How to Choose the Best Fireside Chair for You

Originally designed in the 17th century, the fireside chair was first designed to allow the sitter to feel the full benefits of the heat from the fireplace. They signal that your home is a cosy, comfortable place where you can sit back and relax. Sometimes also called a high back or a wing back chair, it’s fairly self-explanatory that these chairs are often designed with a high back and supportive armrests. However, fireside chairs are a versatile piece of furniture that can work in various areas of the home – not just in front of the fireplace. They can also be used to create a cosy reading nook or to add interest to a larger bedroom or walk-in-wardrobe as an accent chair.  

Designed with a comfort in mind, fireside chairs are known for being typically supportive of the upper back. At HSL they come in various styles and fabrics, and you can choose to add extra comfort with cascading back cushions if needed. As well as supporting the head, neck and shoulders, they also support right down to the lumbar (lower spine) and are suitable for people with a range of health issues – including back pain, sore joints, arthritis and swollen legs or feet. Ergonomically designed (in other words, designed for comfort) our fireside chairs are a great choice for those who want to improve their posture.  

At HSL, we have 8 types of fireside chairs available: 

Here at HSL we have a rich fabric story, with a wealth of luxurious fabrics to choose from. We believe that no one should have to compromise when it comes to feeling good and looking good. Although feel good furniture is for everyone, we also understand that everyone is different. This is why we offer each customer a bespoke service to suit them with an exclusive chair fitting. Simply come into one of our showrooms or book a home visit so one of our comfort specialists can answer any questions or queries you may have. 

Fireside chairs are often upholstered – meaning that they have soft padding and cushioning covered with fabric for comfort, longevity and functionality. They are easy to maintain as long if you follow a few simple steps:  

Keep the chair out of the sun

Keep the chair away from radiators 

Regularly dust it  

Deep clean the chair once or twice a year, but always avoid strong chemicals to prevent damage to the fabric.  

At HSL, we are all about making your furniture buying journey a simple one. Our job is to listen to our customers and then share our knowledge and expert advice in a language that you understand, so that you can make the best, confident and informed decision for you. We have spent 54 years getting to know our customer and our craft, and we also collaborate with an array of experts on wellbeing to ensure that we are offering trusted design expertise to our customers.  

Each piece of furniture has been thoroughly tested and evaluated by our independent health expert and Occupational Therapist, Julie Jennings. She’s been instrumental in helping us to create products that promote good posture, the correct seating position and supportive transfer into and out of a chair. We know that innovative design and expertise feels good to us and ensures that our customers will feel even better.  

And that’s our fireside chair buying guide. Take a look at our full range of Fireside Chairs and then book an at home visit or come into one of our showrooms to find the perfect fitting chair for you. It feels good to find furniture that is perfectly suited to you and your style, and HSL is a great place to start.