Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Shop our top picks, from a swivel chair to a chic bench.
Shop & Tell is our latest shopping series, featuring thoughtfully curated home finds from House Beautiful editors. Every week we'll take you inside our carts and dish on what we're buying—and why you should be reaching for your wallet too.
At House Beautiful, we're always on the quest to find stylish and functional products that make our homes better. Our editors are passionate about finding the best items, whether that is a mattress to save us from back pains or a decorative pillow that finishes off a room. And, we're happy to share these recommendations with the world. Our latest obsession is a classic design item that merges pretty with practical—yes, the humble seat—accent chairs, ottomans, a bench, and anything you sit on.
Our editors are quite passionate about this piece of furniture. Our senior commerce editor Marina Liao loves her sturdy West Elm counter stools while our deputy managing editor Olivia Hosken says this Cloth & Company chair is a great addition to her daughter's nursery. "She already commandeers it for reading time, so we can both attest that it is comfortable and chic for readers big and small," Hosken adds. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a seat that can pull double duty in small spaces, our associate editor Kelly Allen recommends The Inside's X Bench. "When I don't need it for extra seating, I keep my record player on top of it and store records below it," she says.
Should you be on the hunt for the perfect accent chair, ottoman, or bench, scroll ahead to see and shop our editors' favorite seating finds. The styles run the gamut, so you'll surely discover something that speaks to your decor aesthetic.
"Beachy is decidedly not my style, but I saw this chair on a House Beautiful photoshoot and had to have it for my daughter’s nursery. The Gray Malin motif is subtle and the coral is feminine, but not babyish. She already commandeers it for reading time, so we can both attest that it is comfortable and chic for readers big and small."
—Olivia Hosken, Deputy Managing Editor
"I bought this chair for my son's room because I wanted something that looked nice, but that was also lightweight so he could move it around if he needed more space to do whatever boys do. It is super comfortable, and comes together so quickly. I love that the chair comes in a ton of colors and has a modern feel, but not obnoxiously so, so it fits in with all kinds of decor."
—Joanna Saltz, Editorial Director
"I've had this stool set for four years and they are honestly the comfiest backless stools I have ever sat on. Whenever I throw a party, my guests also comment on how supportive they feel, and ask where I got them. The magic lies in the smooth mango wood constructed seats, which feature a slight dip so that when you're sitting, the entire surface craddles your butt. I've perched on these stools for up to three hours straight, and not once has my back, or butt, hurt from prolonged sitting! Originally, I was hesitant to spend $438 on a set, but the 'you get what you pay for' motto certainly applies here: the wood's held up despite repeated use, the legs are still sturdy, and the tiny plastic leg caps have not fallen off!"
—Marina Liao, Senior Commerce Editor
"One of our favorite places to hang out in is our GLMR (or glamour) room, appropriately named this so I could remember all of the very adult functions I wanted to take place in here: G for games, L for liquor, M for music, and R for reading. I knew I wanted this room to have a lounge feeling, so after many sit tests I went with the Montclair leather swivel chairs from Williams Sonoma Home in a beautiful muted peacock blue. This shade is now discontinued, but the chair's available in many fabrics and leather colors. We bought four to go around our coffee table, which conveniently has pull-out trays on each side to place cocktails. The rounded back and sloped arms of the swivel add a softness to the design. They also visually take up less 'space' in the room and wrap us comfortably as we linger in this room well into the evening. The 360-degree swivel makes it easy to turn completely around to adjust the music or grab our favorite Monopoly set."
—Carisha Swanson, Director of Editorial Special Projects
"I've been on the hunt for the perfect antique end-of-bed bench to get recovered for our main bedroom, and it hasn't materialized yet. This Serena & Lily pick has the turned legs and good proportions I've been looking for, and it's on sale. It'll also save me the trip to the upholsterer because you can get it in almost 150 different fabrics. Our bedroom is a soft neutral pink (Benjamin Moore Pristine), so I would get this in the Perennials Pinstripe Earth—it's a warm, grounding brown."
