Best Armchairs for Small Living Rooms

The best armchair for a small living room is one that's narrower and shallower than a standard upholstered chair, which is usually around 91 to 102 cm wide and 102 to 112 cm deep. As a rule of thumb, we'd look for a chair under about 90 cm wide and make sure you can still leave a clear walkway of 77 to 91 cm around it. Slim arms, raised legs and an armless or slipper shape all help a chair feel lighter in a compact room.

In this guide, we'll show you how to measure your space, which armchair shapes work best in small rooms, how a small armchair compares with a standard one and where to place it.

Key Takeaways

• Measure the room before you shop, including the floor space for the chair and the walkway around it.

• Leave a clear walkway of 77 to 91 cm so the room still feels easy to move through.

• Slim arms make a big difference, as chunky armrests add width without adding any extra seat.

• Slipper, armless, swivel and compact wingback chairs all suit smaller living rooms.

• Raised legs and a lighter colour help an armchair look smaller and let the room feel more open.

How to Measure Your Space Before Buying an Armchair

The best way to choose an armchair for a small space is to measure first and shop second. We'd start by marking out where the chair will go, then checking that there's room for the chair itself and for people to walk past it comfortably.

These steps make it easy.

1. Pick the spot. Decide where the chair will sit, whether that's a corner, beside the sofa or near a window.

2. Measure the floor space. Measure the width and depth you have available in that spot.

3. Check the walkway. Make sure there's still a clear path past the chair to doors, the sofa and other furniture.

4. Mark it out. Use painter's tape or a sheet of newspaper on the floor to see how much space the chair will take up.

5. Compare with the product page. Check the chair's width, depth and height against your measurements before you buy.

Room Width & Walkway Clearance

Your walkways matter as much as the chair. Interior architects recommend 77 to 91 cm of clear width for the main paths through a living room, and at least 61 cm between other pieces of furniture so people can move around easily.

To check your room, measure the full width of the wall where the chair will go. Then take away the width of the sofa, any side tables and the space you need for walking past. Whatever is left is the width available for your armchair. If that leaves less than about 90 cm, a slipper or armless chair is usually the easiest fit.

Depth & Armrest Width

Depth is the measurement that catches most people out, because a deep chair can push into a walkway even when it fits the wall. Measure from the wall to where you need the walkway to start, and choose a chair that sits comfortably inside that space.

Armrests also change the footprint more than you might expect. Wide, padded arms add width on both sides without giving you any extra room to sit, so a chair with slim arms gives you more seat in the same space. A chair with no arms at all is the most space-saving option.

Best Armchair Shapes & Styles for Small Rooms

Some armchair shapes naturally suit small rooms better than others. We'd look for chairs with a smaller footprint, slim or no arms and legs that lift the chair off the floor, as seeing more floor underneath helps a room feel more open.

Slipper & Armless Chairs

Slipper chairs have no arms and a low, compact seat, which makes them one of the most space-saving choices. Without arms, the whole width of the chair is seat, so you get the most comfort for the least floor space. They're easy to tuck into a corner, beside a bed or at the end of a sofa, and they're simple to move when you need an extra seat.

Swivel Chairs

Swivel chairs turn so you can face the sofa, the TV or a window without moving the chair. That makes them handy in small or open-plan rooms, where one chair might need to work for conversation, reading and watching TV. Leave a little extra space around a swivel chair so it can turn without bumping into walls or other furniture.

Compact Wingback Chairs

A compact wingback gives you the tall, supportive back of a traditional wingback in a smaller frame. It's a good choice if you want a reading chair with head and neck support but don't have room for a large statement piece. Look for slim wings and raised legs to keep the chair looking light.

Small Armchair vs Standard Armchair

A small armchair takes up less floor space and suits compact rooms, while a standard armchair gives you more room to curl up but needs more space around it. We've compared the two below, using typical upholstered chair sizes as a guide for the standard chair.

In short, a small armchair is the better choice when floor space is tight, while a standard armchair makes sense if you have room to spare and want somewhere to properly sink in.

Where to Place an Armchair in a Small Living Room

The best spot for an armchair in a small living room is usually a corner, beside the sofa or near a window, where it adds seating without blocking a walkway. These are the placements we'd try first.

• Tuck it into a corner. Corners are often unused space, and an armchair angled slightly towards the room makes a cosy reading spot.

• Place it beside the sofa. Setting the chair at a slight angle to the sofa makes conversation easy and keeps the layout compact.

• Use a window. A chair by a window gives you a bright spot to read and keeps the middle of the room clear.

• Keep the walkway open. Check that the main paths through the room still have 77 to 91 cm of clear space once the chair is in.

• Add a small side table. A slim side table next to the chair gives you somewhere to put a cuppa without needing a coffee table. You'll find options in our coffee & side tables range.

• Keep it within reach of the coffee table. If you do have a coffee table, keep it 30 to 51 cm from your seating, so it's easy to reach without crowding the chair.

A soft rug under the chair and a cushion or throw from our homewares range will make the corner feel finished without adding any bulk.

Find an Armchair That Fits Your Space

A small living room shouldn't mean giving up a comfy chair. We design our armchairs to sit neatly alongside our sofas, with washable covers on many models and easy, tool-free assembly on chairs like the Suffolk and Bangalow.

• • Our most compact pick is the Suffolk Armchair, which measures 87 cm wide and 93 cm deep, with washable covers and no-tools assembly.

  • The Getaway Armchair has a built-in drawer under the seat, so it gives you storage without taking up extra floor space.

  • The Bangalow Modular Armchair comes in a 1-seater or 1.5-seater, so you can choose the size that suits your room.

  • Browse our full armchair range and check each chair's dimensions against your measurements.

  • Plan the rest of the room with pieces from our living room range.

  • Keep your chair looking fresh with our washable sofa covers.

Every Koala armchair comes with our 120-day trial, so you can see how it fits your space before you decide.