Chaise longue
Also called chaise, chaise lounge, meridienne, recamier, duchesse brisee
An upholstered long chair with an extended seat designed for reclining with feet elevated without retiring to bed.
A chaise longue—literally French for "long chair"—is an upholstered seat designed for reclining with legs elevated. Emerging in 18th-century French salons as an elegant way to rest during the day without retiring to bed, the term is frequently rendered as "chaise lounge" in North America.
Standard indoor chaises measure roughly 73 to 80 inches long and 25 to 30 inches wide, fitting comfortably in reading nooks, primary bedrooms, or living rooms. Key variations include the asymmetrical méridienne with a sloping backrest, the symmetrical récamier featuring raised scroll ends, and the modular duchesse brisée, which divides into a separate armchair and extended footstool.
When selecting a quality piece, look for a kiln-dried hardwood frame crafted with mortise-and-tenon or dowel joints rather than glued softwood. Superior construction relies on eight-way hand-tied springs or dense webbing to prevent sagging, along with high-resilience foam or down-wrapped cushion fills that maintain comfort across the full length.