One of the essential pieces of furniture in most homes is the chair. Not only are chairs necessary for comfort, but they bring a design element to enhance the overall aesthetic of a room.
From simple folding chairs to complex ergonomic designs, there’s always one that matches your taste, complements your decor, and fits well in your space.
To help you find the right chair, we have compiled a list of 29 different types of chairs for you to explore and compare!
We have also included a brief description of each type of chair, so you can find the one that best suits your needs.
Types of Chairs
There are many types of chairs, from the old klismos chair to the modern-day bean bag chair.
1. Recliner Chair
A recliner chair is among the most common types of chairs. It’s made from leather or fabric and provides ultimate comfort. In addition, the chair comes heavily upholstered, making it bulky.
A recliner chair features a foot extension and reclining back, making it perfect for leisure. It also has different options, such as a massager and heating element.
Recliners are best for the living room, bedroom, and home theater.
2. Bean Bag Chair
The Sacco chair, commonly called the beanbag, is a sizable anatomic chair. It takes the shape of your body when you sit, providing you with cuddle-like comfort. Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini, and Franco Teodoro designed this chair in 1968.
The bean bag is made of fabric filled with polystyrene beans, hence its name. However, you may find modern designs with memory foam as the filling material.
You can easily identify the chair by its amorphous shape. Bean bags are perfect for family rooms or bedrooms.
3. Club Chair
A club chair should be on your list if you’re looking for a durable, plush, and spacious classic chair. The club chair is a wide, hefty upholstered armchair with a rounded back and arms.
It’s typically upholstered with leather, but modern designs are available in fabric.
The traditional club chair comes with armrests, but you may find the latest designs are armless. Nevertheless, you can easily recognize it from its vintage and box-like appearance.
Club chairs are perfect for any family room, master bedroom, or den. They are also common in high-end clubs and restaurants.
4. Wing Chair
The wing chair, also known as the wingback chair, is among the most popular accent chairs. It’s been around since the late 17th century, but it can easily fit the modern style.
Wing chairs were often used to shield their occupants from excessive heat from fireplaces.
A wing chair is characterized by a high, solid back that is wider at the top. The side panels look like “wings” and mostly have wooden legs. It has ample cushioning, making it comfortable for reading.
Wing chairs are upholstered in leather or fabric. They offer a classic to contemporary design and can fit any home decor.
5. Ghost Chairs
The ghost chair is known for its unique crystal-clear appearance. The chair gets its name from its transparent material; its transparency can make you think there’s no chair.
For this, people say that the chair disappears, leaving its silhouette.
Ghost chairs are made from plastic or glass and come with no upholstery. They are available in different shapes, but most have rounded back and may come with or without arms. In addition, they are available in a range of colors.
The sleek design and modern touch of the Ghost chair make it versatile. You can use it in the living room, dining room, outdoor space, lounge, and office.
6. Round Chair
As the name suggests, a round chair has a rounded shape; the upper part and the edge of the seat are rounded. One look at this chair, and you’ll relate the name and shape.
Round chairs come in different designs; some are upholstered, while others are not. Some have arms, while others are armless. Most modern round chairs are made from fabric, are upholstered with polyester, and are armless.
7. Tulip Chair
The Eero Saarinen tulip chair was designed in 1955 and named the “Pedestal Group” due to its single pedestal base. However, the name was later changed to ‘tulip chair’ to match the contemporary tulip table.
The tulip chair has an aluminum base and a fiberglass frame. It comes with a removable leather or fabric cushion. The sleek design and modish fashion are perfect for any living space.
8. Rocking Chair
The rocking chair, also a rocker, has been around since the 17th century, making them a popular chair type. It has two curved bands at the bottom of its legs to offer rocking functionality.
These bands touch the floor only at the center, leaving the two ends hanging.
Most rocking chairs are wooden, but the modern design is also available in plastic with steel frames. Some are even foldable. While some may come with cushioning, traditional chairs do not have upholstery.
9. Office/Desk Chair
Desk chairs are designed for office or home workspace. There are many designs when it comes to desk chairs. However, the modern design comes with wheels to offer mobility, lumbar support, a swivel-style seat, adjustable height, a backrest, and a headrest.
