Have a Seat with Solo Power

The one-seater is the maverick of furniture. This loner, part chair and part décor accessory, is highly versatile. Not as clunky as a sofa set, and available in so many styles, the one-seater, when properly placed, can transform your living space.

Insideshows you five ways to introduce the single-seater into your room for maximum effect.

1. Accentuate Your Room

Think of the one-seater as less of chair and more of a very functional accessory. Because it is smaller than a regular sofa, it can be easily slipped into a room to create an interesting accent. Pick one in a bold hue to create an interesting visual contrast.

A good guide on using colours as accents is to pick a shade on the opposite end of the colour spectrum of your room.

Use the one-seater as a conversation piece. Buy one with an interesting design, shape, style or material that stands out from the rest of the room.

2. Enhance Eclectic Eccentricities

Just because the pieces are placed in the same room does not mean they all have to match. Sometimes, mixing and matching adds more dimension to a room’s décor. One of the best ways to have an eclectic mix in any room is to get a few single chairs instead of buying a complete sofa set.

There are, of course, certain rules to mixing and matching to ensure your house does not look like a furniture store. One is colour. Go ahead, pick different types of chairs for your room and throw them together, but make sure to have colours or other elements in common to pull the look together.

If you want to play with myriad colours, then keep to one shape, style or material. You can also play with chairs that have the same motif in finishes or fabric. The key is to have at least one constant as you mix and match.

3. Create Cosy Corners

Use the single-seater to create additional chill-out spaces in the room. A pair of armchairs on the balcony, for example, can turn the area into a perfect spot for quiet contemplation.

A chaise in the corner of a room can become the perfect place to lounge with a good book or a cup of afternoon tea.

A single chair beside a telephone table can turn the place into a cosy corner for conversations.

4. Maximise Space

In tight spaces where a full sofa set cannot fit comfortably, the single-seater can be a real space-saver. Pick more streamline styles for the uncluttered look.

Single seats are also useful if you want to continually reconfigure the space because they are so much easier to move around. Have a couple of beanbags ready for when a number of guests drop by. An ottoman or two is much lighter to shift around than an entire sofa. When you don’t need them anymore, you can stash them away more easily, too.

5. Form and Function

Because the single-seater comes in so many styles, it can serve several functions. A rocking chair, for example, can make a welcomed addition to the nursery for mum to soothe a finicky baby or for grandpa to snooze on at the porch. An armchair doubles up as a great nursing chair because its arms provide just the right support for a mum cradling her child.

Recliners make for a wonderful place for a mid-day nap and a private sanctuary. Chairs that swivel allow for flexibility and an easy change of angles without shifting the entire piece of furniture.

The single-seater is a singularly interesting piece of furniture. Play around with different styles, colours, designs and materials and discover the power of the solo seat for yourself.

Shop with us: