Types of Chairs to Know for Your Home
Sit in style or comfort in every room of the house.
Chairs aren’t just for sitting – they’re for style, too! There are many different types of chairs you can place in every room of the house, but the key to finding the right one is knowing the different styles and features.
In this guide, we are going to look at all the types of chairs you can have in your living room, bedroom, dining room, office, backyard, and more.
Skip to find the perfect chair based on your specific room:
Living Room & Bedroom Chairs
Dining Room Chairs
Office Chairs
Nursery Room Chairs
Leisure Chairs
Living Room & Bedroom Chairs
Placing chairs in your living room and bedroom is a simple way to boost your style while simultaneously giving yourself an extra spot to relax. There are several different types of chairs to place in these rooms, grouped together by their backing design and size. Most living room chairs can also work in your bedroom as accent chairs that highlight your design and give you an extra place to sit.
You can view the entire list of the types of living room and bedroom chairs in our guide Types of Living Room Chairs: Which to Choose and Why They’ll Work For You.
Tip!
If you need help finding the right chair, we’ve created Your Guide to the Best Accent Chairs for you!
Dining Room Chairs
Dining room chairs not only give you a place to sit at the table, but they add style and flair to your room aesthetic! These chairs can accentuate your design with their many colors, upholstery, and intricate features. Some also contain padded seats and backing for additional comfort.
Types of dining chairs include:
- Solid-back
- Wingback
- Ladder-back
- King Louis
- Cross-back
- Slat-back
- Queen Anne
- Wishbone
- Low-back
- High-Back
- Parsons
- Windsor
For a more in-depth look at the various dining room chair styles, check out our Dining Room Chairs guide.
Tip!
Need help finding the right dining chair size? Check out our guide.
Office Chairs
Whether you conduct business in your office or play computer games, you need the right chair. Office and gaming chairs are made with extra padding and posture-conscious backing options to keep you comfortable and supported for the many hours you spend at your desk.
Though similar, office chairs and gaming chairs still have some differences to note when choosing the right chair for your needs. Read our Gaming Chair vs. Office Chair: Which to Choose? guide so you can select the right option!
Tip!
Looking for the perfect chair to help your teen stay focused on their school work? We have a guide for you: Best Desk Chairs for Teens for Focused Home Learning.
Gaming Chair
Whether you have a video game console or play games on the computer, a gaming chair is something to invest in. These chairs are very comfortable for gamers because they provide a high back to support you during the length of your game. You can adjust the lumbar and headrest support to tailor it to your personal comfort level.
Task chairs are simple office chairs that feature upholstery, armrests for support, and an easy-to-move bottom with wheels. These chairs are simple in design and engineered to be lightweight for additional ease when moving around. You can adjust the height of a task chair via the lever on one of the sides below the seat.
Executive office chairs are more luxurious and elaborate looking, thanks to their tall backs and extra padding on the armrests. Because of their more superior padding and style, executive chairs are seen as the “supreme” type of office chair – thus their lofty name!
Conference chairs are simple office chairs that prioritize the functional features of a desk chair, such as wheels on the bottom for easy movement and a lever to adjust the height. Conference chairs feature a supportive high back to accommodate all sizes, but since their backs are static, conference chairs are not meant for you to sit in for extended periods of time.
Side chairs are smaller office chairs without an armrest. While some side chairs feature moveable wheels, like the one above, there are other office side chairs without wheels that prioritize style instead. Side chairs with no wheels have four legs to keep them sturdy on the ground. Many side chairs are covered with colored upholstery for comfort and to tie into your decor.
Drafting chairs are noticeably taller than standard office chairs. That is because these types of chairs are meant to be placed in front of taller desks or at drafting tables. Since they sit up so high, they have a circular metal footrest above the wheels and the height of the seat is adjustable. The sitting area on drafting chairs is a lot smaller than those in standard office chairs.
A banker’s chair is wider and more antique-looking than other office chairs. It is also closer to the ground. These types of office chairs are mostly wooden with a light sheen and have a cushioned bottom for extra comfort. The armrests on banker’s chairs sit up higher, but the chair still has an adjustable-height option.
Nursery Room Chairs
You are going to spend a lot of time in the nursery rocking your little one to sleep, so a nursery room chair is a must! The two main types of chairs for nurseries are gliders and rocking chairs. Both move in a back-and-forth motion, but operate differently from each other.
Glider
Gliders are a form of rocking chairs that still give you a rocking motion, but in a different way. Instead of creating the swing from the legs like rocking chairs do, a glider has a fixed track that is typically hidden under the fabric to give the chair its rocking motion. Gliders are noiseless and provide a smoother swing than rocking chairs – ideal for lulling a little one off to sleep! Gliders can also move from side to side while rocking, and some can even recline! They are padded with cushioning to keep you comfortable while rocking your newborn.
Rocking chairs are types of chairs that get their swinging motion from the curved bottom legs. Like gliders, rocking chairs are padded for comfort, but they have a stronger back-and-forth movement. Rocking chairs can still be used for nurseries to help lull a baby to sleep, but are not as smooth as gliders are in the way they rock.
