by The bean bag chairs on the market today are not your parents’ bean bags. The original bean bags popular with teenagers in the 70s and early 80s were filled with Styrofoam or polystyrene beads that would flatten with use or age, eventually making the bean bag uncomfortable and flatten to the floor.
In the 1990s, bean bags fell out of favor after cheaply made products presented a hazard for small children that resulted in several tragic deaths when children crawled inside the bag. Safety measures have since been instituted to prevent more tragedy.
Everything old is new again – legwarmers and perms aren’t the only things making a comeback thirty years later. Bean bag chairs (and ottomans, couches, and even beds) are back and better than ever. Instead of environmentally questionable Styrofoam or short-lived beads, the newer bean bags models use shredded polyurethane foam.
With so many new styles to choose from, it’s common for bean bag chairs to become part of your daily furniture. Because they are made from quality materials and are intended to last for years, it’s important to know how to choose the right style for your preferences and to know how to take care of them so they do last.
Here is your complete guide to choosing your bean bag chairs and taking care of them.
Choosing the Right Bean Bag Chair for Your Home
As you start looking for a bean bag chair, you will probably notice that there is a multitude of styles and shapes of bean bag chairs. There are also accessories that you can add on to add some extra oomph to your room, such as a throw blanket and an ottoman. Bean bags tend to be based on two main types: the lounger bags and traditional sack bags.
The bean bags are available in all sorts of sizes and textures to suit each member of your family. Here’s the breakdown of the sizes and textures available, as well as how to get your free fabric samples to get a feel before you submit your order.
- Size & Color: Round bean bags are commonly referred to as sacks. The longer, more oval-shaped bean bags are better for laying out and relaxing, hence the reference to them as “loungers.” The colors available often depend upon the texture and size of the bean bag. The more economical texture, microsuede, is typically found in almost every color of the rainbow.
- Textures (Fabrics): What do you remember most about the vintage bean bags? For many people, bean bags got a bad reputation because of the cold material that stuck to their legs when they tried to get up and squeaked every time they moved their bodies. One little accidental slice in them meant either the end of the bean bag as all of the innards spilled everywhere or an ugly bag sealed over with duct tape.
There’s good news, though – the new and improved bean bag chairs don’t use that material, at least not the high-quality brands, like Comfy Sacks.
Most reputable bean bags are available in fabrics that range from microsuede to premium leathers. Whatever fabric you are looking to buy, there is probably a bean bag available for you if you search hard enough.
A quality bean bag is made of a material that keeps the texture from compressing, keeping the shape instead of eventually becoming flattered than a pancake. If your bean bag chair flattens after you have only had it a short time, you should look elsewhere for a better choice that will last longer.
You can purchase replaceable covers for your bean bag chairs, too. They are usually machine washable, except for the leather fabric, and the company should offer to replace them should anything unexpected happen.
Where to Place the Bean Bag Chair
Bean bags aren’t just for kids anymore; they can be used to match the decorative theme of any room. The various textures and colors of bean bag chairs available allow buyers to choose the bean bag that matches the colors and ambiance of the room.
Common sense indicates that bean bag chairs won’t get much use in more formal rooms such as the dining room. However, they can get a lot of use in other rooms, especially rooms with televisions or gaming systems. Traditionally, bean bags were reserved for the younger crowd, but now they are enjoyed by people of all ages, and their pets, too!
Even the design magazine giant Architectural Digest knows bean bags are here to stay. They published a story for those who want to incorporate comfort and class together to teach readers the “grown-up way” to use bean bags in their homes. Style does not have to be sacrificed for comfort, and bean bags are not reserved simply for families with young children.
There’s really no end to the ways that home bean bags can be used in your home. For instance, the larger-sized lounger or sacks can be placed in a child’s bedroom and used as an extra bed for sleepovers. In a casual den, the bean bag chair can be used for a spot to watch TV from or curl up with a good book. Because these chairs are washable and designed to be durable, they can be used just about anywhere in your home.
There is also a lot to be said for their convenience features. The fact is that they are, by design, easily transportable, unlike typical furniture. For this reason, bean bag chairs are a popular choice for the younger college crowd. They fit perfectly in the typical college dorm rooms and are easier to move than heavy furniture when the student is ready to move on up and gets their first apartment. Studying while relaxing in a bean bag can be more comfortable and ergonomically friendly than the traditional desk and chair.
Some bean bag sellers offer a free swatch of up to five fabric samples. This allows homeowners to compare the different textures and colors to a room’s overall color and theme. Many of the bean bags can be used by more than one person at a time, perfect for cuddling during movies or huddling together to play video games.
Taking Care of Your Bean Bag
Unlike those dangerous bean bags from the 80s, the new versions have a uniquely designed security zipper that prevents small children from climbing inside the bean bag and suffocating. There should also be an internal liner that is a separate component from the bean bag’s cover, making the bean bags simple to clean and easy to maintain.
If you have this style bean bag, you have chosen well. This adjustment makes every cover easy to remove and throw in the washing machine. However, it’s important to remember to re-zip the cover once it’s removed from the bean bag and before you wash it to keep it from ripping or otherwise getting damaged in the washing machine.
It is recommended that you air dry your covers rather than putting them in the dryer. Some of the covers can be tumble dried using the low heat setting. Other covers, especially those made from sensitive materials, should be air-dried only.
Any type of faux leather fabric bean bag covers should not be placed in the washing machine or the dryer. Spot cleaning is the best way to clean these types of covers.
Another great thing about bean bag chair covers is that they can be washed in your own washing machine. If you received an internal liner in your bean bag, use it for its intended purpose! It allows you to remove the cover easily to be washed. Simply wash the beanbag chair cover in cold water and air dry (or tumble dry on low heat), and your cover will be back to new again in no time.
Most of the new bean bag chair covers are sturdier than bean bags used to be. However, they could still potentially rip or tear if they come in contact with a cat’s claws, a dog’s teeth or a toddler with a sharp object.
Multiple bean bag chairs in one room keep fighting over them to a minimum, but can be difficult to maneuver. Put a reasonable amount of space between your bean bag chairs for comfort and to prevent excess wear and tear.
Why Spend Thousands on Boring Furniture?
Bean bags chairs are ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon, decompressing after a stressful day at work, or just lounging around when you want to relax.
Instead of purchasing expensive, uncomfortable furniture, a sack and lounging bean bag chairs are ideal for every individual in your home. Add accessories like ottomans for extra design flair, show off your imagination and taste, and switch up colors as you feel like it!
Buyers have a vast inventory of textures, sizes, and colors to match different rooms and different family members’ tastes and preferences. With home bean bags, you get comfort, style, and longevity at a fraction of the price of furniture retailers.
