Hanging chairs are often reserved for outdoor spaces – they’re great for the garden or a beach area. Good home interior design, however, can take such atypical elements and make them feel right at home in any space. A lovely hanging chair can liven up a seating area, giving it a fun and notable twist.
In order to make hanging chairs work in your living room, you’ll need to follow a few strategic tips.
Is This a Good Idea? Probably Yes!
There are several reasons why you may want to consider the addition of a hanging chair to your living room.
For a start, it’s unexpected. Any unexpected interior design element will make your home an immediate talking point.
A hanging chair will also give you lots of comfort and a fun twist on a standard living area. Also, there’s such a big range of options to choose among. There are classic bubble chairs, hammock chairs, basket chairs, macramé and egg chairs. And these are just a few of possibilities. No matter what your sense of aesthetics is, chances are that you’ll come across at least one design to fall in love with.
Choosing the Right Design and Material
A hanging chair can feel right at home in your living room if you choose the right one.
Rattan hanging chairs bring aspects of nature inside your home. They look outdoorsy with a resort holiday vibe and are a great choice for a living room that features other natural materials and elements. To create a little green corner, surround your rattan hanging chair with plants. A wooden coffee table by its side is also going to be a nice touch.
Hanging chairs made of metal add a sense of futurism and sleek beauty to the home. They’re a great addition to a minimalist home or a living room executed in in industrial style. Metallic elements may lack warmth, so such chairs can be complemented with décor items like blankets, a few throw pillows to toi make them more inviting.
Synthetics like plastic, acrylic or even synthetic rattan are great. They’re lightweight and super versatile. Such materials very often mimic natural ones and can be used to bring just about any interior design concept to reality. Synthetic materials are also much more affordable than natural ones – something to keep in mind if you’re trying to renovate and redecorate on a budget.
Space Planning is Crucial
Hanging chairs require more space than a regular loveseat or a futon. That’s because a frame and a stand will be needed to support the piece of furniture.
If you surround a hanging chair with too many other pieces, it will look crammed. Also, you’ll be incapable of utilising its functionality in the best way possible.
This is why a hanging chair isn’t an optimal choice for a small living room, unless its design is truly streamlined.
Rather, a hanging chair should be used to create a separate zone in the living room like a reading corner. Trying to incorporate it in an arrangement with other pieces of furniture will be a fairly difficult task.
Make the hanging chair the star of the show. It can be accessorised and you can feature a couple of other furniture pieces by its side. Just make sure they’re not large and overpowering. If they are, you’ll have way too many prominent pieces fighting for attention.
Your Ceiling Should Be Capable of Supporting the Weight
This one is a practical consideration but it’s still very important.
The tip applies to true hanging chairs that are attached to the ceiling and not to a stand.
If this is the kind of chair that you want to feature in your living room, you’ll have to make sure that the ceiling’s structural integrity isn’t going to be ruined by the addition.
The way that the chair is hung will depend on the material that the ceiling is made of. Those who have plasterboard ceilings will need to look for a ceiling joist from which to hang the chair. This is required because plasterboard ceilings aren’t strong enough to support the weight of such a piece. In these instances, you may have to compromise with the placement of the chair to ensure safety.
Next, you’ll need to do some drilling, screwing and chair attachment. Anyone who doesn’t know what they’re doing should consider getting professional assistance for the sake of security. All of the hardware has to be secured properly for the hanging chair to stay put.
Don’t Be Afraid of Being Really, Really Bold!
Anyone who is considering a hanging chair obviously enjoys interesting and unconventional ideas.
Hence, the concept can be taken even further than just featuring one hanging chair in the living room.
Why not add a swing there? It’s so uncommon that it will be a definite hit!
Also, you could feature more than one hanging chair. How about having two or even three of those? You’ll need a larger living room to support such an arrangement but it will be such a cool option for socialisation!
These are just two alternative options worth looking into. If you’d like to renovate your home to include a living room that is out of the ordinary, contact Home Guide. Our experienced and talented team of interior designers will create an outstanding living room concept that perfectly reflects your personality and lifestyle.