Best Reading Chairs 2023

If you love to read at home, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea. Perhaps you might even create a dedicated reading nook in your home, and outfit it with one of the best reading chairs on the market. For bookworms, these handsome, comfy chairs are essential pieces of furniture worth serious consideration. For 2023, our top pick overall is this plush velvet Albany Park Park Armchair, which excels in both style and coziness. We’ve rounded up other options that consider important details like style preference and comfortability, too.

The best reading chairs allow you to kick back, relax and get some great reading done—without ... [+] sacrificing comfortability or style. Outdoor Crowd Control Stanchions

Best Reading Chairs 2023 - Forbes Vetted

Like our favorite office chairs on the market, each of these reading chairs encourage instant relaxation while also looking aesthetically pleasing in your home. To help make your shopping experience as smooth as possible, we’ve also detailed exactly what you should look for while shopping for these chairs (scroll to our buying guide at the end of the article).

Dimensions: 45 x 35 x 35 inches | Upholstery material: Polyester fiber, velvet or vegan leather | Frame material: Kiln-dried hardwood | Color options: Blue, grey, olive, rust and more

Featuring a timeless silhouette that will fit in most homes and enough room to really lounge, it’s no surprise that the Park Armchair is so popular. It comes in plenty of different colors and materials, too, so you can pick the look that works best for you, whether you’re partial to a rich hue in a plush velvet or a neutral tone in a stately vegan leather (you can also opt for gold or black legs). To make matters even more wonderful, no tools are required for assembly, and there’s a 30-day home trial.

Dimensions: 29 x 30 x 39 inches | Upholstery material: Linen | Color options: Grey, beige, brown, light blue and red

This affordable option has thousands of positive ratings and reviews—and with its high back and fairly wide seat, it’s also perfectly conducive to relaxing and reading. The recliner seat allows you to lay back, and there’s an adjustable footrest and padded armrests, too. Thick cushions and durable upholstery add to the appeal; meanwhile, those rubber feet add some protection for wood floors. It’s a great size, too: Reviewers say it’s “not too big and not too small.”

Dimensions: 33 x 35 x 38 inches | Upholstery material: Leather | Color options: Vintage caramel, signature maple and 30+ others

This classic chair is versatile enough to work in nearly any home, and it’s a great size for smaller spaces. With a total of 40 different color choices, you’re all but guaranteed to find a hue that blends with the rest of your home. A plethora of comfortable features (a reclining back and an adjustable footrest among them) make it worth checking out. And that leather will soften over time as well, though it does require some maintenance: If left in the sun, it might discolor, and you’ll also need to be careful about which cleaners or polishes you’re using on the chair. Most cleaning will have to be done by a leather specialist.

Dimensions: 35.5 x 33.5 x 39 inches | Upholstery material: Velvet | Frame material: Metal | Color options: Green, cream, navy, cognac and more

This upscale, retro-inspired chair is certainly chic, but it doesn’t feel “over the top.” Made of plush velvet, it sits on stylish gold legs and comes in a variety of jewel tones. It’s a showpiece for sure, but the foam-filled cushions are comfortable enough to sit in for hours—and removable, reversible seat covers make it easy to clean.

Dimensions: 44.9 x 46.1 x 37.4 inches | Upholstery material: Polyester, nylon | Frame material: Hardwood | Color options: Pearl, chocolate, cognac leather, fawn and more.

If you’re looking for extra room, then an over-stuffed armchair is the way to go. At 46 inches wide, this one is considerably larger than many other options—and all of that space adds a whole other level of comfort. Its down-filled pillows are a big plus, and moisture-repellant, stain-resistant fabric makes this a low-maintenance pick, too. With seven different neutral shades to choose from, you’ll be able to select a hue that works perfectly in your home.

