House Of May

You’ll need to consider the size of your room, how big the sofa and any other furnishings such as coffee tables and TV stands are, and where you’re going to place your armchair. You don’t want your living room to look cramped and busy after all.

Longevity

If everything goes to plan and you manage to avoid any armchair-life threatening spillages, your chair should, ideally, last a lifetime. Hurley-Perera recommends thoroughly inspecting the armchair before you make a purchase: “For all kinds of upholstery, you should always reference what the frame is made of. We tend to use beech as it’s a particularly strong and hardwearing wood.”

She adds: “Everyone has such individual tastes, it’s important to choose the right armchair for you and your space – but it is safe to say a classic shape always stands the test of time.”

Think carefully about how you think your armchair will be used in the many years it’ll be dominating a corner of your living room. Large families or those with small children running around should opt for durable fabrics such as leather to avoid any stains or damage to the exterior.

The same goes for pets. Hurley-Perera says: “Think about whether the comfort level will change with wear and tear, so don’t get anything high maintenance if you have small children, or anything too textured if you have house pets – their claws will love you for it, but you won’t so much.”

Comfort

Above all, you want an armchair that is going to be comfortable.

Hurley-Perera says: “Optimum comfort is a hard one to call, as there are lots of factors to consider. An example being I have a beautifully soft wool at home, that keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, however, that’s not everyone’s taste.

“There’s no point buying a fabric based on a particular trend, you have to feel comfortable on it.”