A mission style recliner brings a plain, solid, Arts and Crafts look to a chair that reclines. Expect a wood frame with straight lines, wood arms, and leather or faux leather upholstery.
This guide covers where the style comes from, what to look for, and five recliners to compare, one of which is not a mission style chair.
Mission style recliners at a glance
- Mission style furniture is the American Arts and Crafts style. The University of Toledo library describes it as plain and simple, in solid hardwood such as oak, with straight legs and, if upholstered, dark leather.[1]
- Three of the picks are BarcaLounger chairs, and two of them, the Mission 7-3323 and the Mission Recliner in Shoreham Blue, look like the same design. The Human Touch Perfect Chair is a modern zero-gravity chair, and the Leick Home is a compact manual chair.
- Check the frame. The Wenlock has a CARB certified hardwood plywood frame, and the Leick Home has a solid wood frame.
- Keep children away from recliner mechanisms. CPSC staff reported 13 incidents from 2011 to 2021 of children aged 8 months to 5 years caught in home recliners, 7 of them fatal.[2]
- Upholstered furniture made, imported or reupholstered on or after June 25, 2021 must meet the CPSC smolder-resistance standard, and carry a permanent label from June 25, 2022.[3]
Key Specs
| No. | Product | Type | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leick Home Mission Arm Chair | Manual | Faux leather | 32.2 x 37.3 x 35.3 in |
| 2 | Barcalounger Mission Push Thru the Arms Wenlock | Manual | Top-grain leather | 32.7 x 37.5 x 42 in |
| 3 | BarcaLounger Mission 7-3323 | Manual push-back | All leather | 32.7 x 37.5 x 42 in |
| 4 | Human Touch Perfect Chair PC-420 | Manual zero gravity | Premium leather | 31 x 43 x 47 in |
| 5 | Barcalounger Mission Shoreham | Manual | – | 33 x 38 x 42 in |
– = not stated by the maker. Specs as stated by the maker, not tested by us.
Mission Style Furniture and Its Origins
Mission style furniture belongs to the American Arts and Crafts movement. The University of Toledo library says it was often called mission style and that no one is certain how it got the name. Gustav Stickley called it Craftsman furniture.[1]
It was plain and simple, with no decoration apart from an occasional corbel under heavy chair arms. It was made with mortise and tenon joints, from American hardwoods, usually white or red oak, and the legs were usually straight and held together with stretchers.[1]
The Mission Style Recliner and Its Benefits
A mission style recliner takes that look and adds a recline. The BarcaLounger chairs here describe it as classic craftsman styling.
- Removable Pillows – Many mission recliners have loose seat and back pillows that you can lift off and clean. The BarcaLounger Mission chairs have a semi-attached pillow back.
- Leather or Faux Leather – The leather here is top-grain or all leather. The Leick Home is faux leather. The Toledo library says dark leather was the traditional upholstery.[1]
- Recline – The BarcaLounger Mission 7-3323 is a manual push-back recliner. The Leick Home has a manual three-position backrest.
- Wood Frame and Arms – Visible wood arms, such as the mahogany colored arms of the BarcaLounger Mission Recliner, give the chair its look.
Features of a Good Mission Style Recliner
- Upholstery – Leather, bonded leather and faux leather wipe clean. Fabric is less common in this style.
- Frame and Arms – Check what the frame is made of. Solid wood, plywood and engineered wood are all used.
- Seat – Pocketed coil springs, as on the BarcaLounger Mission chairs, support the seat. Check what wraps the springs.
- Recline – Mission recliners are mostly manual push-back chairs. Check the reclined length.
- Size – The BarcaLounger Mission chairs are about 33 inches wide, 37.5 to 38 deep and 42 high.
- Flammability Label – Look for a permanent label that reads Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability.[3]
Recliner Safety Around Children
CPSC staff describe two patterns in the recliner incidents they reviewed: children caught in the lift mechanism under the chair, and children caught by the footrest, including in the opening between the footrest and the seat.[2] Do not let children play on or under a recliner, and check around the footrest before you close it.
How We Chose These Recliners
These picks come from desk research. We compared the makers’ public specifications, the The web product pages and buyer feedback. We did not test the recliners ourselves.
We looked at these factors:
- Style – Arts and Crafts or craftsman design with wood arms.
- Frame – Solid wood, plywood or engineered wood.
- Upholstery – Top-grain leather, all leather or faux leather.
- Mechanism – Manual push-back or manual lever.
- Size – Width, depth and height.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Mission Style Recliners
- What is a mission style recliner?
A recliner in the plain, solid Arts and Crafts style, with wood arms and a wood frame, usually in leather or faux leather. - Where does the name mission style come from?
The University of Toledo library says no one is certain. Some think it comes from the furniture’s purpose, and others from furniture in Franciscan missions in California.[1] - Is the Human Touch Perfect Chair mission style?
No. It is a modern manual zero-gravity recliner with a wood base. - Are recliners safe for children?
