Gray Accent Chairs Are The Neutral Touch Your Living Room Is Missing — And I Found Some for Under $500

A gray accent chair might be the perfect minimalist piece to tie your room together. Style Editor Brigid Kennedy is back with another line-up of her current faves

gray accent chairs on a colorful background
(Image credit: Home Depot, West Elm, Target, Wayfair)

The color gray — specifically as it relates to gray accent chairs — doesn't get nearly enough love. On its worst day, it's described as drab, boring, or even dull. But on its best day, it's understood as neutral, minimalist, and versatile. It goes with nearly everything, and works in basically every room in the house. That doesn't sound very boring to me!

As part of my quest to convince you that this shade does, in fact, make for one of the best accent chairs money can buy, I've taken the liberty of selecting a few A+ accent options to show you (not tell you) what I mean. Below, you'll find an expertly curated edit built with my extensive shopping knowledge in mind. An accent chair like this could be just the finishing touch your living room needs; that's what these pieces are there for, after all.

'Adding an accent chair enriches a space by providing extra seating, enhancing the room's aesthetic, and introducing a focal point,' says interior designer Nina Lichtenstein. 'Moreover, it can bring texture, color, or a contrasting element to complement the existing decor and elevate the room's design. As a result, accent chairs contribute to a visually dynamic and inviting environment.'

So let's get cracking on, shall we? Today's the day we reclaim gray. Onward!

12 of the best gray accent chairs

Livingetc knows design. We spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, bringing only our edit of the very best to you. Find out more about how we review.

Can't get enough of accent chairs? I've been there. Check out our edits of the best blue accent chairs, best wooden accent chairs, and best white accent chairs next!

What is the difference between a dining chair and an accent chair?

The main difference between dining chairs and accent chairs has to do with how they are used.

'Dining chairs are typically designed for specific dining tables, emphasizing functionality and comfort during meals. They often come in matching sets and are tailored to fit the dining table's height,' Nina tells me. 'On the other hand, accent chairs are more versatile. They can be strategically placed in various areas of the home to add visual interest, complement existing furniture, or create cozy nooks for reading or relaxation.' Unlike their counterparts, 'accent chairs are not bound to a dining table and offer more flexibility in terms of design and placement.'

Brigid Kennedy
Writer

Brigid Kennedy is a freelance writer and former style editor for Livingetc.com, where she scoured the internet for the best and most stylish deals on home decor and more. She also served as the website's in-house sofa expert, completely revamping and reworking Livingetc's expansive sofa buying guide by interviewing a total of 17 interior designers and sofa experts at top brands like Article and Benchmade Modern; sitting on upwards of 50 sofas across both Pittsburgh and New York City; extensively polling her friends and family for their own sofa-buying anecdotes and product recommendations; and traveling to Dallas, Texas, to tour the floor of a couch factory. In total, she estimates she has spent 40+ hours (and counting!) reading, writing, and talking about couches with accredited sofa connoisseurs o then pass that knowledge on to you. She describes her personal design style as colorful and clean, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching movies, and curating impossibly niche playlists on Spotify. She recently relocated from Manhattan to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she's decorating and DIYing a new home downtown.