Styling Accent Chairs: Creating Balance and Character in Your Living Room

Outdoor living spaces have evolved beyond simple additions to the home; they are now primary areas for entertainment and relaxation. Whether it is an isolated spot or an entirely outdoors dining space, outdoor furniture would be an integral component of this space. If it is a purchasing decision you have made or will make someday in your life, there are certain things you must know, and an outdoor furniture guide is now here to help you. Start With How You’ll Use the Space Each outdoor space is meant for a different use. There are spaces designated for the use of lounges, and there are spaces for either dinner or the weekend. It is vital to prioritize the functionality of the space alongside the design. You have to measure it to see if there is enough room to walk about. Dining areas require a cohesive table arrangement, while lounging areas benefit from flexible seating that doesn't overcrowd the space. Seating areas require a seating arrangement that is flexible and will not overcrowd the space. Pick Materials That Fit Your Routine The type of material used for outdoor furniture is diverse, and the right material to select depends on the time you are willing to dedicate to maintaining it. Aluminum and powder-coated metal are lightweight, durable, and virtually maintenance-free. Wooden furniture, such as teak, adds warmth and timeless elegance but requires periodic care to maintain its luster. Synthetic wickers are perfect for a relaxed and casual outdoors and are more durable than natural wickers. “The right outdoors furniture manual is always based on this essential concept: Match the material to your climatic conditions and lifestyle.” Comfort Is Not Optional Many people do not spend that much on interior and furniture decorations, but comfort would be the point where functionality begins. Look for ergonomic support—chairs that allow you to sit comfortably for hours without the need for constant adjustment. For example, the chairs you use in dining can allow you to finish a meal without getting up. This goes a long way beyond what most people can expect. Think About Weather and Storage The furniture must withstand exposure to sunlight and rainfall and, in addition, seasonal variations. Water-resistant and UV-protected materials prevent fading and moisture buildup, ensuring your investment lasts for years. The furniture frames are protected by materials that ensure their longevity. When considering full exposure to weather elements, it is convenient to have stackable or lightweight furniture to facilitate storage during change in weather. Keep the Look Connected Outdoor furniture should have a sense of connection to other furniture within your dwelling. A clean line works well in a modern setting. Wood tones and woven textures will offer a more laid-back atmosphere. The trick is to window shop sets of furniture or accessories such as outdoor dining chairs. Quality Over Short-Term Trends Good-quality outdoor furniture is more durable and more enjoyable to use. Durability, reliability, and good design are generally more important than keeping abreast of whatever the current trend happens to be. The best possible buyer’s guide for outdoor furniture always leads the buyer right back to the subject of value. Final Thoughts Buying outdoor furniture depends on finding a good balance between all these factors: either you can have comfort and quality, or you can have good designs, and in all these, you will be left with a natural look that comes with outdoor living by default. This outdoor furniture guide doesn't just help you fill a space—it helps you create a destination you'll never want to leave.

