The Best Reading Chairs

“A curation of chairs to ground you for your next read.”

It’s easy to fall into our devices and lose sight of the physical world beyond our screens. For those of us who feel like we’ve been basking in blue light more than we’d like to, escaping our digital reality by staring at paper sounds dreamy. Having a designated spot for reading (or any type of tranquility) is a treasure and a step towards intentional living. Even if you’re not the biggest reader, there’s magic in a chair that’s designed to comfort you for a long time (and serve as a workspace, too, if you desire). We collected recommendations for chairs to represent a sacred spot of peace, a host for you and your morning coffee, and a place to melt into after a hectic day.

Pk20 Easy Chair by Eternity Modern

Recommended by clémence polès

The PK20 Easy Chair is comforting in its tilt, foam cushioning, and pillow attachment. It’s also incredibly sleek, though, with curled steel legs and a gorgeous leather shell that comes in over a dozen neutral colors (and red, too).

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Nipomo Chair by Ryan Preciado

Recommended by Marawa Wamp

The Nipomo Chair is coated in an earthy wool bouclé and its legs are white oak. It also comes in a Raf Simons x Kvadrat textile upholstery. The chair has generous arms to nestle you in, reminiscent of a nursery rocking chair.

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Poof Swivel Chairs in Bouclé by Claude Home

Recommended by Puno Dostres

This bouclé poof-chair exudes taste in its simplicity and play in its shape-stacking. It comes in shades of gray, camel, and ivory. As a bonus, its swivel quality is perfect for fidgeters who find it difficult to sit still.

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Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen, manufactured by Knoll

Recommended by Gisue Hariri

The Womb Chair is the perfect place to curl up in, as suggested by its name. With light cushions and matching ottomans available, this chair accommodates multiple postures and will comfort you for however long. Its clean design and limitless combinations of upholstery type and color and leg frame finish also promise a good visual fit for your space.

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LC3 Chair by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand for Cassina

Recommended by Kavi Moltz

The LC3 Chair is ideal for those looking to sink into deep, plush cushioning. This option emphasizes comfort with a mattress-esque build, but the steel frames provide some edge to keep it cool. The color choices––white, “tobacco,” and some grays––also allow for added sleekness.

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Mags Soft Low Single Seater by HAY

Recommended by Melissa Flashman

Literary agent Melissa Flashman recommends any of the HAY Mags Soft Collection’s sofas, chairs, or ottomans. The Mags Soft Low Single Seater is a wonderful reading chair option, though, as its low-lying stature provides a unique sense of grounding. The cushioning is also nurturing in its softness and does its title justice. With extensive color choices and simple cuboid shapes, this piece can veer towards sleekness or play.

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Slipper Chair by Don Chadwick for Herman Miller

Recommended by zenat begum

The Slipper Chair is artful in its abstraction and supportive in its curves. It’s planted on top of a ribbed plastic platform, so its funky shape floats above ground like a small island for the home.

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And if you’re on the hunt for a good excuse to never leave the comforts of your new reading chair, a book like Delta of Venus: Erotica by Anaïs Nin (recommended by Natalia Mantini, and Natalie Fält) or Women Who Run With the Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés (recommended by Rian Fossett and Beata Kanter) might just be it. For more book browsing, our guide to the best summer books, and the books on our best of 2020 list might turn up what you’re looking for.