The One Unexpected Seating Style Designers Call Their ‘Secret Weapon’ for a More Social Living Room This Hosting Season

Hosting season always makes me look at my living room with fresh eyes. As soon as guests walk through the door, I’m reminded that a space that feels perfectly comfortable day-to-day for myself, my husband, and our dog suddenly feels off once there are more people and more conversations in the room.

So to avoid a last-minute panic, this year, I asked designers how they design the perfect living room layout that will rise beautifully to the occasion, and their answer surprised me. It turns out: the swivel chair is where it's at.

According to the experts, this unexpected living room seating idea is the secret to effortless entertaining: it encourages natural conversation clusters, keeps sightlines open, and makes the whole room feel more dynamic. If you’re making just one living room update ahead of hosting season, this might be the smartest (and most stylish) place to start.

When I asked designers to name the one living room furniture choice that instantly makes a living room more hosting-friendly, the answer was surprisingly unanimous. Rather than suggesting adding more seating or a total layout overhaul, every designer I spoke to pointed to a single piece that transforms the way a room functions when you’re hosting.

It’s not oversized, it’s not particularly flashy, and you might even overlook it entirely in a furniture showroom – but bring a swivel chair into your living room and suddenly the space feels more social, more adaptable, and far better connected.

Paulina Hospod, president at Aha Interiors in New York City, says: 'Swivel chairs are my secret weapon – they pivot between guests or the TV in seconds, making the space feel social, flexible, and hosting-friendly.'

Designer Kailee Blalock at House of Hive Design Co. echoes the sentiment, highlighting why swivels are so effective in living room layouts, adding: 'A swivel chair is our secret weapon, it bridges zones and keeps the layout flexible for gatherings. Use a pair of matching chairs instead of a love seat, it's more versatile for both conversation and scale.'

One of the biggest challenges during hosting season is keeping the room feeling connected, even as guests naturally break off into smaller groups

By allowing seating to rotate between conversation clusters, focal points, or entertainment zones, they help the room feel more fluid. Whether used as a pair, flanking a sofa, or floating within the layout, swivel chairs offer movement and connection that standard armchairs simply can’t match.

'I love to incorporate swivel chairs as they are easy to pivot to accommodate multiple conversation clusters in the room,' says designer Aimee Meisgeier of AM Interior Design. 'I also use a square configuration furniture layout a lot that incorporates a sofa, two occasional chairs, along with their matching ottomans, surrounding a round coffee table.'

'I like to place the ottomans on the opposite side of the sofa, to add additional seating, but they could also be used with their corresponding occasional chair, if the furniture layout was switched at some point,' she advises.

Swivel chairs allow a structured furniture layout to feel relaxed and responsive, helping guests face each other naturally without having to move furniture around. Paired with ottomans, as Aimee suggests, they create a layout that can expand or completely reorient depending on how the evening unfolds.

'Ottomans and benches are the most versatile pieces of furniture,' agrees designer Lauren Gilberthorpe. 'They can be moved easily, used as tables when topped with a tray, and provide informal seating when hosting. In many of our projects, a generously upholstered ottoman replaces a traditional coffee table to soften the layout and encourage people to gather around it.'

To make all this movement work, you want to ensure that the space has a strong enough visual anchor in the space.

'It’s all about balance, not size. In my own home, a large sofa anchors the wall to the kitchen, with swivel chairs and ottomans completing the dialogue,' advises Paulina. A sturdy sofa sets the tone and orientation of the space, while accent chairs add the conversational flexibility that makes the room feel welcoming and lived-in.

While swivels shine during lively gatherings, they’re also just as valuable when the evening winds down and the living room shifts into a cozy night in.

Lynn Berney, Alexa Evans, and Tracy Gould from LTA Interiors suggest swivel chairs as the perfect addition for TV viewing from every seat. 'Consider using swivel chairs and a sectional sofa that allows for both chatting and movie nights, and keep lighting soft and indirect to reduce glare.' Their ability to rotate means everyone can find the perfect viewing angle without rearranging the entire room.

After speaking with the experts, it’s easy to understand why swivel chairs keep being described as a secret weapon in design. They solve multiple layout challenges at once – improving flow, conversation, and easing the transition between different activities – all while looking super stylish.

Shop Stylish Swivel Chairs

Swivel chairs may be a great holiday addition, but according to designers, they're great for year-round hosting and entertaining. Perfect for movie nights, games evenings, family get-togethers, and just generally helping to create a sense of balance in your interior design.