A reading chair can work if you can sit, stand, open storage and walk through normally. First try a chair you already own beside the bed, sharing the nightstand and lamp. Test without an ottoman.
If the spot fits only when the chair is empty, it does not fit your routine. When your bedroom is also your quiet retreat, it is easy for the bed to become the only place to unwind. A separate seat can give you another place to read—but the useful question is not just “Will this chair fit?” It is “Can I still use my room with someone sitting in it?”
Where can a reading chair go in a small bedroom?
Beside the bed: share what is already there
Start at the side of the bed with an existing nightstand. A chair may be able to borrow its lamp and book surface, so you avoid adding a separate side table. Sit down and check the reach: you should not have to lean across an arm or get up to put down a drink.
Best when: that side has a genuinely spare patch of floor and you can still get into bed, change the sheets and open the nightstand. Fails when: the chair takes away the bed access you use every day, or the shared table sits too far behind your shoulder.
By a window: use a corner only if it stays usable
A window-side chair can make an inviting reading spot. Try it facing into the room, then at a small angle; compare the space your feet need in each position. An angled chair can take more floor area than a straight one.
Best when: the corner is outside the room-door and wardrobe-door swings. Fails when: you must move the chair to reach blinds, open a window or use storage. Keep vents and access clear, and follow any heater’s required furniture clearance.
How much space does a reading chair really need?
Measure the chair’s overall width and depth, not just its seat. Then test the extra space your body uses. There is no single leftover gap that proves every person and room will work.
- Mark the footprint. Use paper or floor-safe tape for the chair’s outer dimensions. Include arms, rear legs and the angled position you intend to use. A borrowed chair can help you test the spot, but its footprint must be adjusted to match a different chair you may buy.
- Sit as you actually read. Put your feet where they naturally land, hold a book and settle back. Try a short reading session in the chair you own. Record where your feet end and the space you need to stand up without turning sideways against the bed.
- Run the room’s normal motions. Open the bedroom door, wardrobe and drawers fully. Pull out any nearby desk chair. Carry a laundry basket along your usual route. If you share the room, have the other person pass while you stay seated.
- Repeat with the light on. Check that the lamp reaches the page without an awkward lean, and that its cord stays out of the walking route. Try making the bed and reaching the window too.
Keep the spot if you can relax there and all those actions still work.
Try another position if the chair itself fits but your feet, a drawer or a door collide.
Skip the extra chair if every position takes away essential access. Turning a comfortable desk chair away from work for a reading break may be the better use of your existing furniture.
Can you fit an ottoman or a recliner too?
Test those separately. An ottoman adds both its own footprint and the space between it and the chair; your legs may occupy the route that looked clear in an empty-room photo. If putting your feet up is essential, test that whole arrangement before committing.
For a recliner, rocker or swivel chair, check the manufacturer’s operating space as well as its closed dimensions. A chair that fits at rest may hit the wall, bed or wardrobe when it moves. Do not assume a compact product label settles this.
How can the corner feel intentional without more furniture?
Use color and one shared surface. The room above pairs plum upholstery with teal bedding and rose walls; the chair reads as a destination without a separate rug, shelf or side table. If your furniture is neutral, try a navy throw with a berry cushion, or crisp white bedding with a charcoal chair. Keep the layout that passed your test.
Leave a book within reach, but give everyday clothes a different landing place so the reading seat stays available. If the chair keeps disappearing under outfits, try door hooks versus a slim clothes rack before adding another seat.
What should you check before buying a small reading chair?
Only shop after the location passes. Check the exact version’s outer dimensions, seat height and depth, arm shape, firmness, assembly instructions and delivery route. A narrow chair can still be uncomfortable for the way you like to read; try the seat in person when possible.
One size reference is IKEA US EKENÄSET, walnut effect/Axvall dark gray-blue, article 506.243.26. Its listed overall size is 25⅝″ wide × 29⅛″ deep × 29½″ high; the seat is 17⅜″ high and 20½″ deep. IKEA describes firm seating and a fixed, non-removable cover. Compare those details with a chair you already find comfortable.
Manufacturer specifications checked October 30, 2026. This is a regular manufacturer link, not an Amazon affiliate link. The pictured plum chair is an illustrative design, not this product. Verify the selected variant, local availability and assembly instructions before ordering.
If the chair fits but a lamp would consume the remaining floor, compare floor lighting with a clamp-light setup. Solve the light around the chair’s working position.
