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The 20 Best Reading Chairs for Every Design Style

Time to catch up on your summer reading list.

a curvy gold chair next to a white chair
Courtesy of Coil + Drift and Design Within Reach

At the end of a long day, we all look forward to kicking back and unwinding—often, that involves cracking open a good book. In order to fully appreciate this all-important ritual, though, you’ll need a place to cozy up beforehand. We’d recommend an armchair that’s both comfy to perch in and gorgeous to look at, bearing in mind that different colors and styles will suit different homes and tastes. It’s a personal choice but an important one, as we all enjoy more time away from the workplace during summer vacations and more time with our favorite books.

Of course, interior designers are thinking about their reading list as well and already have a few favorite chairs and sofas picked out as their go-to’s. “This summer, my little patio in San Francisco is a sunny respite away from screens!” says Noz Nozawa, principal and owner of Noz Design. “I’m catching up on my shelter and food magazines—at the top of my pile is Whetstone’s latest volume—from my heated concrete Galanter + Jones Helios Metreo sofa.”

Others are using the time away from home to indulge in feel-good reads. “I took a break from business help books and read Hello, Molly! on my vacation this July,” says Kristen Rivoli of Kristen Rivoli Interior Design. “I read it lounging by the St. Lawrence River in New York’s sunny Thousand Islands, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect setting.”

Here, we’ve rounded up 20 of the best reading chairs—from classic leather silhouettes to supple, cozy bouclé options—for you to catch up on all things literary.

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1 Dalton Leather Chair
Courtesy of West Elm
2 Puffy Lounge Chair
3 Bouclé Headrest Lounge Chair
4 Milo Velvet Red Accent Chair
Courtesy of 54kibo
5 Boevange-Sur-Attert Armchair
Courtesy of Wayfair
6 Matcha Armchair
Courtesy of the Invisible Collection
7 Asher Leather Armchair
Courtesy of Pottery Barn
8 Uchiwa Quilted Lounge Chair
Courtesy of Hay
9 Alva Chair
Courtesy of Design Within Reach
10 Channeled Goldfinger Lounge Chair
Courtesy of
11 The Essential Chair
Courtesy of Sabai
12 Pacha Lounge Chair
Courtesy of TRNK NYC
13 Marnie Armchair
Courtesy of Maker&Son
14 Fitz Velvet Swivel Chair
Courtesy of CB2
15 Scala Chair
Courtesy of RH
16 Wilkes Modular Sofa Group Chair
Courtesy of Herman Miller
17 Knitting Chair
Courtesy of Afternoon Light
18 Field Lounge Chair
Courtesy of Blu Dot
19 Talon Chair
Courtesy of Coil + Drift
20 Vesper Lounge Chair
Courtesy of Burrow
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