Introduction Walk into most UK furniture stores and the armchair section tells you something straight away: there are far more shapes, sizes and fabrics than you’d expect, and hardly any of them look the same once they’re in your own room. A chair that seemed compact on a showroom floor can swamp a corner. One that looked plain online can turn out to be the comfiest seat in the house. This guide is here to sort that out. We’ll cover how to size and test an armchair properly, when a small leather armchair makes sense, how to pick a small armchair for bedroom corners, and what separates genuinely comfortable armchairs UK households keep for years from the ones that sag within a season. You’ll find tables, quick checks and practical tips throughout. QUICK ANSWER: Before buying from any of the UK furniture stores on your shortlist, check five things: the exact measurements (including your doorways), seat height and depth, frame and filling quality, an upholstery that suits your household, and the delivery and returns terms. What to Check at UK Furniture Stores Before You Buy Armchairs are easy to get wrong because they’re bought partly on looks and partly on feel, and the feel is hard to judge in two minutes. A few simple checks take most of the guesswork out. Measure the space, then the route in Start with the footprint. Mark the chair’s width and depth on the floor with masking tape or folded newspaper, then leave roughly 60 cm in front for legs and walking past. It’s a low-tech trick, but it shows you instantly whether a chair crowds the room. Then measure the way in: front door, hallway, stair turns and the door of the room itself. Most armchairs go through standard doorways without trouble, but wider and deeper models, and recliners in particular, can be a tight squeeze in older houses and flats. Test the seat, not just the look If you can visit a showroom, sit for a good ten minutes rather than a polite thirty seconds. As a rough guide: Ask about the frame, filling and safety labels This is where good chairs and merely good-looking ones part ways. Ask what the frame is made from (solid or engineered hardwood is a good sign), whether the timber is kiln-dried, and what the seat cushions are filled with. Higher-density foam and fibre-wrapped cushions tend to hold their shape for longer. Also look for the permanent fire safety label. Upholstered furniture sold in the UK must meet the fire resistance requirements set out in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, and a reputable retailer will be happy to point you to it. Read the delivery and returns terms Lead times differ a lot from one model to the next, from about a week for some chairs to several weeks for made-to-order pieces, so check the estimate on each product page. For online orders, UK consumer rules generally give you 14 days after delivery to cancel, but retailers’ own return policies vary on condition and collection costs. Read them before you pay, not after. FROM THE FURNITURE ISLAND TEAMNot sure how an armchair will feel in your room? Come and sit in a few at our showroom at 801 High Road, Leytonstone, E11 4QS, or call us on 0330 133 1320 (9am to 6pm) and we’ll talk through your options. Small Leather Armchair: Is It Right for Your Home? A small leather armchair earns its place in hallways, studies, snug reading corners and flats where a larger chair would dominate. Leather wipes clean, wears in rather than out, and looks better with age when it’s looked after. It isn’t right for every household, though, so here’s a fair comparison. What works well What to think about Wipes clean easily after spills and pet hair Can feel cool to sit on in winter until it warms up Ages well and develops character with use Needs an occasional condition to avoid drying out Suits traditional and contemporary rooms alike Can mark if scratched by claws or sharp objects Compact versions give a polished look in small rooms Costs more than most fabric chairs of the same size Colour matters more in a small room than people expect. Tan and brown tones add warmth, black reads sharp and modern, and lighter shades keep a tight space feeling open. If you’d like to compare finishes, our leather sofa and chair range is a useful place to see what’s available. How to look after leather EXPERT TIPCheck the wording on the label. “Leather”, “bonded leather” and “faux leather” are different materials with different lifespans and prices. If a listing is vague, ask the retailer exactly what the upholstery is made from. Choosing a Small Armchair for Bedroom Spaces A bedroom chair usually has a modest job: somewhere to read, put on shoes or drape a jumper. That makes a small armchair for bedroom corners one of the more forgiving purchases, as long as it doesn’t eat into walking space around the bed. For a soft, compact option, the Fuji plush grey armchair is listed at 85 cm wide, which suits most bedroom corners. An armchair for small spaces: what to look for The same thinking applies to studios, box rooms and narrow living areas. When you’re hunting for an armchair for small spaces, raised legs help because you can see the floor underneath, which makes a room feel larger. Narrow arms save a few centimetres, and lighter colours reflect more light. The Aurora grey armchair, listed at 88 cm, is a good example of a compact design that still gives you a proper seat. Browsing our full armchair collection lets you filter and compare sizes side by side before you decide. What Makes Comfortable Armchairs UK Homes Rely On? Comfort is personal, but a few measurable features tend to separate chairs that stay comfortable from those that don’t. Feature What to look for Why it matters Seat height About 42 to 48 cm Makes sitting down