Bring the ‘sleeveless’ look into your home decor

A big fashion trend this year is the sleeveless jacket, and you can take that look and apply it to your house easily. Simply weed out the oversized chairs and sofas with the large rolled arms and replace them with a streamlined armless variety.

Oversized arms on seating can instantly date your house. By swapping them out with a simple armed chair or sofa, or an armless option, you’ll instantly update your room, open it visually and add to your square footage.

Slipper chairs

The decor equivalent to a tank top, a slipper chair is at home everywhere around the house. Add extra seating or create a place to put on and take off shoes by adding a slipper chair in the foyer. In the living room and bedroom, slipper chairs can be tucked into a corner to create an inviting reading nook. Because they don’t have arms, slipper chairs add instant space to your living area. It’s why you see them so often in homes that have been staged or are for sale -- they open up the room.

Armless sofas

Your sofa can easily get into the armless act too. Armless sofas are a godsend to anyone with a small living room and the need for more space. While often a more contemporary look, armless sofas are just as at home in a traditional setting and come in a variety of styles.

A sofa that doesn’t have arms can easily accommodate sleepers for an impromptu overnight guest and won’t restrain feet to the confines of the arms. Another side benefit is that if you have both a sofa and loveseat, they can be configured to fit your space much more easily and sit facing one another or as an L-shape that can go on either left or right side.

Variety

Of course, you don’t have to go completely armless in your seating to still get the effect and a little side support to boot. The Matisse slipper chair (www.crateandbarrel.com) has a barrel-back design that has sensual sloping sides that offer more support than the open-sided slipper chair.

If completely armless leaves you feeling unsupported, opt for simple arms that are open on the sides. The effect is more light and airy, and because they’re open, can give them impression of a larger room.

For something really unique, try an armless chaise. It’s the perfect spot for watching TV, taking a nap or enjoying a good book. Easy to get in and out of, an armless chaise could become your favorite place to sit.

To open up your house and give it a big dose of panache, why not surround your kitchen table with a foursome of Poly and Bark Louis Ghost Style Arm Chairs? They virtually disappear but look uber cool at the same time. And given that they’re under $150 each (see Amazon.com), you can have a group of four and not break the bank .