Accent chairs do more than fill an empty spot in your home. They have the ability to showcase your personality, create a focal point through color, texture, and shape, and complete the overall design of the room.  Accent chairs buying guide For those considering accent chairs for their living rooms or looking to purchase an affordable way to help navigate the styles offered, this accent chair buying guide provides everything you need to know. 1. Understanding What an Accent Chair Really Does A chair is an accent chair when it is uniquely designed and stands out in its own space. Depending on the chair, it can complement your lounge chair or be a contrasting color or texture, or it can introduce a new or different element to the room. The majority of homeowners utilize accent chairs in their homes to have multiple layers of interest within the area and create an inviting environment, but can also be used to delineate and create small spaces such as reading nooks or entranceways. 2. Start With the Purpose of the Chair Determine how you plan to use your accent chair before exploring styles or fabrics. This will help keep you focused and narrow down your choices. Daily lounging: If the chair will be used often, comfort should be a priority. Look for chairs with deeper seats and supportive cushions, as well as soft fabrics. Occasional seating: If you'll use the chair only when guests are present, consider more design-forward frames with striking silhouettes. Statement piece: If you want to use the chair to make a statement in a room or complete the visual balance of a space, look for chairs made from bright colors or sculptural shapes, or that are made from unusual or eye-catching materials. Determining the purpose of your accent chair will help guide you in your exploration of the many options available at Grayson Living. 3. Pick a Style That Complements Your Space There are several different kinds of accent chairs to choose from: armchairs (classic and comfortable, perfect for lounging in your living room or working at your desk); wingback chairs (traditional-looking chairs with high sides that offer a nice, warm feeling of enclosure); slipper chairs (small, upholstered, and armless chairs that work well in tight quarters, taking up little vertical space when positioned); barrel chairs (full, rounded chairs with a high back that provide good support, making them ideal for more modern, polished settings); and swivel accent chairs (as the name suggests, these offer the ability to swivel at the waist, allowing you to change direction without needing to turn). 4. Look at the Scale and Proportion A common mistake made when selecting accent chairs for living room is failing to take measurements. While you may like how a particular chair looks on the Internet, once delivered, the proportion of that chair may be too large or too small to suit the size of your area. A few things to measure prior to selecting an accent chair: Seat height - The seat height should fall within the range of the seating heights of the couch or table it will be placed next to. Width and depth - Measure the area surrounding your potential accent chair to make certain there is sufficient space to walk in and around it. Back height - Chairs with taller backs create a strikingly bold look while chairs with lower backs are more laid-back and contemporary in design. By measuring these areas before shopping for an accent chair, you will be able to select a chair that fits comfortably in your home. 5. Choose the Right Upholstery and Materials The way fabric looks and feels can have a huge impact on how we feel in our homes, so choosing the best material for your home is always a matter of what fits best with your lifestyle. Performance Fabrics: Perfect for a family-friendly environment, homes with a lot of foot traffic, or homes with dogs or cats. Leather: Adds a touch of elegance to any decor. It also has an aging effect that most leather products undergo, and cleaning is done easily. Velvet: Velvet has a soft, graceful feel; it is best for creating an upscale look. Textural Fabrics: Textured fabrics give color to a wall or an accessory. They also create a visual point of interest, especially if there are too many smooth surfaces in the area around them. If you want your accent chair to be a focal point in your space, include a bold color, print, or other texture to enhance this purpose! 6. Coordinate With Your Existing Furniture It is not necessary that an accent chair match the color of the sofa you have, but rather that it coordinates and works within the overall decor of your home. Coordinate through using color, material and/or design theme. For example, if you are decorating with modern-design furniture, you may wish to choose an accent chair with a smaller-scale silhouette to use with those furniture pieces. Or you may want to accent your room with a matching or contrasting color/texture when the furniture is done in more traditional or ornate finishes. Also, if your furniture has a larger amount of neutral-colored pieces, using accent chairs to add pops of color can help create visual interest and impact without adding too much excess. 7. Think About Comfort and Practicality Do not sacrifice comfort for style when selecting an accent chair. When deciding on an accent chair you will be using frequently, you want to select a supportive cushion, a quality constructed frame with durable materials used in the frame, upholstered in a skin-friendly, soft fabric or leather, and lastly a well-made piece of furniture that continues to feel good to you after many years of usage and wear and tear on your skin. Final Thoughts The selection of an accent chair is much easier when you consider the purpose of each chair (size/style), the style of the chair, and the material. In this Accent Chairs Guide, you will be able to shop through the large variety of beautifully made accent chairs available at Grayson Living, and find an accent chair that best makes your space feel comfortable, inviting, and balanced! To learn more, check out the entire collection of accent chairs available at Grayson Living.

