I Test Furniture for a Living — This Is the Cozy Reading Chair I Recommend to Everyone

If there’s one thing I wish I had space for in my apartment, it’s a reading chair. Sure, I can read from my bed or sofa, but there’s something undeniably comforting about the idea of having a dedicated seat just for finishing a couple chapters of a novel or flipping through a magazine. If I had to get a chair, I already have a handful of options in mind from my Personal Shopper store visits to retailers like Pottery Barn, Blu Dot, and Burrow. 

My favorite chair, however, is West Elm’s Cozy swivel chair. Not only is it 100% true to its name in terms of the coziness factor, but it’s also a highly versatile seat you can use in almost any room, regardless of your lifestyle or interior decor aesthetic. And, depending on the upholstery fabric you choose, you can get it for as low as $699, which is a steal for West Elm! Without further ado, let’s get into what makes the chair such a must-have.

Swivel chairs are having a moment, and there are so many styles to choose from. The Cozy swivel, however, sticks to a popular silhouette for the category with its rounded lines. It has a low profile at nearly 29 inches tall, but at almost 39 inches wide, it’s not exactly compact. You could get away with sticking it in an empty corner or next to your favorite window, but overall, it’s a good in-between size that works for both small and large rooms.

Additionally, the chair is available in a whopping 77 upholstery fabrics, including performance fabrics that let you snack or enjoy a glass of wine in the chair without stressing. I personally recommend the performance velvet, which I have on my West Elm couch and which survived a year with two cats without sustaining any scratches.

Even without a performance fabric, the Cozy swivel is still very durable because it’s contract-grade, meaning it was built with heavy-traffic areas in mind. The engineered wood frame and high-resiliency foam cushioning mean your seat won’t sag, though the seat cushion is removable for easy vacuuming and re-fluffing.

Like I said, the Cozy swivel is not exactly compact, but you still feel enveloped when you sit in it, like you’re in a snuggly cocoon. When I tested it in-store, I found that the seat was wide enough to sit cross-legged, and the swivel base had a smooth glide. If you tend to fidget or frequently shift positions while reading, you’ll enjoy these features.

I also noted in my initial review that the chair’s seat is angled upward, so although it’s not that deep, you still get somewhat of a recline. Because of the low profile, this might not be the best chair for people with mobility concerns; it can be a hassle to get out of, especially if you’ve been sitting for a while. But the short height ultimately adds to the coziness.

Finally, what makes this accent piece so versatile is that it would look right at home in pretty much any room, not just the living room. You could situate it opposite your bed, place it in your home office, or even use it as a nursery chair. Kids and adults will all love its low seat, but despite this accessible feature, the chair remains elegant in appearance.

If you’re after more of a lounger-and-ottoman situation, West Elm has some stylish new releases that you can also read about in my Personal Shopper post. But for a one-size-fits-all reading chair recommendation, the Cozy swivel is my top choice.

Buy: Cozy Swivel Chair, $699