—Elyse Moody, Senior Contributing Editor
"Sadly, I have no connection to Norman Cherner, the principal designer and founder of the Cherner Chair Company, but I love this chair anyway. It launched in 1958, the peak of the midcentury modern movement, but it's not as famous as, say, the Eames lounge chair or Wishbone chair, which is part of the reason I love it so much. It's iconic in its own way. In fact, it was featured in the first Toy Story movie!"
—Jessica Cherner, Associate Shopping Editor
"I love this chair. Michel Ducaroy's Togo Chair has been around for a while (50+ years!) and I'm still obsessed. To be fully transparent, despite it's ergonomic design, I was skeptical of how comfortable it would actually be. When I finally got to put it to the test, while staying at an Airbnb in Paris that had the lounge seating, I was extremely impressed! It is the perfect lounge chair, that supports you in all the right places allowing you to sit back and ACTUALLY relax. I also love that it doesn't have legs, adding a laid-back design element to any space. They also come in so many color options, so you can really have fun with it!"
—Catherine DiPersico, Assistant Market Editor
"This X bench is ideal for providing extra, cushy seating in a small space. I have the snow bouclé one, but it's available in a variety of fabrics in different colors and patterns to fit any style. While it's great as a seat, it can also double as a side table. When I don't need it for extra seating, I keep my record player on top of it and store records below it. You have to get creative when your square footage is limited!"
—Kelly Allen, Associate Editor
"I have been on the hunt for the perfect reading chair for what feels like years. You know, the chair that’s cozy enough to sit in for hours, but won’t leave you needing a visit to the chiropractor: Burrow’s Vesper chair checks those boxes. The chair, while it lacks arms, is ergonomically designed and supports my back perfectly, whether I’m reading, working from home, or binging Criminal Minds (again). I have the performance fabric option and it has withstood coffee spills and dog paws alike, stains come right off. Plus, I’m a sucker for any furniture assembly that takes less than 30 minutes."
—Kate McGregor, SEO Editor
"I was searching for a great accent chair for my living room that didn't completely break the bank and could complement our cream and green color scheme. As a reader, I needed something specifically where I could curl my legs under me comfortably, too. The Drew Chair is affordable, but doesn't look or feel 'cheap' and has already become a fan favorite of mine, my dog's, and just about everyone who visits! I love the sage color as an accent, and the swivel is an added bonus. I'm already thinking about purchasing the matching stowaway coffee table to go with it!"
—Rachel Crocetti, Senior SEO Manager
"After I spent years in college and graduate school dealing with uncomfortable wooden chairs, my spinal alignment had enough. I wanted a chair that provided the comfort demanded from an eight-hour WFH day, but that didn't look like a chair from a Twitch streamer's room. This desk seating from Wayfair finally ended that search. It has a high weight capacity, a tufted seat that saves me from aches, and a tilt that keeps up with my dancing in the chair. It’s a nice bonus that the wheels are so kind to my wooden floors!"
—Janae McKenzie, Associate Shopping Editor
"My search for the perfect living room ottoman was a complicated one. I wanted something that could double as a coffee table surface (NYC apartment life...), was also soft and comfortable enough to be used as additional seating, and that also looked nice with my leather sofa, which can be hard to match. I went with this one from Albany Park, and about six months later, it's checked off all the use case boxes. Plus, the velvet upholstery looks great for the price."
—Heath Owens, Senior Commerce Editor
"I grabbed a set of these acrylic dining chairs while on a quest to turn my apartment into a life-sized Barbie Dreamhouse, and now, five years later, they still earn just as many compliments. I’ll admit I was skeptical about the material at first, but have since been amazed by the quality and durability. The design itself is surprisingly structurally sound. I love how light the transparent material makes them feel in my space, especially when the light shines through. Though years of daily use has left behind some scratches, they aren’t super noticeable, especially under the cute sheepskin rug I occasionally drape across the back."
—Sarah Maberry, Commerce Writer
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