Keep children away from the mechanism. CPSC staff reported 13 incidents from 2011 to 2021 of children aged 8 months to 5 years caught in home recliners, 7 of them fatal.[2] - What does the flammability label mean?
Upholstered furniture made, imported or reupholstered on or after June 25, 2021 must meet the CPSC smolder-resistance standard, and from June 25, 2022 it must carry a permanent label that reads Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability.[3]
Reviews: The Best Mission Style Recliners
Here are five recliners, four in the mission or Arts and Crafts style and one modern zero-gravity chair.
We may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This does not change your price.
1
Leick Home® - Mission Arm Chair Manual Faux Leather Mission Recliner
Currently unavailable
The Leick Home Mission Arm Chair is a compact Arts and Crafts style chair in black faux leather on a medium oak solid wood frame, with a manual three-position backrest.
- The manual mechanism needs no power, and the chair measures 32.2 x 37.3 x 35.3 inches.
- It is sold as a reading chair for a bedroom or living room, and it is the only pick with a faux leather cover.
2
Barcalounger® - Mission Push Thru the Arms Wenlock Mission Style Push-Through Arm Recliner
Currently unavailable
The BarcaLounger Mission Push Thru The Arms Recliner in Wenlock Fudge is a mission style recliner with push-through arms.
- The leather is top-grain, with split grain leather on the outside sides and back.
- The frame is furniture-grade hardwood plywood, 18 mm in 11 and 14 plies, with mortise and tenon joints, glued joints and corner blocks, and it is CARB certified.
3
BarcaLounger® - Mission 7-3323 Craftsman All Leather Push-Back Recliner
Currently unavailable
The BarcaLounger Mission 7-3323 is a Craftsman style manual push-back recliner in all leather, in Shoreham Blue, with a semi-attached pillow back.
- It has a bullnose tight seat with pocketed coils and a down wrap, on a Leggett and Platt mechanism.
- The wood is hand carved and mahogany stained, and the chair measures 32.7 x 37.5 x 42 inches.
4
Human Touch® - Perfect Chair PC-420 Zero-Gravity Recliner on a Wood Base
Currently unavailable
The Human Touch Perfect Chair PC-420 is a manual zero-gravity recliner with a premium leather pad and a dark walnut wood base. It is a modern chair, not a mission style piece.
- You recline by shifting your own weight, and it has extended armrests, a full-support head pillow and an adjustable lumbar support system.
- It measures 31 x 43 x 47 inches and weighs about 145 pounds.
5
Barcalounger® - Mission Shoreham Mission Recliner in Shoreham Blue
Currently unavailable
The BarcaLounger Mission Recliner in Shoreham Blue is an Arts and Crafts style recliner with a semi-attached pillow back and mahogany colored wood arms.
- The bullnose tight seat has pocketed coil springs under a down blend feather topper.
- It measures 33 x 38 x 42 inches. It looks like the same design as the Mission 7-3323 in the same color, so compare the two chairs.
Index Table: Top Rated Mission Style Recliners
| No. | Product | Image | Features | Brand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leick Home Mission Arm Chair - Manual Faux Leather Mission Recliner |  |
| Leick Home |
| 2 | Barcalounger Mission Push Thru the Arms Wenlock - Mission Style Push-Through Arm Recliner |  |
| Barcalounger |
| 3 | BarcaLounger Mission 7-3323 - Craftsman All Leather Push-Back Recliner |  |
| BarcaLounger |
| 4 | Human Touch Perfect Chair PC-420 - Zero-Gravity Recliner on a Wood Base |  |
| Human Touch |
| 5 | Barcalounger Mission Shoreham - Mission Recliner in Shoreham Blue |  |
| Barcalounger |
Sources
- University of Toledo, Canaday Library. Arts and Crafts in Interior and Exterior Design. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Staff letter to ASTM F15.42 on child entrapment in home recliners (April 27, 2023). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 16 CFR Part 1640: Standard for the Flammability of Upholstered Furniture. Accessed October 27, 2026.
Update History
- Oct 2026: Rewrote the article around a university library page on Arts and Crafts furniture and the CPSC recliner entrapment and flammability rules, removed the claim that the style is rooted in the Victorian Era and the unsourced history, rewrote all five product notes and corrected their Key Specs (the Leick Home is a manual chair, not a power recliner), and added a takeaways box, a safety section, How We Chose and an FAQ
- Oct 2026: Replaced unavailable products: Comfort Pointe Solaris Recliner with Leick Home Mission Arm Recliner; GDF Marston Recliner with BarcaLounger Mission Recliner
- Oct 2026: Removed Barcalounger Mission Recliner (unavailable)
- Oct 2026: Added a Key Specs comparison table
- Sep 2026: Added BarcaLounger Mission Recliner
- Jun 2025: Added Human Touch Perfect Chair Recliner
- Jul 2022: Added new images
- Feb 2022: Published
