There’s a wide variety of chair types out there, from the armchair and wingback chair to the egg chair and tulip chair. A favorite for modernist enthusiasts is the club chair. But what is it, and how do you distinguish it from other types of chairs?
A club chair is a comfortable armchair with a wide, sometimes oversized design profile. It’s upholstered either in leather or fabric for the most comfort. The traditional club chair design has arms, but you can also find armless club chairs, and often, the arms are a single piece with the chair back.
Recognizing the Club Chair
When you’re shopping for chairs, not all club chairs will be labeled as such. Here are a few of the chairs that can be confused with the club chair, and how to recognize them.
An armchair is an upholstered chair with separate pieces for the back and arms. Sound like the club chair? Some club chairs can also be classified as armchairs, such as our Platform Fabric chair. But if the arms of the chair are a single piece with the back, such as with our Tubby Fabric Swivel chair, there’s a good chance it’s a club chair.
A wing chair has a higher back than a club chair, often with curved pieces on either side of the back called “wings” that rise to the level of the sitter’s head.
A rocking chair sits on curved pieces that rock back and forth. Typically, the rocking chair has only a flat back, with or without arms, and is either a simple wood chair or has upholstery on the back and seat.
The Chesterfield chair can look very similar to the club chair. It has a low back, and a single piece for the sides and back panels. The distinguishing feature of the Chesterfield chair is that it has a square shape with tufted upholstery and rolled arms. Our Woodrow Neo chair is a Chesterfield, but we’ve modified it to have square arms rather than rounded arms.
Where to Use the Club Chair
The most traditional use for the club chair is in the living room or family room. As a comfortable armchair that you can relax in, it’s ideal for an area where you’ll want to cozy up with a book, or sit down for conversations after dinner. Because of this, other areas that work well for the club chair are the master bedroom, the home office or even an open floor plan area that has seating.
