5 luxury armchair designs with the wow factor

You'll know that earlier in the year we set out on the quest for new sofas, prompted by being faced with sitting in our uncomfortable 'spare' sofa while the conservatory work took place.  The new sofas arrived as planned, they came through the door (which is always a worry) and look great.  They also brought with them plenty of cardboard, which at the time I planned to put to good use over at the allotment, trying out the 'no dig' approach to gardening, however that didn't quite work out and the cardboard I can't use in the garden will now be destined for our recycling bin.  But that's another story, and I'll be sharing more here soon, I'm sure.

Our search was focussed on sofas, but even so at times we were distracted by some gorgeous armchairs, because, well because, when shopping I'm like a magpie drawn to the pretty things.  There's something luxurious and special about a good armchair, I think, and if you’re looking to make a change this year in your interiors, but are happy with the overall look of your decor so can’t bring yourself to redecorate, then a luxury armchair is a good way to brighten up your space and give it a new lease of life. Whether you opt for an out-there statement piece, or a pair for double the impact, here are five top luxury armchair choices that all have the wow factor and will bring a sense of drama and vibrancy to your living room. 

The classic chesterfield is a timeless design that never goes out of style. Upholstered in a bright velvet it can look exceptionally modern, while a cracked leather will make the chair look more traditional. This bold velvet version by Arlo & Jacob is striking and will certainly make an impact in its setting – either paired with a similar colour palette, as shown here – or as a standout piece against a more neutral backdrop.

Or perhaps a luxury metal-framed chair is the ultimate in glamorous interior furniture. This stunning version from Liang and Eimil combines a striking geometric gold frame, with a pulled velvet cover, showing off two luxurious materials in one stunning chair. A pair of these chairs next to one another in a bay window or either side of a fireplace will score you some serious interior envy. Highlight the frame colour in your other accessories, like lamps and picture frames, and the effect will look chic and put-together. 

If you're looking for something more traditional, a Rococo style French-inspired armchair will have your regal rear feeling like it’s sat upon a throne in no time. Placed in a room with a strong patterned wallpaper and drapes, this overtly ornamental piece will take centre stage and provide the perfect perch for your derriere. This rococo-style armchair is the perfect example. 

Or perhaps you're thinking something bigger is better, and this high backed chair from Tom Dixon is no exception and likely to give you a hug every time you use it. An updated version of a classic, the curved edges and dramatic height take this traditional-inspired piece from drab to fab. What’s more, this electric blue (also available in striking black) has the ultimate wow factor for a spectacular interiors update. 

Finally, if you’re looking for something with less height but equal levels of wow-factor, then this scallop-shaped armchair could be the one. The dramatic shape is provided by the petal-like fluting to the back of the chair, giving a nod to art-deco styling. This beautiful chair from Audenza will bring a touch of glamour to your interiors and deserves to be placed next to a fully stocked liquor cabinet, but would work equally well in your bedroom. 

So, five armchairs, all different styles, all with their own wow factor. Which would you choose?

* This is a collaborative post.

Rich in colour and pattern

Today I'm sharing a room set from this year's Grand Designs Live and I expect it to be a bit marmite.  Everywhere you look there's colour and pattern, and colour and pattern on top of that.  It is an assault on your senses, and while I don't think I could live with all of it, I do admire it. 

I think I like the patterns individually, but it's rare that many of us would put so many bold colour-ways and patterns together.  But I think, along with the accessories, it gives the room a vintage feel.  One of the things I'm struck by is the flooring, with the geometric black and white pattern overlaid with carpet which has an almost chinoiserie-like feel to it, and somehow it works.

The wall art also contributes to the eclectic feel, with its butterflies forming a wreath complementing the big cat on the wallpaper.  I didn't spot that to start with either.

In fact the table lamps are probably the most staid item in the room, or the shades anyway.  The lamp bases with the glass (crystal?) blobs bounce the colour and pattern around the room, and the jade green oyster chairs bring yet another burst of solid colour.

I think the chairs needed to be a plain colour, or it would be a pattern too much.  But how many is too many?  I think the boundaries may just have been pushed with this room.  The bed too is reflective of the room, and full of colour, with even more pops of colour added above the headboard.  It goes against what we expect for a restful bedroom doesn't it?

Even so though, it's a room that's been cleverly put together, and one that while I admire I fully recognise some might need sunglasses to enter, what do you think?

Living with a spiral staircase

One of the main and most obvious features that you see as you walk into our house is our spiral staircase.  It certainly has the wow factor, and now I wouldn’t have it any other way, but to start with I wasn’t so sure.  In fact I wasn’t even sure about viewing the house as I didn’t think I was keen on spiral staircases.

That went back to growing up and being afraid of falling through “slatty stairs” as I called them.  I remember the Whitgift Centre (a 1970s shopping centre in Croydon where I grew up) had these and I’d edge up them cautiously to get to the upper level.  Pretty crazy, huh? Especially as there was no way I’d ever fall through that gap as a teenager.

But anyway, back to viewing our house.  MOH couldn’t understand why I wasn’t keen to see it as otherwise it sounded perfect, and so he said he’d view it on his own. Err, hang on, I don’t think so were pretty much my exact thoughts.  I wasn’t sure that this was a decision that could be made without me being present, and so off we went, together.

It was just as well I went, as even on that first visit we were mentally placing our furniture in the house.  And you know what, somehow it didn’t matter about the stairs at all.  Now some fifteen years later we’re very much used to them and forget that others see them as something more unusual.

But are they unusual?  I don’t think so, maybe I’m just in tune with spiral staircases whether they’re wood and steel like ours or the classic steel spiral stairs that you most probably thought of when I mentioned a spiral staircase.

If like me you’re a fan of the many home shows on TV, such as Grand Designs, Building the Dream and The Restoration Man and many more you’ll know that staircases no longer need to be purely functional.  There’s plenty of options to buy beautiful and stylish stairs online in the UK of all designs, and no doubt you’ll be spoilt for choice.

I’d never have guessed how much our spiral stairs would feature in and embody life in this house, but they have, in ways I’m not sure either of us would have predicted.

They were decorated with flowers, which matched my bouquet and table flowers, for our wedding back in 2007, and last year were very much a part of the paper cut that told the “story of us” to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary last year.

WEDDING DECORATIONS

THE STORY OF US

So ultimately there’s a life lesson here, don’t rule things out because of an irrational fear or because you’ve no experience of them.  Give things a try, and like me, you could be pleasantly surprised.

* This is a collaborative post but all views are my own.