There are so many things that can make a room. Personally, I’m a lover of chairs, as there is an endless amount of options!
Wooden or upholstered. Sofa, loveseat or settee. Chaise or Chesterfield. King Louis to Queen Anne. Lawson, Begere or English. Windsor, Victorian or Parsons. Accent, club or lounge. Wind to wing. Ladder or channel. Slipper to swivel. Rocking or rolling. Bench to ottoman.
Um, can I just have all of the above!? You see, the furniture on which you sit and the coziness of that particular seat often define the comfort and mood of the entire room. Here are five types of sweet seats in BLB that can add character, as well as comfort, to any home.
Sectional
The day before I moved to San Antonio, I picked out and bought a sectional sofa from Macy’s. Honestly, before this purchase, I never thought of furniture when I thought about Macy’s...only clothing, shoes and cosmetics. But the Macy’s at Perimeter Mall in Atlanta had a HUGE furniture store, which is where I found my beloved sectional - beautiful and on sale. The piece has a grey microfiber fabric and sits low, giving it the modern look I was searching for. Sectionals offer ample seating and can add shape and division to an open-concept living space. When selecting a new sofa for my old apartment, I wanted to find something sleek, functional, and easy to clean for spills and dog hair. I find myself on the chaise portion of the sectional most of the time, especially binge-watching my favorite ‘90s episodes of Law & Order under a blanket (dun-dun!). This two-piece Radley sectional sofa was also available in a chrome tan color and additional pieces can be added to accommodate any size family or living space. Doesn’t Ralph look comfortable?
Bench
I have three benches in my home. Each of them stands on four legs, but have their own distinct characteristics.
The first is a black and white houndstooth bench I spotted in HomeGoods at The Rim in San Antonio last fall. I used it as a coffee table in my old apartment topped with a mirrored tray of magazines and glass vase of fresh-cut sunflowers. Since I don’t have a foyer or mudroom in BLB, I’m now using the bench in my entryway. It comes in handy when taking a seat to remove my running shoes after a jog or walking Ralph through the neighborhood.
The second bench is from one of my favorite furniture stores, West Elm. I was drooling over their Emmerson collection for months and this is probably one of the more expensive furniture pieces in my entire house (promo codes and all!). Like the dining room table, the bench is made from reclaimed pine, showing knots, scratches and natural imperfections from its previous life. Its rugged and rustic nature adds some uniqueness to the space filled with greys and golds, and its country, farmhouse feel reminds me of my rural hometown in South Carolina. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to invest in these amazing wood pieces.
The last bench purchased for BLB sits at the foot of the bed in my guest room. For $129, I found this upholstered, distressed wood bench with a few siblings of other colors in Marshalls. I posted the find on my Instagram account once toted to my Acura and the national retailer promptly retweeted my stellar find (sooooo exciting!). Similar versions of this bench can be found in World Market priced from $199 to $279. It’s available in several colors, just search for their “Paige Dining Bench” online. Overstock and Wayfair have them too for a bit cheaper!
I love upholstered benches because they can be used in any room for several purposes, and still offer just the right amount of style.
Tabouret
In addition to the bench in my dining room, four gunmetal Tabouret chairs surround my reclaimed wooden table in the country-chic space. These industrial, modern chairs can add character to any room with their one-of-a-kind shape and galvanized finish. Tabouret chairs can range in price depending on the quality, material and weight, but they are quite popular in cafes, restaurants and homes alike. The chairs are also stackable and easy to store, so should I decide to invest in upholstered chairs for the dining table in the future, these lightweight seats can easily be tucked away in storage and pulled out for additional seating for summer barbeques or girlfriend gatherings. I’ll admit, I initially wasn’t crazy about the lowness of these seats after assembling them in my old apartment, but they are actually the perfect height for the table (dimensions don’t lie!). Available in silver, copper, red and black, these too can be yours for only $89 per PAIR at Target!
Parsons
Parsons chairs are generally upholstered, armless and used as dining chairs. Fun Fact: These chairs are named for its place of invention, the Parsons School of Design in Paris, France founded by Frank Alvah Parsons. The tall backs and straight lines of Parsons chairs can add a classic and elegant look to any dining room, but the ones in BLB actually sit in three alternative spaces.
The first Parsons chair is in my office. It is adorned with an ivory patterned fabric and nailhead trim adding some softness and feminine flair to the oddly square-shaped room.
I also have a grey nailhead trim Parsons chair with a slightly different shaped back in my laundry room. It was previously placed in my old townhome’s guest room, but this is its home for now.
The last Parsons in the house are a group of three counter-height stools, standing tall on distressed wooden legs and upholstered in an ivory fabric similar to the cushion on my dining room’s reclaimed wood bench. They are also adorned in nailheads (see a trend here?) and sit around my kitchen island offering comfortable seating for early morning breakfasts and blog writing.
All of my Parsons chairs were purchased from TJX Companies stores for less than $150 each.
Accent and Arm
Last but not least, I absolutely adore accent and arm chairs! They are my favorite seats in BLB. I currently have two arm chairs sitting in my home.
The first chair I purchased was featured on my last blog post, “Inspiration from a Shoe Box,” along with two gorgeous ottomans from Joss & Main. This bold fuchsia Nina chair is crafted of mixed hardwood with poly-velvet blend upholstery, finished with turned, solid wood front legs and brass casters for easy mobility. The button-tufted chair offers a bright pop of color as well as a comfy seat in my master suite. It’s positioned in the corner for quiet prayer and daily reading. This is random, but right now I’ve got my nose in “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. Such an awesome book, you should pick it up!
The second arm chair is in the corner of my guest room. I thought, why not offer the same type of seat for rest and reading for my visitors? The moment I spotted this beautiful grey and silver patterned arm chair in Marshalls, I fell completely in love! (I was actually in disbelief that it was sitting in Marshalls in the first place.) The trellis-print, velvety upholstery and trendy nailhead trim allow the neutral chair to blend easily into any room. It’s also a lot more comfortable than the chair in my master and sits a bit higher (a definite plus for my long legs). I snagged the arm chair for $249, but I've seen it on Joss & Main since then for about $400, available in soft ivory and dove grey.
No surprise to me, this blog ended up being a little longer than I expected, LOL! (I'm still working on my longwinded-ness, if that’s even a word.) I ended up cutting this blog into multiple parts, so look out for Have a Seat Pt. 2 and 3 in the future as I continue sharing chairs from client projects and additional retailers that I love.
For more sweet seats, check out my Pinterest board, “Have a Seat” at www.pinterest.com/BLBungalow.
Be comfy. Be blessed.
ACG
Design Deets:
Radley Sectional - Macy’s
Houndstooth Bench - HomeGoods
Reclaimed Bench - West Elm
Tufted Bench - Marshalls, World Market
Carlisle Tabouret Chair - Target
Parsons Chairs - HomeGoods, Marshalls, T J Maxx
Fuchsia Nina Chair - World Market
Cassidy Arm Chair - Marshalls, Joss & Main
Professional Photos - Rebecca Crocker Photography
