Though they originated in the 1700s, their popularity really blossomed throughout different decades. In the 1950s on onwards, these swanky swiveling seats donned the corners of homes as accent chairs. Swiveling office chairs also boomed in the 1980s when a huge push came about for ergonomic work furniture that would protect employees’ posture and health (though simpler versions had been a fixture at desks in prior decades). Since then, the clunky office chairs you might be picturing have transformed. Save for a home office chair, they faded somewhat in terms of being trendy, but recently they’ve made a comeback in their newest forms. Part of the reason why swivel chairs are seeing a renaissance may be the amount of time people are now spending at home for work, entertainment, and relaxation. A swivel chair is suitable for all three, whether you choose a swivel office seat, dining chairs that turn, or a well-cushioned armchair that spins. It makes reaching an oddly-angled desk drawer a piece of cake, it simplifies conversing with multiple people, and when combined with cushions, it’s the perfect place to curl up with a book or take a mid-afternoon nap.
History of the Swivel Chair
The swivel chair has shifted and evolved throughout the years and though there are many different styles, colors, fabrics, shapes, and mechanisms, they all provide the same thing: a chair that can turn, spin, and move in style. It’s reported that President Thomas Jefferson finagled the first variation of the swivel chair that’s used today. They’re associated with peak productivity, and Jefferson must’ve found this to be true as he made amendments to a chair he brought back from Philadelphia, enabling it to turn. It was said that he also drafted the Declaration of Independence from this chair. Fast forward many years to the era in which this style of chair really took off stylistically: the late 1950s. This was after Ray and Charles Eames created yet another iconic piece of furniture—the Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman—which exploded in popularity post its television debut. Since then, they’ve floated in and out of the mainstream and have been developed in new colors, textures, and shapes. More popular today are barrel chairs, which take this concept of a swivel chair and mix it with Frank Lloyd Wright’s cylindrical furniture invention. It was dreamt up for one of the homes Wright was designing—the Martin House—and was used throughout several rooms. Since Wright’s advent of the chair, it’s filled out a bit from the wooden structure it once was. When equipped with a swiveling base and beefed up with cushions and textured fabrics, you have a chair that’s found in many trend-focused homes today. And like the original, it’s rare to find a room without some version of a swivel chair gracing it.
Styling Swivel Chairs
The sky is the limit with swivel chairs, and overall most rooms do well having one incorporated. Accent chairs run the gamut of styles and shapes. There’s no easier way to break up a space and literally add movement than with one that swivels. These are especially popular in places with a mid-century-modern-inspired theme, but with the endless options of swivel chairs, it’s hard not to find something for any style of home. The variety of rooms that make good candidates for swivel chairs is fantastic.
Home Offices
Home offices are a clear contender for having a swivel chair. They’re perfect for behind desks or if you meet with clients, having one or two on the other side of the desk for something that’s moveable, comfortable, and stylish.
Dining Rooms
Oftentimes dining room chairs are stationary, but in social situations being able to turn and interact is important. Rather than a standard dining chair, switch it up with rotating seats to make dinners last longer and add a little visual interest to a space that typically doesn’t see this type of seating arrangement.
Bedrooms
In bedrooms, a swivel stool or ottoman acts as a great bit of seating in a walk-in closet. For large primary bedrooms, swivel chairs are fantastic for filling up empty corners. Sleeping quarters are easily forgotten when considering accent chairs, but for a space where relaxation is a necessary pillar, good seating is key.
Living Rooms
Complement any couch or sofa with a swivel chair (or two) depending on what the room can accommodate. Flank the sides of a loveseat with swiveling chairs, set them up across the main seating arrangement, or create another seating vignette entirely with swivel chairs holding down the space.
Shop These Swivel Chairs
Trying to scope out the perfect swivel chair? The following options will provide perfect seating for any room of any style.
