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Wingback Chairs Buyers Guide

Wingback Chairs Buyers Guide

Practical, comfortable and in fashion since the late 1600’s, wingback chairs are a beautiful addition to any home. Designed to fit perfectly into all spaces, from sophisticated living rooms to family dining areas, you’re guaranteed to find a wingback chair that fits your requirements without too much fuss. We’ve got the best buyer’s guide to tell you everything you need to know about wingback chairs to help you make an educated decision before completing your purchase.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for on this page, feel free to get in touch with our customer service team on 01283 576 811 or drop an email to sales@tubchairs.com. See our full range of wingback chairs here.

What Is a Wingback Chair?

Also known as a fireside, grandfather or easy chair, wingback chairs were designed in the 17th-century to allow the sitter to feel the full benefit of the heat from a fireplace. The side wings which led to their more common name were added so that the upper body could be protected from cold drafts and help keep the heat close – this is why wingback chairs are nearly always found next to a hearth.

Where To Place Wingback Chairs

Wingback chairs are an amazingly versatile piece of furniture and will fit in all over the house, fireplace or not. Whether they’re made of tweed, leather, or rattan, there are so many places you could put these ultra-comfortable chairs that aren’t limited to just your living room.

Invite your guests into a comfy, relaxed atmosphere with a wingback in the foyer or entrance hall
Create a cosy reading nook with a wingback chair in a small corner of a room
Make the dining room seem wider by subbing some or all of your traditional dining seats with some snug wingback chairs
Swap out your desk chair for a wingback for a productive addition to your home office
If you’re lucky enough to have a boudoir or a rather spacious closet, make it a space you’ll never want to leave with a more delicate looking wingback chair

What To Consider Before Buying

Home Decor

Before you invest in your wingback chair, it’s important that you consider the current style and décor of your home so you can pick a chair that will match well. Matching your chair to the general décor of your house will have the best impact overall and ensure a seamless yet stylish fit.

Comfort

When shopping for a wingback chair, your main aim should be comfort. Finding a chair that is completely comfortable and supports you well is essential, especially if you plan on spending quite a bit of time in it, so test out each chair you like if you are shopping in person or go through the online reviews to see what other people have said. Functionality is also important, so check out the size and height of the backrest as well as the wings to make sure that they fit your requirements and will work for you.

Chair Style

Take into account the style of the chair – have a look at the fabric it’s upholstered with and the colour or pattern of it to help you decide whether it will fit your personality and the style of the room you plan to put it in.

How To Maintain A Wingback Chair

More often than not, wingback chairs will be upholstered. Upholstered furniture simply means pieces that have soft padding and cushioning covered with fabric or leather textile covers to improve their comfort, longevity, and functionality, and they are mostly easy to maintain as long as you do so regularly. The main things you should do to maintain the durability of your chair are:

Keep It Out Of The Sun - Unless it is made from a fabric that is resistant to UV rays, keep your wingback chair out of the sun to stop it from fading. If this isn’t possible, you can use a cover, but a beautifully patterned or coloured chair doesn’t deserve to be covered up, so try to keep it out of the sun if you can
Keep It Away From Radiators – Place your chair at least a few feet away from radiators, because these create dust and are likely to warp the wood.
Regularly Dust It - Dust your chair once a week or so to rid it of any loose debris – a feather duster, soft vacuum cleaner attachment brush, lint roller or soft rag is perfect for doing the job without damaging the fabric
Deep Clean It – Although this only needs to be done once or twice a year, a good deep clean will work wonders on your upholstery. If you plan on using specialist cleaning products, make sure that you only use high-quality to ensure there are no adverse reactions. Never clean any upholstered furniture with a hard brush or strong chemicals as this will damage the fabrics as well as the cushions inside the covers. Here’s the best ways to clean your upholstery depending on the material:

Material

Fabric (e.g cotton, velvet, cloth ect.)
Real Leather
PVC (Synthetic Leather)
Microfibre

The Best Care

Soap and warm water when deep cleaning
Dry shampoo for any fresh stains
Specialist products used more regularly
Soapy water and soft sponge or cloth
Warm soapy water and soft cloth

Reupholstery

Whether your old wingback chair’s starting to look a bit worn down or you’ve found a beautiful second hand one that just needs a little bit of work, wingback chairs can be easily reupholstered and given a brand new breath of life. If you’d like a new colour or pattern, reupholstering is also a cheaper alternative to buying a completely new chair.

Although many people choose to have their wingback chairs professionally reupholstered, you don’t necessarily have to reach straight for your wallet. With a bit of time, effort, and the right supplies, you can completely reinvent your wingback chair – you just need the proper tools, the fabric you want to cover your chair with and some good guidance. Reupholstering your furniture yourself can save you quite a bit of money and means you get to make the decisions in the final look of the piece, so you get the exact style and design that you wanted for a smaller cost, so you should definitely consider giving it a go.

If you’re a creative type of person, there are many YouTube videos and written tutorials showing you how to easily reupholster a chair yourself, but if you’d like some professional guidance that will set you up for any reupholstery in the future, consider enrolling on a local or online course. Although some of these courses will charge, it may be a worthy investment if you own a few upholstered pieces because you will be able to look after them in the future, saving you more money in the long run. However you choose to go about doing it, reupholstering your own wingback chair is much more affordable than replacing it, and will mean you get to enjoy it for longer.

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Our Range of Wingback Chairs

A wingback chair is a classic yet timeless piece of furniture, and whether you choose to transform a private nook of your house, add a touch of class to your living room or make your dining room a place of complete comfort, these stylish pieces will meet all your requirements. Here at Sloane and Sons, we offer a diverse range of wingback chairs, varying in designs and prices to ensure that everyone finds their perfect piece.

Guaranteeing quality, style and value for money, you can count on our wealth of experience and previous customer satisfaction when looking for an amazing wingback chair. If you have any questions, please do get in touch at sales@tubchairs.com

See our full range of wingback chairs here.