does on paper.
What size to choose
In a bedroom, an armchair is usually there for sitting with a book, putting your shoes on or laying out tomorrow's clothes. You don't need a deep lounge chair for that: 70–80 cm of width and an upright seat are enough.
| Armchair | Width × depth | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Only | 70 × 69 cm | 70 cm |
| Novial | 70 × 71 cm | 80 cm |
| Mone | 76 × 73 cm | 75 cm |
| Saarika | 77 × 67 cm | 75 cm |
| Candy | 80 × 74 cm | 79 cm |
All five fit into an 80 × 80 cm square. The most compact are Only and Novial, 70 cm wide. If you really do read for hours in the bedroom and want head support, look at Lavita (75 × 92 cm, backrest 104 cm), but it will need almost a metre of depth.
How to choose an armchair by seat depth, backrest height and armrests is covered separately: how to choose an armchair.
Fabric and legs for the bedroom
A bedroom armchair doesn't face kitchen stains, so you can go for a softer fabric such as velour or chenille. To stop the armchair looking like a separate object, it is often matched to the bed headboard or the curtains.
Legs affect how spacious the room feels: an armchair on tall legs (solid ash on Mone and Novial, metal on Only and Saarika) looks lighter because you can see the floor underneath. It is also easier to clean under.
In brief
- The best spot is the corner by the window
- The armchair needs about 80 × 80 cm; the walkway beside the bed, 60 cm or more
- Don't put it in front of the wardrobe doors or on the way from the bed to the door
- For a bedroom, 70–80 cm of width and an upright seat are enough
- Tall legs make an armchair look lighter
MeBelle armchairs: compact models with a choice of fabric.
Choose an armchair →
