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How Tall Should Accent Chairs Be? (Important Facts)

Accent chairs have the potential to transform any room from drab to fab in no time. But sometimes the height can be a problem if it clashes too much with the height of the other furniture in the room. A few golden rules can help make everything look cohesive.

How tall should accent chairs be?

Accent chairs generally have 16-18 inch seat height and should be off the height mentioned. Low enough for you to be comfortable but not too low. Since, that would make it difficult to get back up. The height of the chair-back can vary depending on the style and comfort level each individual design provides.

Accent chairs as the name suggests, adds accent to the existing furniture in the room. They tend to come in an array of styles, sizes and heights to cater to your preferences and choices. A few popular styles are listed below for you to choose from.

Arm Chair:

This is a popular choice among people looking to find a chair that would provide comfort and is perfect for lounging in. The armrest on either side provides support for the arms to rest.

Slipper Chair:

They have the upholstered features of an armchair sans the arms. This helps them fit in a small place and add additional sitting. They are also quite short compared to the other options and therefore perfect for petite people.

Barrel Chair:

This style of chair tends to mimic the shape of a barrel with a front cutout and shaped as a seat. It has a high back and arms which coupled with the firm padding helps people relax.

Wingback Chair:

They have been a staple in formal settings and libraries for generations. The tall back and winged sides add to the overall classy image they portray. They provide ample support to the back, letting people lounge on them for hours.

Parsons Chair:

These pieces tend to be slimmer without arms and a straight, tall back. Mainly manufactured to be displayed around the dining table. The tall and straight back supports the back while eating.

Papasan Chair:

Papasan chairs come in a distinguished and unique shape. A strong lower frame blossoming into a dish-shaped structure covered by a cozy, fluffy pillow.

They are very comfortable for sitting and mainly used in bedrooms but rarely seen in offices or living rooms.

Chesterfield Chair:

Chesterfield chairs manage to look formal but are also comfortable to sit on. Their leather material, rolled arms and nail-head trims gives it a classic look.

But in modern times, they are made in a variation of styles to complement different rooms.

What is the average height of an accent chair?

Accent chair tend to have an average height of 35-40 inches depending on their style, purpose and also the comfort level they are trying to provide the customer. It can change slightly as different styles can run taller or shorter but doesn’t deviate too much from this.

 Therefore, it is always best to check the measurements in stores to see if they will be a good fit for you and your space or ask for exact measurements if you are shopping online.

What is the seat height of the accent chair?

Even though the chair back of accent chairs tend to differ from one another greatly. The seat height tends to stay the same. A standard height for an accent chair’s seat would be somewhere between 16-18 inches.

This is rarely changed unless the chair is customized to fit a specific order, because this height allows people to sit comfortably while resting their feet on the ground or a foot stool but also, they can get up without any additional support.

What are the dimensions for a standard accent chair?

A look at the accent chair dimension might help you decide if they would work well with your current furniture. Accent chairs come with a standard dimension of 30 inches seat width by 26 inches seat depth and 16 inches seat height by 40 inches seat height approximately.

Knowing the dimension will help with selecting the best accent chair as it keeps you an idea on whether it will work in your area and theme. And also, if the height of the accent chair will match with your other furniture.

Should accent chairs be the same height as the sofa?

If you are thinking of placing accent chairs next to or on either side of sofas as a set, their same height will make them look much more coordinated together. So, the same heights in accent chairs and sofas are preferable.

 However, slight difference in seat heights will not be a problem as long it doesn’t interfere with sitting arrangements like awkward height differences.

Can an accent chair be taller than the couch?

Accent chairs can be taller than couches as couches tend to sport a lower back since they are used for laying down. So, if the accent chair is Wingback or Parsons Chair, it will be taller than the couch.

However, the Barrel chair and Slipper chair may be closer in height to traditional couches as the bottom tends to be shorter in those.

Can accent chairs be taller than the sofa?

Accent chairs can be taller than the sofa depending on their style. But the seat height usually stays the same in both in order to make it easier for them to be placed together as a set.

 A prominent height difference would make that difficult and make the placement seem uncoordinated. This will be especially awkward when entertaining guests since everyone will be sitting at different heights.

Should two accent chairs be the same height?

There are no rules set in stone on how you can and cannot decorate your living space but when two accent chairs are placed in the same room, be it facing a fireplace or on either side of a sofa they should be the same in height.

This will help the room look a lot more symmetrical and just bring the whole look together.

However, if you still are considering getting accent chairs of different heights, it would be best to place them separately or in entirely two different areas of the house.

Why are accent chairs so short?

Accent chairs in a room can give it a unique and interesting twist. But they also help add more seating arrangement to the room alongside sofas and couches.

Because of their tall chair backs due to different styles they might give the impression of being taller in height than sofas and couches.

But accent chairs whether it is a Lounge chair, Wingback chair, Tufted chair all have something in common.

Their seat height from the floor is quite short as they are mainly used as chairs for relaxing and lounging whether while reading an interesting thriller or watching a movie with friends.

The short height also helps you stretch your legs out and put your feet up on a foot stool. The shortness of the accent chairs ultimately add to the overall comfort of using one.

Is the accent chair shorter than the couch?

Accent chairs next to couches can do wonders. When accent chairs with similar or contrasting colors are placed on either side of couches, they add more sitting area. It also helps that accent chairs and couches have the same seat height.

So, even though couches may look short next to accent chairs due to the difference in back height, the same seat height more than makes up for it.

So, placing them together doesn’t disrupt the sitting arrangement. Instead, the mix of different styles of furniture tends to make the area look more cozy and welcoming as opposed to having the same and soulless furniture spread out strategically around the room.

Whether you are looking to decorate your living room in a Victorian style, Bohemian style or a more modern style you can find accent chairs to complement that look.

But be mindful of the dimensions to determine how much floor space you have to work with and what placement will work best but most importantly make sure to check the heights of the chairs, sofas and even tables you plan to add to your room are similar in height.