9 Small Bedroom Reading Chair Ideas That Fit Beside the Bed
A reading chair can fit even a small bedroom if you pick the right size. These 9 chairs tuck beside the bed without crowding the room.
In This Guide
A reading chair beside the bed is one of the most satisfying small bedroom upgrades, and one of the easiest to get wrong. A chair that is too big blocks the walkway, crowds the nightstand, and makes the room feel smaller. A chair that fits, usually under 30 inches wide and 32 inches deep, creates a corner you will actually use every day.
The space beside a bed is often 24 to 36 inches of awkward gap: too narrow for a dresser, too wide to leave empty. A compact chair fills it perfectly, especially paired with a small side table and a clip-on or wall light. These 9 chair types cover every bedroom size and style, from a $100 folding chair to a proper wingback.
Measure the gap before shopping, including the distance from the bed to the wall and the clearance needed to walk past the chair. A chair that fits on paper but blocks the closet door will not stay long.
1. Armless Accent Chair
An armless accent chair is the smallest proper chair you can buy, usually 24 to 28 inches wide, and it fits beside almost any bed. Without arms, it slides closer to the nightstand and takes up less visual space, so the room still feels open. Armless chairs cost $100 to $250 and come in every style from modern velvet to classic linen.
The tradeoff is comfort for long reading sessions: without arms to rest on, some readers prefer a cushion or a small pillow at elbow height. For sessions under an hour, most people find armless chairs perfectly comfortable.
How to make it work
Pair the chair with a small side table or a wall shelf for your book and drink. Add a lumbar pillow for back support during longer reads. Choose a chair with a seat height of 17 to 19 inches so it matches the bed height visually.
2. Swivel Chair
A swivel chair rotates to face the bed, the window, or the door, which makes it the most flexible seat for a small bedroom. You can turn toward the light for reading, then swivel back to face the room when you are done. Compact swivel chairs run 28 to 32 inches wide and cost $150 to $350.
Swivel chairs need a few extra inches of clearance to rotate, so measure the full swing circle, not just the chair footprint. A chair that swivels into the nightstand or the wall is worse than one that does not swivel at all.
How to make it work
Leave at least 4 inches of clearance on all sides of the chair for rotation. Choose a swivel chair with a low base rather than a tall pedestal, since low bases feel more stable in a small room. For a lighting pairing, see small bedroom lighting ideas.
3. Papasan Compact Chair
A compact papasan chair, the bowl-shaped rattan chair with a thick cushion, is deep and comfortable while keeping a small footprint. Compact models run 32 to 36 inches wide, cost $120 to $250, and suit relaxed, bohemian bedrooms. The bowl shape cradles you, which makes it ideal for long reading sessions.
The papasan’s round shape can be awkward in a square corner, so it works best angled into the corner rather than pushed flush against two walls. It also sits low, which suits rooms with low beds.
How to make it work
Angle the chair at 45 degrees into the corner so the round shape reads as intentional. Add a small footstool or floor cushion for leg support. Choose a cushion cover that matches your bedding for a cohesive look.
4. Slim Wingback Chair
A slim wingback chair brings classic reading-chair comfort in a narrower frame than a traditional wingback. Slim models run 28 to 30 inches wide, cost $200 to $400, and the high back and wings create a sense of enclosure that makes reading feel private, even in a shared bedroom.
The wings also block drafts and side light, which helps if the chair sits near a window or a door. The tradeoff is visual weight: a wingback looks larger than an armless chair of the same width, so it suits rooms with at least 30 inches of clear space beside the bed.
How to make it work
Place the wingback with its back to the wall and its wings framing the sitter, not blocking the walkway. Pair it with a small floor lamp or wall sconce behind the chair for reading light. Choose a light upholstery color so the tall back does not darken the corner.
5. Rocking Chair
A rocking chair adds gentle motion that many readers find relaxing, and compact nursery-style rockers fit small bedrooms well. Modern rockers run 28 to 32 inches wide, cost $150 to $350, and come in upholstered styles that look nothing like a traditional wooden rocker.
Rocking chairs need clearance for the rock arc: about 6 inches in front and behind the chair. Measure the full rocking path, not just the static footprint, before placing one beside a bed.
How to make it work
Place the rocker on a hard floor or a low-pile rug so it rocks smoothly. Keep the area behind the chair clear of cords and small objects that could catch a rocker leg. For a wrapping-season storage idea, see christmas wrapping paper storage ideas for small apartments.
6. Boucle Barrel Chair
A boucle barrel chair, with its curved back wrapping around the sitter, is the most stylish small bedroom chair right now. Barrel chairs run 28 to 32 inches wide, cost $180 to $400, and the curved shape feels enveloping without the bulk of a wingback. Boucle fabric adds texture that warms up a plain bedroom.
The barrel shape needs a little more depth than a flat-backed chair, usually 30 to 34 inches, so confirm the depth fits your gap. The curved back also means the chair looks good from all angles, which matters if it sits in the middle of the room’s sightline.
How to make it work
Angle the barrel chair slightly toward the bed so the curve faces into the room. Pair it with a round side table, which echoes the chair’s shape. Keep boucle clean with a fabric brush, since the nubby texture collects lint.
7. Folding Reading Chair
A folding reading chair is the ultimate small-space compromise: a real chair when you want it, flat against the wall when you do not. Folding chairs designed for reading, with padded seats and back support, cost $60 to $150 and fold to under 6 inches deep. They suit bedrooms where the chair spot doubles as something else, like a dressing area or a yoga space.
The tradeoff is comfort and looks: most folding chairs are less comfortable than a fixed chair for sessions over an hour, and they rarely look as polished. Choose one with a thick pad and a sturdy frame to close the gap.
How to make it work
Hang a wall hook beside the bed to store the folded chair when not in use. Add a seat cushion and a lumbar pillow for comfort during longer reads. If the chair will be used daily, a fixed chair is a better investment than a folding one.
8. Chair and Ottoman Pair
A chair with a matching ottoman is the most comfortable reading setup, and a compact pair fits beside a bed if you choose wisely. Look for a chair under 30 inches wide and an ottoman under 20 inches square, for a combined footprint of about 30 by 45 inches. Pairs cost $250 to $500.
The ottoman doubles as a side table when you are not reading: place a tray on it for a drink and a book. When you want to stretch out, remove the tray and put your feet up.
How to make it work
Choose an ottoman that slides under the chair or beside the nightstand when not in use. Keep the pair in the same fabric so it reads as one unit rather than two pieces crowding the corner. For a bathroom companion update, see small bathroom over-the-toilet shelf ideas.
9. Corner Nook Chair
A corner nook chair uses the bedroom corner itself as part of the seat, with the chair angled into the corner and a wall shelf or sconce above it. This arrangement needs no extra floor beyond the chair footprint, since the corner walls provide the enclosure that a wingback would. Any compact chair works, but armless or barrel chairs fit corners best.
The nook approach is the most space-efficient reading setup, because it claims a corner that is otherwise hard to furnish. Add a small wall shelf at arm height for a book and a drink, and the nook is complete.
How to make it work
Angle the chair at 45 degrees and center it on the corner. Mount a wall shelf or sconce above and to one side so you can reach it without standing. Add a small rug under the chair to define the nook visually.
A reading chair beside the bed does not need a big bedroom, just the right chair for the gap you have. Measure the space, pick a chair under 30 inches wide, pair it with a light source you can reach from the seat, and the awkward gap beside your bed becomes the best spot in the room. If the corner is still empty, a small apartment reading nook shows how to finish it.
