Winston Churchill was once asked, “Mr. Churchill, to what do you attribute your success in life?”
“Conservation of energy. Never stand up when you can sit down. And never sit down when you can lie down.”
If you view things similarly to Winston Churchill, sitting rooms in bedrooms beg the question – why have a sitting room when lying down is optimal?
I love that Winston Churchill anecdote, but for many activities, I prefer sitting… reading, surfing my iPad, and thinking to name a few.
If you have a full house with kids, a sitting area in your primary bedroom can be a quiet and private sanctuary. In my view, it’s a wonderful luxury… and the best part is you don’t need too much space or all that big of a budget to make it happen.
This article suggests seating options for a primary bedroom.
Seating Options at the Foot of Your Bed
1. The loveseat
This is my favorite bedroom seating option when space is limited. All you need to do is place a loveseat at the end of the bed and voila, you have a small sitting area.
Shop this look and these loveseats
2. Bench
If you prefer something less expensive and simpler, a simple bench (with or without cushioned seat) offers a decent sitting option – although it’s ideally suited as a sitting option when getting dressed.
3. Ottomans
Ottomans are popular and serve many more purposes than merely a footrest. they can serve as coffee tables and of course seating. You can opt for one long rectangle ottoman placed at the foot of your bed or go for two smaller ottomans (round or square) placed at the foot of your bed.
Shop this look and these ottomans (plus many more)
4. Chairs
You place one or two sitting chairs at the foot of your bed.
Shop this look and these chairs (plus many more)
5. Chaise Lounge
Place a chaise lounge in place of a bench. This works great. You can also place a chaise lounge elsewhere in the room.
Shop this loo and these chaise lounges (plus many more)
6. Mini Benches
Instead of one long bench, you can place 2 mini benches side-by-side at the foot of your bed.
Daybeds
1. Built-in daybeds
A wonderful design feature is a daybed built into the bay of a window. It’s a great use of space and looks fabulous.
2. Detached daybeds
You can buy a daybed and place it against the wall. Add some pillows and you’ve created a wonderful sitting area without taking up much space.
Dedicated Reading Area
By “dedicated reading area” I’m referring to one or two reading chairs (or armchairs) angled toward one another. If space permits, add a small table between the chairs for your mini private lounge area.
Small Living Rooms in the Primary Suite
If space permits (and it does in many of today’s larger primary suite designs), you can place a full-scale living room in the bedroom – a couple of small sofas, a small L-shaped sectional , and/or a couple of reading chairs. Of course, a coffee table will round out the space.
This turns your primary suite into a luxury hotel suite making spending time in your bedroom a mini-get-away.
Desk Area in Your Primary Suite
You may love or hate this idea – but if space permits, you can easily add a desk and chair in your bedroom. Today’s computer age means we spend plenty of our social lives online so having a comfortable place to get online in your bedroom isn’t necessarily a bad idea.
Also, if your bedroom is the only quiet place in your home, having a workspace there may be the best place for you.
Bed Chairs
We have one and it’s fabulous. It makes reading, using a tablet, and watching television easy… and relieves neck pressure from lying on propped-up pillows.
A bed chair is a bedroom accessory that makes sitting up in bed easy and comfortable.
We have a bed lounger like this – read our review here (after having it for 5 years).
Balcony off the bedroom
If you’re one of the fortunate few to have a private balcony off your primary bedroom (or any bedroom), your seating options are many… but of course, restricted to the size of your balcony.