The answer has to do with climate control, or more precisely the lack of it, in 1600s Britain, where this chair style was first invented. Lacking weatherstripping, caulk and triple-glazed windows, houses and buildings of the time were drafty affairs. The wingback chair was designed to be sat in front of the dominant heating method of the time, fireplaces, while the wings on the side prevented drafts from slicing through your little cocoon of warmth. The pronounced protrusion of the wingtips was to keep the breeze off of your ears and neck and it makes a perfect piece to start improving office space as the chair makes a statement in the space.
We already know where the wingback chair was born, but do we know what it is exactly? It is a beautiful and sophisticated piece of furniture, without which a Scandinavian or royal palace-inspired living rooms couldn’t exist. A large seat, wide backrest and two “wings” on the sides are the basic elements of this charming piece of furniture.
It is hard to imagine wingback chairs without their characteristic footstools. The armchair itself often looks very grand, but wingback chairs with footstools fit into any arrangement very well. A rectangular footstool with round edges placed next to a wingback chair could function as a perfect sitting place for your little one. Additionally, a footstool will become eye-catching, which means that a large armchair won’t feel overwhelming.