Office chairs provide an ergonomic design to give users maximum comfort as they use them for prolonged hours.
10. Wishbone Chair
The wishbone or Y chair is characterized by its wish-boned backrest. Its seat is made of paper cord woven tightly on the frame.
The armrest is made of bentwood, giving it a curved appearance at the top of the backrest. Although it comes without cushioning, this chair is comfy thanks to the paper cord and its rounded back.
11. Chesterfield Chair
The Chesterfield chair has an old-school club chair style. It is large with a box-like appearance, rolled-up armrests, buttoned or tufted interior, and a flat backrest top at the same level as the arms.
Chesterfield is heavily upholstered, offering ultimate comfort. It’s also available as a sofa or couch, making it perfect for a living room, family room, or den. You can also find these chairs in hotels, lobbies, and bars.
12. Panton Chair
The Panton chair is a masterpiece, distinguished by its sleek and curvy design. This chair has an S-shape and is named after its designer, Verner Panton.
The Panton chair is the world’s first chair to be molded in plastic, making it a famous design in museums.
13. Klismos Chair
The klismos chair is probably the oldest chair you may know, as it goes way back to the Ancient Greek era. While the klismos design seemed forgotten for over 1000 years, its style and aesthetic appearance became popular in the 18th century.
Klismos chair is easily identified by its saber legs and a rounded T-shaped back. It may be upholstered and painted.
14. Occasional Chair
The occasional chair provides extra seating in a room, especially when you have guests over. But, as the name suggests, occasional chairs are not for regular use. Instead, they are for adding a pop of color and style to any decor.
These chairs are comfy, and most come lightly upholstered in a neutral color. In addition, they have different designs, with most having curved but short arms.
15. Windsor Chair
The Windsor chairs come in different forms but almost the same style. Its design is informal and does not come upholstered.
A Windsor chair is wooden and has a high-spiked back, chest rails, and curved arms supported by spindles and outward-slanting legs. The seat can be saddled or sculpted for comfort. You can use this chair in dining rooms or gardens.
16. Chaise Longue Chair
The chaise longue chair is a long chair offering you enough space to stretch your legs comfortably. The back of this chair has a semi-reclining angle and it comes with different designs. Some may come upholstered, while others are not.
The Chaise longue offers excellent relaxation and comfort. However, it takes up a lot of space.
The Chaise longue originates from France, as the name suggests, and it’s been popular since the 16th century. The chair is known and pronounced as “chaise lounge” in the United States.
You can use this chair for reading and relaxation. It can also complement any home decor in bedrooms or living rooms.
17. Adirondack Chair
Adirondack chairs are among the most popular outdoor chairs. This chair was invented by Thomas Lee in the early 1900s and patented by Harry C. Bunnell.
You can easily spot an Adirondack chair by its rugged appearance, slanted seat, long and slated backrest, and broader arms.
Initially, the chairs were popular in the tuberculosis sanatorium since the armrests gave the sitter a good posture, opening their chest. The earlier design was from wood, but today, you can find these chairs made from plastic.
You can set an Adirondack chair on the front porch, pool deck, fire pit, or lawn.
18. Chair-and-a-half
A chair-and-a-half probably gets its name from its size. The chair’s size is between an armchair and a loveseat. It has short legs and high flat arms that provide a deeper seat.
The chair-and-a-half is an excellent choice for those who love to curl up or put their feet up. You can use it in your living room, especially if your space cannot fit a sofa.
Its design is also perfect for a home office, reading nook, and master bedroom.
19. Slipper Chair
The slipper chair is perfect for a contemporary style and classic addition to any decor. It provides ample sitting space with maximum comfort.
You can distinguish a slipper chair by its armless and low-height design. In addition, the chair always has fabric upholstery.
The slipper chair has an L-shape, giving the chair a sleek appearance. This chair dates back to the 18th century, and it was commonplace in women’s bedrooms. It got its name from the Victorian era when women sat on it wearing shoes or slippers.