and standing up easy on knees and hips Seat depth Enough to sit back with a small gap behind knees Supports thighs without cutting off circulation Back support Gentle lumbar curve or well-filled back cushions Reduces slouching during long sits Filling High-resilience foam, often wrapped in fibre Holds its shape and resists flattening Arm height Level with your elbows when seated Lets shoulders relax Best armchair for watching TV If your priority is the best armchair for watching TV, look at recliners first. A footrest and adjustable back let you settle into a comfortable angle for a long film, and a supportive headrest saves your neck. Make sure there’s enough clearance behind and in front of the chair for it to recline, and that the seat height still lets you stand up without a struggle. You can compare options in our recliner armchairs. Choosing a living room armchair A living room armchair has to work with your sofa, not against it. Matching exactly can look flat, so many people pick a complementary tone or texture instead, such as a textured fabric beside a smooth sofa. If your room leans contemporary, a modern armchair with clean lines, slim legs and a neutral colour is easy to place and easy to live with. A bolder shade works well as a single accent, particularly in a room that’s otherwise neutral. Comparing Armchair Types at a Glance People often search for the best armchair UK stores sell, but the honest answer is that it depends on the room and the person sitting in it. This table should help you narrow things down quickly. The widths are typical ranges only, so always check the exact dimensions on the product page. Type Best for Typical width Watch out for Compact fabric armchair Bedrooms, studios, reading corners Roughly 70 to 90 cm Seat depth if you’re tall Small leather armchair Hallways, studies, snugs Roughly 75 to 90 cm Needs occasional conditioning Standard living room armchair Main seating areas Roughly 85 to 100 cm Can overpower a small room Recliner armchair TV viewing and long sits Roughly 85 to 105 cm Needs space to recline Traditional or Chesterfield-style Statement pieces, classic rooms Roughly 90 to 100 cm or more Heavy and deep, so measure doors Fabric, Leather or Velvet? Five Expert Tips for Buying an Armchair EXPERT TIP1. Sit in the chair wearing what you’d normally wear at home, and stay seated for ten minutes.2. Photograph your room before you shop, so you can judge proportion rather than rely on memory.3. Ask for the exact dimensions, and compare them with your tape-marked floor space.4. Choose the upholstery for your household first (pets, children, sunlight) and the colour second.5. Look at the warranty and care guidance as closely as the price tag. Why Shop With a Furniture Specialist Specialist retailers tend to know their ranges in detail: how the frames are built, which fabrics suit busy homes and how long delivery will really take. At Furniture Island you can browse online with delivery across the UK, or visit the Leytonstone showroom to test the chairs yourself. Many pieces also offer monthly instalment options, so check the terms on the product page if spreading the cost would help. FROM THE FURNITURE ISLAND TEAMReady to start? Browse our full armchair collection online, or drop us a line at
[email protected] and we’ll help you shortlist the right chair for your room. Frequently Asked Questions What should I look for in UK furniture stores when buying an armchair? Check the exact dimensions, seat height and depth, the frame and filling quality, the upholstery material and the delivery and returns terms. Sitting in the chair for several minutes, if you can visit a showroom, tells you more than any product photo. Is a small leather armchair hard to look after? Not really. Dust it weekly, wipe spills quickly with a soft damp cloth, keep it away from radiators and strong sunlight, and condition it once or twice a year. Following the manufacturer’s care guide matters more than any single product. What size armchair is best for a bedroom? Most bedrooms suit an armchair roughly 70 to 90 cm wide, as long as you keep about 60 cm of clear walking space around it. Measure from the bed and wardrobe doors, not just the wall. What is a good armchair for watching TV for hours? A recliner with a supportive headrest, a footrest and a seat height you can get out of easily is usually the most comfortable option. Leave enough room behind and in front for it to recline fully. Are modern armchairs less comfortable than traditional ones? No. Comfort depends on the seat height, depth, filling and back support, not the style. Some slimmer designs have firmer seats, so test one first if you prefer a deeper, softer feel. How do I know an armchair will fit through my door? Measure the narrowest points on the route, including doorways, hallway corners and stair turns, then compare them with the chair’s width, depth and height. If it’s close, ask the retailer whether the legs or back come off. Conclusion Choosing from the many UK furniture stores out there is easier once you know what to measure and what to test. Start with your space and the route into the room. Pick the seat height and depth that suit you, look closely at the frame and filling, and choose upholstery that fits how you actually live. Whether that ends up being a small leather armchair by the study window, a compact bedroom chair or a recliner for film nights, the right one should feel comfortable on day one and still feel that way years later. FROM THE FURNITURE ISLAND TEAMHave a question before you buy? Call 0330 133 1320 or visit us at 801 High Road, Leytonstone, E11 4QS. We’d be glad to help you find the right armchair.
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