There are many good reasons to buy a swivel chair — in particular, the ease of movement.
But Ghislaine Viñas, an interior designer in New York who frequently uses them in her projects, thinks one of the best is the sense of play they create. “They’re fun,” she said. “I’ve put them in family lofts where the kids just use them as entertainment.”
And in a difficult space, she added, a swivel chair can be the most pragmatic choice. Ms. Viñas said she often installs them in living rooms with multiple seating areas, so the chairs can rotate between various conversation groups.
She also uses them in bedrooms with a view. “You want that great sculptural corner chair, facing into the room,” she said. And if the chair has a swivel base, she noted, it can easily pivot to face windows beside or behind it.
“It gives you super flexibility,” she said.
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Does it need to look like a swivel chair? Not anymore. “It used to be that swivel chairs always had an obvious mechanism,” Ms. Viñas said. “Now they’re usually hidden.”
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What’s the best size? That depends on where you’re planning to put the chair. A high-backed swivel chair can be a statement piece in a living room, Ms. Viñas said, so long as it doesn’t interfere with circulation or sightlines.
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What kind of swivel action should you look for? Some chairs allow for free rotation, while others return to center on their own. The ideal choice is a matter of personal preference, and how the chair will be used.
Pumpkin
Lounge chair with optional swiveling base by Pierre Paulin
From $2,965 at Ligne Roset: 212-375-1036 or ligne-roset.com
Rumba Upholstered Chair
Chair with wooden frame, metal studs and optional swivel
From $2,590 at Adriana Hoyos: 305-572-9052 or adrianahoyos.com
KN Low Back Lounge
Chair with aluminum swivel base by Piero Lissoni
$2,984 at Knoll: 800-343-5665 or knoll.com
Crescent Swivel Chair
Chair with wraparound back, loose seat cushion and 360-degree swivel
From about $600 at West Elm: 888-922-4119 or westelm.com
Gwyneth Bouclé Chair
Swivel chair designed with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop
About $900 at CB2: 800-606-6252 or cb2.com
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