20. Wassily Chair
The Wassily chair is a masterpiece by Marcel Breuer. It uses tubular steel for its frame and has the style of a club armchair.
The Wassily chair is distinguished by its mechanical features. In addition, its finishing can either be leather or fabric. Finally, it’s aesthetic design can bring a sense of sophistication to any office.
21. Butterfly Chair
The butterfly chair is one of a kind. This chair is versatile since you can use it in any room. Traditional butterfly chairs have a leather sling, but today they are also made from other materials, such as canvas.
The butterfly chair was designed in 1938 in Buenos Aires. It features a black metal frame and a sling that hangs from the frame’s highest point.
This gives it a butterfly shape at the top of its backrest. Furthermore, this chair is foldable, making it suitable for portable recreational purposes.
22. Bistro Chair
Bistro chairs bring a French-style sophistication to your doorstep. It has a curvy structure, with most featuring a woven finish. This chair’s design has seen a few changes over the years.
The frame features a steam-bent cane; the seat is slightly slanted to its back. Its design makes it suitable for outdoor cafes, dining rooms, and any outdoor space in your home.
23. Side Chair
Side chairs are mostly small, armless chairs that are mostly sold in sets. They may have an open back or solid back with light upholstery at the seat. However, some do not come with upholstery.
Most side chairs come with a trapezium-like seat made from leather or fabric. Bistro chairs are mostly matched with a dining table or used for extra sitting indoors or outdoors.
24. Egg chair
An egg chair comes in many designs; some are set to hang to offer gentle sway. It’s one of the most luxurious but expensive chairs you can find today.
The first egg chair was designed in 1959 by Arne Jacobsen. This chair borrows some of its features from the womb chair.
The original egg chair had a rotating base and a rounded back with wings on the top (both ends). Its cocoon shape cradles your back, offering excellent relaxation and comfort.
Egg chairs are perfect for patios or porches.
25. Directors Chair
The director seat got its name from its use by directors on film sets. Its folding nature allows it to fold side to side. Initially, the seat was made from canvas, but modern designs mostly come with leather materials.
The frame can be made from plastic, wood, or metal. You can easily identify the director’s chair by its X-shaped/scissor-like legs.
Directors’ chairs are great for use in bars, dining rooms, offices, and other home settings.
26. Peacock Chair
A peacock chair is a wicker chair with an oversized back. The chair originated in the Philippines in the 1900s.
Its upper part resembles a peacock’s tail and has an hourglass base. Furthermore, it has a relatively small seat and short curved arms.
The Peacock chair is suitable for photography and special occasions such as weddings. You can also use it on the patio, dining, living room, or bedroom.
27. Wiggle Side Chair
The iconic design of the wiggle side chair came from Frank Gehry in 1970. It uses corrugated cardboard layered in different directions, giving it a coil-like appearance.
The wiggle chair has a high backrest and does not have armrests. It’s strong, durable, and robust but not very comfortable. You can use the chair as a centerpiece in your living room or place it on your patio.
28. Kneeling Chair
The kneeling chair is a computer desk stool. It has an ergonomic design to encourage an upright posture, especially for those who spend too much time sitting.
Hans Christian Mengdhoel was the inventor of the kneeling chair design in 1979, in collaboration with designers Oddvin Rykken, Svein Gusrud and Peter Opsvik.
These chairs come in different designs, some with two knee rest while others with one.
The seat is higher than the knee rest, allowing your thighs to drop to a 60° to 70° position. Kneeling chairs are perfect for people experiencing coccyx or tailbone pain. This chair is suitable for home workspace or office use.
29. Zig-Zag Chair
The Zig-Zag chair is a piece of art. This chair has a simple design as it’s made from four parts of wood slabs. These pieces of wood are joined together, forming a Z-shape from the seat downward.
The fourth slab acts as the backrest. Gerrit Rietveld designed the Zig-Zag chair in 1934.
Whether you’re looking for a comfy spot to curl up in or a stylish piece of furniture to add to your home, there’s a perfect chair for your space.
Through research and a trustworthy supplier, you can get the best design that matches your needs.
