A bespoke armchair is one made for you rather than taken off a shelf. At Occasional Chairs you choose the chair, the fabric and the leg colour, and your armchair is built once you have ordered. Every chair is designed in York and handcrafted in Nottingham.
What makes an armchair bespoke?
In furniture, bespoke means made to your specification. For an armchair that mostly comes down to fabric: the same frame looks quiet and classic in a plain weave and quite different in a large-scale pattern, and the choice is yours. Because each chair is made to order, there is no warehouse of identical chairs. If you are weighing bespoke against ready-made, our guide to bespoke versus off-the-shelf armchairs sets out the differences, and what bespoke means explains the term in more detail.
Choose your armchair
Our range includes compact occasional chairs, roomier armchairs and high-backed wingbacks. Browse everything in the chair gallery, or start with a style: armchairs, occasional chairs or wingback armchairs. Not sure which suits your space? Our guides to choosing an armchair for a small room, choosing a wingback chair and what an occasional chair is are a good place to begin.
Choose your fabric
Fabric does most of the work in a bespoke armchair. We offer hundreds of designer fabrics from leading British and European houses, including Romo, Sanderson, Linwood and GP&J Baker. Browse them on our fabrics page, read how to choose fabric for an armchair, or compare bouclé and velvet. When you have a shortlist, order free fabric samples and see them in your own light before you decide.
How much does a bespoke armchair cost?
Prices run from £1,010 to around £3,200, depending on the chair and the fabric you choose. Every chair has a starting price that rises with the fabric. Our guide to how much a bespoke armchair costs explains what affects the price.
How long does it take?
Allow around 10–12 weeks from order to delivery, because each chair is built for you. Here is what happens in that time, and how bespoke ordering works sets out the steps from first enquiry to delivery. Our delivery page explains how your chair arrives.
Designed in York, handcrafted in Nottingham
We design the range at our studio near York, and each chair is built by hand in Nottingham, the traditional heartland of British upholstery. Read more about our British-made armchairs, or if you are local, see our page on bespoke armchairs near York.
Bespoke armchair questions
Can I choose the fabric? Yes. You choose from the fabrics offered for each chair, and free samples are available.
Can I see a chair before I order? Yes. Our studio is open by appointment, so you can sit in the chairs and look through the fabrics.
Do you deliver? Yes, to UK mainland addresses. See our delivery page for details.
Talk to us or visit the studio
The best way to choose is to sit in a chair and hold the fabrics. Our studio is at Landsvale, High Catton, near York, and visits are by appointment. Get in touch or call 01904 215603.
Occasional Chairs, Landsvale, High Catton, York YO41 1EH · 01904 215603 · Designed in York, handcrafted in Nottingham.