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  3. Recliner Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Recliner Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Buying Guide

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Recliner Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know
January 1, 2025

Have you decided it’s time to take the next step in comfort? Sure, armchairs and sofas are comfy. But a recliner chair? That’s the next level. So, give yourself the best seat in the house. You deserve it! Or give everyone the best seat in the house with a recliner sofa, so that they don’t steal yours. We’ll walk you through all the styles available at Amart and give you some helpful tips for finding the right recliner for your needs and style.

Tips for choosing your perfect recliner

Finding a new recliner chair to suit your needs and space is easy if you get a few essential elements right. Aside from knowing whether you’re after a single or multi-seater recliner, the following factors are worth careful consideration and there is more detail on each of these points as you read through this buyer’s guide:

  • Purpose – think about who will be using the recliner and where it will be located.
  • Space - recliner chairs take up more space when reclined so ensure you have adequate room.
  • Style - look for a design that works with your decor.
  • Material - leather, fabric, or leather-look upholstery.
  • Fit - choose the right size and style to suit your body type.
  • Mechanism - decide whether you’d like a manual lift or a power lift.

Consider your space

It’s important to keep in mind that a recliner chair’s footprint will be larger when it’s in the reclining position. Recliners are incredibly comfortable and the range at Amart looks so stylish it would be easy to fall in love with one while browsing at our retailers.

So, to find the best recliner for your room, think about where it will be located and ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does it suit my space?
  • Does it need to tie in with the style of other pieces of furniture like my sofa or do I need a reclining sectional lounge or reclining sofa?
  • Will there be enough room to walk around my recliner/s when they’re extended?

Measure your room

It’s time to grab your trusty tape measure so you can see what will fit. We recommend marking out your space with tape or newspaper and seeing if you have enough room to walk around the proposed area comfortably.

Once you have your measurements, you’ll know whether you can fit a:

  1. Single standard recliner chair/s
  2. 2-seater or 3-seater recliner sofa
  3. Corner lounge with chaise and inbuilt electric recliner/s
  4. 3-piece recliner suite which includes a recliner lounge and two recliner chairs.

Find your overall style

Where would you like it? Will your new recliner be in your living room? Or a home theatre room? Perhaps it’s for a rumpus room or teen retreat? The look and functionality of your recliner should suit your space.

There are many styles and shapes of recliners in Amart’s range. From designs with plush cushioning that give them a true recliner look to sleek armchairs and sofas that you wouldn’t know are concealing a recliner. And there are also home theatre lounges with cup holders and other bells and whistles like LED lighting strips, built-in USB chargers and centre consoles with storage for an ultimate cinema experience at home.

Find a recliner that fits your body type

Here at Amart, we pride ourselves on giving our customers the flexibility to shop online or in-store. But when it comes to recliner chairs, we think it’s best for you to try them out in a showroom, particularly if you’re above or below average height. That’s because choosing a recliner that is the right match for your body type will maximise your comfort.

So, take a seat and check the following:

  1. Ensuring you’re all the way back in your chair, check whether your knees are at a 90-degree angle and your feet are on the ground.
  2. When you recline backwards, your shoulders should feel comfortably supported by the seat.
  3. Do you have lumbar support? Your lower back should be supported by the backrest to prevent back pain.
  4. Your head should be comfortably supported by the headrest without any strain on your neck.
  5. Your feet should be just off the edge of your footrest when reclined.

Select the best fabric/cover to match your decor

A recliner for every style of decor. Amart’s recliner chair designs span modern, contemporary, and traditional. So, once you’ve chosen a style, all that’s left to do is pick your fabric from our range of upholstery options.

Leather or suede upholstery - known for durability and luxury, our leather recliners are available in a wide range of colours.

Fabric upholstery - with so many fabric colours available, it will be easy to choose a colour that works with the tones of your existing colour palette.

Leather-look upholstery - the look of leather without the price tag. This fabric is easy to wipe clean making it a good option for rooms that get a lot of use by kids.

Types of recliners to look out for

  • Lift recliner - perfect for people who need help getting from sitting to standing, this style has a power lift mechanism that takes you to a near-standing position. Check out the power lift on the San Marco Fabric Electric Lift Chair.
  • Rocker recliner - allows you to rock while reclined, like the Madden Fabric Rocker Recliner.
  • Manual recliner - operated by activating a lever or handle while leaning back, such as the beautiful Gladiator Fabric Recliner.
  • Electric recliner - power recliners like the Hugh Leather Electric Recliner take you through the full range of reclining at the touch of a button. You will need a power source nearby so consider this when choosing the location of your power recliner.

Features that you cannot look past

Modern recliners have come a long way in style and features. Here are some fabulous features to look out for in our range:

  • Two-stage reclining so you can raise the legs only and then push back to activate the back recliner
  • Space-saving designs where the chair moves forward instead of backward when it reclines so it can sit closer to a wall
  • Footrests and adjustable or fixed headrests
  • Cup holders
  • Built-in USB chargers
  • LED lighting strips and reading lights
  • Centre consoles with storage
  • Armrests with storage
  • Armrest motion controls
  • Remote controls
  • Power lift to help you get from sitting to standing position.

Cost needs to be a consideration

High-quality furniture should also be affordable. In the Amart range, you get what you pay for. The lower price bracket has single recliners and small recliner sofas, while the higher price bracket is made up of larger suites and more luxurious upholstery fabrics such as leather.

Whatever your position on the buying scale, rest assured you’re investing in a quality product with a comprehensive warranty to cover materials and mechanisms. So, you can enjoy your new chair for many years to come.

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