4 Leather Chairs Perfect For Reading

Whether you’re setting up a full home library or a small reading nook in the corner of your bedroom, a leather chair is the perfect accessory. With their classic elegance and soft, comfortable design, leather reading chairs give you the perfect place to relax and dive into a good book. Every reading space and every home have different furnishing needs, and there isn’t a single “best” chair which will work well for everyone. These four leather chairs provide a good range of options to consider based on your space needs and relaxation style.

Leather Recliner Chairs

A recliner is a classic choice for a living room or lounge area. These versatile chairs signify comfort, and when they’re upholstered in leather, they also have a distinctive elegance which can enhance a room’s ambiance. If you like to lay back and get really comfortable when you read, recliners are a great choice. You can also use these chairs to read in an upright sitting position and save the backwards lean for other seating scenarios.

Recliners require some clearance in the back in order to completely extend and give you the full benefit of the chair’s range of motion. If you position your recliner too close to the wall, you could end up bumping into the wall and causing some damage from impact. Wall hugger recliners provide a nice middle ground allowing you to place your chair closer to a wall without worrying about damage. Options like the Westend leather pushback chair and the Henley leather wallhugger recliner represent two of the many styles in this leather reading chair category.

Tilt-Back Chair and Ottoman Pair

Tilt back chairs have some of the backward-leaning capabilities of recliners, but without the built-in extendable footrest. When they come with a matching paired ottoman, these chairs give you the perfect place to kick up your feet and lean back for a nice read. If you like to read while sitting upright with your feet extended, these chairs are a great choice.

The combination of the leather armchair style and the matching ottoman provides a more traditional, formal look than some recliners give. You may prefer this style if you’re going for a specific design aesthetic. Tilt-back chairs and ottomans also often have elegant turned feet, which recliners typically do not have. The Rockwell leather tilt back chair and ottoman pair is a great example of the way these chairs embrace the traditional leather armchair style with a hidden bonus function.

Chair and a Half

Spacious and comfortable, the chair and a half is exactly what it sounds like: a chair with a little extra room, making it about as big as a chair plus another half. These chairs are smaller than a sofa or even a loveseat, but there’s room for two if you snuggle up. That makes these chairs perfect for cuddling up and reading to a child or for tucking your knees up and really spreading out as you read. These chairs are fantastic options for family rooms or dens where you want to be able to both read and watch movies or settle in for a long conversation. Their large size makes them irresistible to anyone who wants to relax.

Chair and a half styles look just like oversized leather armchairs and come in a range of different finishes, including some tufted roll-arm styles and more modern looks. You’ll need plenty of space for these chairs, especially if they include a matching ottoman, but they don’t typically recline. The Benedict leather chair and a half is a great option if you want an oversized chair and ottoman for your reading nook or library.

Leather Club Chair

Club chairs are a simple, classic option for anyone who simply wants an elegant reading chair with no particular bells and whistles. These leather chairs are available in a wide range of styles, ranging from modern, cube-like designs such as the Pierce leather chair and ornate wingback options such as the Tight Back Ball in Claw wing chair. If you’re looking for versatility and a range of different options to consider, the club chair may be your best bet.

These are also excellent chairs to use in situations which call for low-profile furniture you can move easily. There are many small, lightweight club chairs, and while some come with matching ottomans, others do not. You can choose the right combination of elements to create the perfect reading environment for your home, whether that’s a small studio apartment or a large multi-story house.

Picking Your Perfect Chair

To find the best chair for your needs, first, consider your available space. Do you have enough room for a chair and a half? Can you set your recliner or tilt-back chair far enough from a wall to allow for a full range of backward motion? Take measurements and be sure the chair you’re choosing will work well in your home.

Choosing leather color and texture is more of a matter of preference than practicality, making this step a bit more nuanced than measuring for space. You’ll find leathers available in bright colors like yellow and dark hues like black and deep maroon. While dark brown leather in a tufted finish can give you a classic library look, modern designs in bright colors and smooth leather can also provide plenty of comfort and style for your reading space.

Consider the benefits of each chair style as you make your final decision. If you have the room, you may even want to include several different types of reading chairs in different parts of your home so you’ll always have a nice place to curl up and read. From an underused corner of your kitchen to a bookshelf-adjacent wall in your home office, adding a leather chair for reading can really transform the space and make it more appealing for family members and guests.