Dimensions: 28 x 34 x 36 inches | Upholstery material: Linen, velvet, chenille, twill and more | Frame material: Pine and hardwood | Color options: Tarragon, petrol, dove, storm gray and many others

More compact than many other options out there, this West Elm chair is ideal for small spaces. It looks chic and stylish, but it’s comfy and doesn’t take up a lot of room. Plus, design lovers will appreciate that it balances classic and modern styles. There are also nearly 100 different mixes of colors and fabrics to choose from, including plush velvet and soft linen.

Dimensions: 34 x 35 x 33 inches | Upholstery material: Olefin | Frame material: Baltic birch | Color options: Ivory, brick red, crushed gravel, navy blue or charcoal

When it comes to reading chairs that don’t recline, adding an ottoman is a great idea. This classic chair includes one, and you’ll be able to customize the fabric color, leg finish and arm style to really make the piece your own. The back cushion is also reversible: If you flip it to one side, it’s smooth; the other is tufted. The chair comes with a built-in USB charger and power cord.

Dimensions: 39 x 38 x 42.5 inches | Upholstery material: Chenille and more | Frame material: N/A | Color options: Burgundy, sterling, java, denim and many more

If you’re looking for a high-quality recliner you’ll use for years, consider a La-Z-Boy like this one. The Jay Wall Recliner is one of the brand’s bestsellers thanks to its flared arms, chaise seat and adjustable footrest. Comfortable and casual, it doesn’t take up as much space as you might think it would, but still feels very roomy. Choose from dozens of different colors and fabrics, and don’t worry about messing up the shape of the foam cushions—they’re meant to retain their shape, no matter how long you sit on them.

Dimensions: 37 x 37 x 30 inches | Upholstery material: Yarn-dyed | Frame material: Mahogany and eucalyptus wood | Color options: Weathered grey, driftwood

This coastal-cool outdoor lounge chair is the ideal size for curling up with a good book in good weather (if you live in a warmer climate, prepare for year-round reading bliss). Its yarn-dyed cushions are weather-resistant and have a luxurious look and feel, while the wood frame is moisture-resistant and sturdy. A built-in ledge holds drinks and other small items, and a matching ottoman is available.

The Forbes Vetted editors, like all consumers, seek furniture that is comfortable, holds up to regular wear and tear and helps make daily life a little bit easier and a little more stylish. To find the best reading chairs, we took our own comfort, style preferences and living spaces into consideration. When we evaluate products like best reading chairs, we look at all the facets that make these furniture pieces ideal for adding into our spaces.

We refresh this story regularly and it was last updated September 2023.

Start by considering the size of the space in which the chair will reside. A reading chair shouldn’t be significantly larger than every other piece of furniture in the room, after all, so you’ll want to measure the space carefully and play close attention to the dimensions of the chairs you’re considering. There are oversized chairs available for those with more space and more compact chairs, too, which are better suited to smaller spaces. And consider the size of the back of the chair, too: A tall back offers more room to recline, but it does add some bulk. Tip: before you shop, measure the space where your chair will be placed.

Comfort is key when it comes to finding a chair that’s ideal for reading. Look for a reading chair made of something soft and plush, like an under-stuffed velvet, a washed linen or a versatile polyester. If you want a more classic and timeless look, opt for leather (just be aware that it’s a little harder to maintain) or vegan leather. Stain-resistant materials are a big plus, especially if you expect to eat or drink in the chair.

There are so many different styles of reading chairs to choose from: recliners, accent chairs, swivel chairs and so many others. Decide which fits best with your preferred décor style, then check out all of the options within that category. If comfort is most important to you, consider a recliner, which gives you more of a customized sitting experience. If, on the other hand, you really want the chair to double as a statement piece, try a sturdier accent chair.

In addition to articles about how to find the best chairs for reading, we have also written, researched and in some cases, tested a slew of other furniture related content. Here are others to consider.

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I’m a London-based freelance journalist who specializes in all aspects of technology including reviews, investigations, comment and news. My Audible original podcast 'The Squid Scam' came out in January 2023. I have also written for The Guardian, TechRadar, The Evening Standard, New Scientist and others. I'm a recovering founder of the investigative journalism focused YouTube channel, Point. (Pronounced: jan-eye).

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