Most furniture guides treat sofa selection like a checklist: measure the space, pick a color, confirm delivery dates. But anyone who's lived with a poorly chosen sofa for five years knows the real stakes. The wrong one doesn't just look off—it can throw the entire room's gravity into disarray, becomes the uncomfortable seat everyone avoids, or worse, ages badly within eighteen months. Buying a Bernhardt Sofa A proper Bernhardt sofa buying guide acknowledges what's rarely discussed: choosing a living room Bernhardt sofa is less about aesthetics and more about understanding how construction, proportion, and material quality determine whether a piece earns its keep or becomes expensive regret. So, how do you pick the perfect Bernhardt sofa? Here's your detailed guide: Phase I: The Architectural Negotiation (Weight and Scale) Most guides will have you measure your space, but the real design secret lies in understanding visual weight. Bernhardt has a mix of bold, solid designs and lighter, airier ones. Picking the wrong one can totally throw off the balance of your room and make everything feel off. Take a space with high ceilings and tall windows. Put something delicate in there, and it looks lost. The Bernhardt Dawkins leather sofa handles this perfectly—those wide track arms and modern lines give it enough substance to hold the room without trying too hard.  Conversely, in smaller, urban apartments, a heavy frame can feel suffocating. In this case, look for Bernhardt models featuring exposed wood bases or thin, knife-edge arms. These details introduce negative space, making the profile visually lighter. Don’t forget to consider the depth of the frame itself, not just the cushions. That extra six inches in the arms can make all the difference between smooth flow and a cramped bottleneck near the coffee table. Phase II: The Tactile Story: Materials that Reflect Your Lifestyle The true durability of a living room Bernhardt sofa hinges on its upholstery, but lifestyle realism must dictate the final choice. Forget the staged catalogue perfection; what material will best handle the real life of your home? 1. The Patina vs. The Performance:  If your household includes pets or children, that dreamy, light-colored Bernhardt linen blend is a beautiful liability. The smarter investment is in materials designed to age with grace, not deteriorate instantly. Bernhardt’s selection of top-grain aniline leathers—especially those with a slight distressing or natural variation—develops a beautiful patina over time, making spills and scratches character marks rather than defects.  If fabric is non-negotiable (and sometimes it is), performance materials matter. Performance velvet or Crypton-treated boucle gives that soft, textured look without the panic when someone spills red wine. It's practical luxury, not just luxury that looks good until someone actually uses it. 2. Cushion Density:  Bernhardt sofas often allow for customization of cushion fill. This is the difference between a sofa that you sit on and one you sink into. For a firm, tailored sit for reading, request a high-density foam core with minimal wrapping. For that coveted "slouchy luxury," opt for a down-and-feather blend wrap over a foam core. This combination gives you the plush envelope without the total collapse that pure down suffers. When testing a floor model, spend at least five minutes there. Does the seat angle feel right? Does the back hit your lumbar area comfortably? You are testing an ergonomic investment as much as a stylistic one. Phase III: Testing Before Investing Nothing replaces actually sitting on a sofa. Visit Grayson Living and spend genuine time testing—not just a quick perch. Lean back, cross legs, sprawl out. Does the seat depth work for shorter legs or taller frames? Are the arms at a comfortable height? These factors will decide if your beautiful sofa becomes a cherished part of your daily life or just an expensive mistake. Phase IV: Making the Selection Work for Your Room Color choices trip people up constantly. That bold emerald velvet living room Bernhardt sofa looks incredible right now—but in five years? Neutral tones in quality fabrics last longer and work through style changes. Though personality shouldn't disappear completely. Texture adds interest without the commitment of color. The Bernhardt Candace Sofa's nailhead trim detail elevates a neutral fabric from plain to polished. Leg style affects both look and function. Exposed wooden legs make a sofa look lighter and—practical bonus—make vacuuming underneath actually possible. Skirted styles conceal storage space beneath but gather dust and pet hair. The Bernhardt Noel Sofa is a great choice as it features tapered legs that suit both traditional and contemporary spaces—versatility that proves invaluable during future redecorating. Conclusion The perfect living room Bernhardt sofa isn't the one that looks best in a catalog. It's always the one that survives the life it's going to live. Leather for pet owners. Featherblend for those who love sinking in (and don't mind fluffing). Track arms for tight spaces. Formal silhouettes for rooms that stay pristine.Measure, yes. But also imagine: Who sits here? What happens here? Will this sofa wear gracefully or fight daily life? That's the real guide—not the specs, but the story it'll tell a decade from now.