Outdoor Chairs
There are many types of chairs for your outdoors. Whether you’re wanting to create a backyard escape, pack a vacation necessity, or bring a helpful tool for outdoor sport games, here are the outdoor chair options to know!
Adirondack Chair
Adirondack chairs are simple wooden outdoor chairs that are low to the ground and feature a slanted back for you to lean back against. They sport wide armrests for full support and are very sturdy for outdoor lounging. Traditional Adirondack chairs have a solid wooden look, but modern pieces can be made of plastic and come in a variety of colors to express your personal style.
Tip!
To break Adirondack chairs down even further, check out our Best Adirondack Chairs for Your Yard guide!
Beach Chair
A beach chair is a must-have for your sandy vacation, allowing you to relax by the water and soak in the sun. Beach chairs are short and compact chairs that sit low enough to the ground for you to be able to touch the edge of the water and that are easy to tote around since they can fold up. While the ends of the fold-up beach chairs are sturdy metal, they have fabric seating to keep you comfortable and feature a gap between the back and the seat to let a cooling breeze.
Camping chairs are another type of folding chairs that you can take to outdoor events. They have canvas backing and seating to keep you cool and comfortable as well as armrests that typically have cup holders on both sides for your beverages. The canvas material is waterproof to withstand any weather elements leave these chairs outside. A major plus to these types of chairs is that they are lightweight and can fit in a thin bag with a shoulder strap for easy-carrying.
Lawn chairs, also known as “zero gravity” chairs, are very comfortable to relax in since they recline. Lawn chairs are made with tough textilene mesh to keep you supported as you lay back and lounge in the sun. Using your feet, push out against the bottom foot rest to recline back and enjoy the chair like you would an indoor recliner.
Going to a ball game or outdoor graduation? You can make your seating more comfortable thanks to tailgating chairs. Tailgating chairs are portable seats that hook onto bleachers and provide comfortable padding and backing to sit on instead of the hard metal or concrete of bleachers that can leave your bottom and back aching because of the lack of support.
One of the best-known outdoor chairs is the patio rocking chair. These types of chairs are traditionally made of wood and can be painted to add color and style to your patio. The patio rocking chair works just like a nursery rocking chair by using the curved bottoms to provide a back-and-forth rocking motion as you push against the ground. The seats on patio rocking chairs have a slight curve to keep you molded to the seat and rested against the slanted back.
You’ll love relaxing in an outdoor armchair on your patio or back porch. These types of chairs come with cushioned seats and backing and can have a slightly slanted back for you to lean against instead of sitting straight up. You can find outdoor armchairs as part of a patio conversation set, or individually.
Relax poolside or on your back patio with an armless outdoor chair. Even without the armrests, these chairs are comfortable and provide a lot of sitting room. Outdoor armless chairs have larger and wider seats for extra room as you lounge outside. Though they are not big enough for two people, these types of chairs provide a lot of space for one person to stretch out on.
If you have corners to fill or want different types of chairs in your outdoor area, corner wedge chairs are the way to go. As the name suggests, they can fill the empty spot in your patio’s corner, but you can place corner wedge chairs out in the open for a unique sitting option. Corner wedge chairs provide comfort on two sides since they are shaped like a V. Sit in the middle and you will have cushioning on both sides for a super cozy feel as you enjoy the outdoors.
If you ever want to dine outdoors, make sure you have patio dining chairs in the backyard! Most patio dining chairs are made with natural wicker materials or synthetic polyethylene to help the chairs endure weather elements and to keep them from rusting. Place these chairs at a patio dining table and you can have the ultimate outdoor dining experience!
Just like patio dining, an outdoor bar wouldn’t be complete without a set of patio bar stools. These chairs sit higher than the average chair but are still made out of the same materials so they hold up to weather elements. Patio bar stools are the right height to sit up at an outdoor bar or tall table, completing your space.
Leisure Chairs
Upgrade the different types of chairs in your home with these unique options! Theater chairs, bean bag chairs, and massage chairs can still accommodate your home’s style while adding in some flair (and relaxing) features!
Theater Chair
Theater chairs take watching a movie in your home to the next level. With these chairs, you can bring the cinema to your living room with lush padded seats, a reclining feature, and cup holders for your favorite movie beverages. You can also store necessities like remotes or other small items in the handy storage compartment under the armrests.
Filled with polyester beans, bean bag chairs are covered with fabric and meant to support every user. When you sit on a bean bag chair, the polyester beans will conform to your body, creating a comfortable and supportive hugging sensation. Even though your body pushes down on the polyester beans, there are enough in the bag to keep you from falling on the floor. Bean bag chairs are very unique and eclectic pieces of furniture to have in your home since they’re shaped differently than standard chairs. Plus, since their inner filling and construction is so light and flimsy, you can tuck them away easily in a closet or in the corner of your room.
Relax and unwind at the end of the day with a massage chair in your own home. The best part about having a massage chair is that it can double as a rocking chair or recliner with massage options. Most massage chairs have an additional heating feature that you can turn off and on with the remote that controls the functions of the chair.
