Tips on Buying a Lounge Chair

A Lounge Chair also known as a chaise longue is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs. In modern French the term chaise longue can refer to any long reclining chair such as a deckchair. A literal translation in English is long chair.

Lounge chairs have been around for thousands of years, although for much of that time, they were playthings of the wealthy.  You can find depictions of chairs that could accurately be described as Chaise Lounges in Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs and in Roman murals, depicting wealthy aristocrats lounging and enjoying life.

The Lounge Chair as the term is understood today can trace its origins back to 1928, and was invented by Marcel Breuer, of Hungary.  His original design was crafted from tubular steel, plated in chrome, and upholstered with leather.

The Lounge chair has many meanings over the years as they specifically do not recline. As they are built in a permanently reclined position that cannot be adjusted by the user, which is the key feature that differentiates them from recliners. This definition, however, has become muddied over time, especially in the United States, with the famous Eames Lounge Chair in 1956. The Eames Lounge Chair has arms and the user can control the rate of recline. 

To confuse people even more, the Recliner and Lounge Chair have come to be increasingly interchangeable.

A Lounge Chair is more than just a piece of furniture. Lounge chairs are where we retreat to at the end of a long day, curl up with our favourite book or take a nap on a Sunday afternoon. They’re spaces we feel drawn to and claim as our own. Which is why when it comes to choosing one for your homes, it’s important to get it right. Lounge chairs come in all different shapes and sizes so you’ll be able to find one that fits your home perfectly in our collection. Lounge chairs are used for lounging and leisure.  They’re not designed for work or productivity, but rather for relaxation. Sometimes, they are found in business environments and these days are most often found in modern homes.

Depending on the style of your interior or how you prefer to relax, some types of lounge chair may be more suitable for you than others. Before you start shopping, it’s a good idea to think carefully about how and where it will be used and what you’d like from your new showpiece furniture.

Different Types of Lounge Chairs

The lounge chair has morphed and changed over time, so that today, if we abided by the strictest definition of the term, some chairs that self-identify as loungers (like the Eames Lounge Chair) would not meet the strictest definition of the term. 

Reclining Lounge Chair

If your new lounge chair is destined to be the main seat in your living room, you’ll want to choose a design that’s flexible and offers a supreme level of comfort. This is where our luxury recliners and lounge chairs with matching ottomans come in. You’ll be able to stretch out, put your feet up and generally make yourself at home in their generously proportioned frames.

Rocking Lounge Chair
If you’re comforted by a little movement when lounging, then one of our rocking chairs is the answer.

Traditional Classic Lounge Chair

​Armless chairs in a permanently reclined position, with an ottoman, that meet the strictest definition of the term.

Chaise Lounges

Translated literally, this means “Long Chair” and is best described as a lounge chair that’s long enough to stretch out completely without having to use an ottoman.

Arm Chairs 

​Armchairs are simple, padded chairs with two arms.  You can certainly still find them, but they’ve long been eclipsed by recliners, which are more versatile and in general, more comfortable.

The Eames Lounge Chair

While Breuer’s design was wildly popular in Europe, the Lounge Chair wasn’t popularised in the United States until 1953 when Charles and Ray Eames designed the famous Eames Lounger for the Herman Miller Furniture Company.  These chairs were originally made from plywood, with an aluminum base and were upholstered with leather.