Our favorite reading chair is the Joss & Main Highland Armchair because it offers complete customization, durable and comfortable materials, and comes fully assembled.
Here are the best reading chairs for curling up with a good book.
This 39-inch wide chair’s boxy frame and wide armrests provide plenty of room to snuggle up and sit comfortably. While the chair doesn’t recline or come with an ottoman, the synthetic fiber-filled cushions are plush but still supportive. The solid wood frame makes this chair highly sturdy and durable for long-term use, and the cushion is removable.
To make it all the more at home in your space, you can customize this chair’s upholstery with more than 100 fabrics in prints, solids, and stain-resistant options. This cozy chair also comes fully assembled, so you can enjoy it right away.
Price at time of publish: $740
Price at time of publish: $220
In addition to being an attractive chair, the seat cushions are also removable and reversible. So if you ever spill something, you can easily clean the cushions and even flip them over after to maintain a clean look. This chair comes with one throw pillow, but there’s room if you’d like to add one or two more as accents or extra support.
Price at time of publish: $1,207
Price at time of publish: $500
Price at time of publish: $1,699 for Statesville Molasses
Price at time of publish: $320
This chair comes partially assembled, so putting the rest together should go smoothly. Considering comfort, this chair offers some support, but because of its shallow seat depth might not be one you camp out in all day. Think of it more as a nice accent chair for a formal living room or den.
Price at time of publish: $459
Price at time of publish: $110
This isn’t a huge recliner, and it doesn’t take too much effort to put together. So if you’re looking for an easy addition to your reading room, this is it. The recline feature is activated by a manual lever, so once you get situated in the seat, you can recline at your leisure.
Price at time of publish: $360
Size
For one, it’s essential to find a design that’ll fit in your space. Whether you’re placing it in a designated reading nook, bedroom, sunroom, or office, make sure to measure (and re-measure) before ordering carefully. Size has a lot to do with a chair’s overall comfort as well. We recommend getting one with a relatively wide and deep seat if you like to curl up, lean back, or even lay down while reading.
Material
Upholstered chairs are usually a little softer, and you can often find stain-resistant options. “I also think about the texture—bouclé upholstery, for example, is plush and cozy, while a chair that isn’t upholstered won’t be as inviting,” says Herrera. Leather-upholstered chairs tend to be more expensive, though they typically last longer. The frame material is also important. If you want something with a higher weight capacity or built to last for several years, look for a chair with a solid wood frame—even better if it’s kiln-dried. Some recliner frames are steel, which is generally considered a high-quality, long-lasting material.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Theresa Holland is a Portland-based freelance writer specializing in interior design and lifestyle. She has been regularly contributing to The Spruce since 2019, where she covers home improvement, furniture, and decor. Outside of her professional life, she’s spent countless hours researching furnishings for her own home and knows what to look for when buying high-quality pieces. For this story, she reviewed products from a broad range of brands and retailers, read reviews, and considered key characteristics, including size, style, and material. Madison Yauger is an Assistant Editor for home commerce and has extensively covered home and lifestyle content for the past several years.
