How to Choose a Bean Bag: The Complete Australian Buyer's Guide

There is a particular kind of stillness that happens the first time you sink into a truly great bean bag.

Not the plastic-crinkle, bead-shift, sit-upright kind your cousin had in the nineties. We mean the kind where your whole body exhales. Where the day falls away (the commute, the meetings, the noise) and for a moment you are completely, unreservedly comfortable.

That feeling is what a good bean bag is actually selling. Not foam. Not fabric. Not a price point. A place to stop.

If you are shopping for a bean bag in Australia and you want to get it right, finding the right size, the right feel, the right style for your home, this guide will take you through everything you need to know before you buy.

Before you look at colours or sizes, it helps to think about how you actually want to use your bean bag. Different people want different things from the same piece of furniture.

You want to sink in and disappear. You want full-body softness. You want to lie back and not think about your posture. This is the classic bean bag experience: generous, yielding, enveloping. You want a deep faux fur or plush bean bag in a size that lets you really stretch out.

You want something beautiful that also happens to be comfortable. You care how your living room looks. The bean bag needs to earn its place aesthetically, not just functionally. Boucle, corduroy, vegan leather: these are the options for you.

You want structured support without sacrificing softness. You like to sit upright, maybe with a book or a laptop. You want something that holds its shape and supports your back. The DreamPod family was designed specifically for this.

You want something for a child. Size, safety and washability all matter differently when small people are involved.

You want to use it outside. UV resistance and weather tolerance become non-negotiable.

Know which of these you are, and the rest of the decision gets much simpler.

Faux fur and plush bean bags

These are the crowd-pleasers. Impossibly soft, generously sized, available in a wide range of colours, faux fur bean bags are what most people picture when they imagine the perfect lounge-room addition.

The Pierre Fur Bean Bag is our signature range. Available in over a dozen colours, from classic white and charcoal to blush pink and silver grey, the Pierre is the one people reach for after a hard day and don't want to get out of. The faux fur is dense and soft, the fill generous, and the shape holds beautifully even after years of use.

For those who want something even more cloud-like in texture, the Cloud Plush Fur Bean Bag has a slightly shorter, ultra-soft pile that feels almost impossibly luxurious. Available in white and charcoal, among other colours.

For something with genuine visual drama, a piece that stops guests in their tracks, the Arctic Fur Bean Bag in silver grey is inspired by husky fur. Dense, thick and deeply tactile, it is for people who want their comfort to also make a statement.

Who faux fur is best for: Anyone who wants maximum softness, a statement piece, a bedroom or living room focal point, or a bean bag that doubles as a styling object.

Who it might not suit: Those who prefer a more structured sit, or who need something formally styled for a contemporary interior.

The DreamPod is something different. Originally developed with sensory comfort in mind, it has become one of our most loved ranges because of the way it manages to feel supportive and enveloping at the same time. The sensory foam filling moulds to your body without collapsing beneath you, so you feel held, not swallowed.

There are six distinct DreamPod styles, each designed for a different kind of person and space.

DreamPod Classic: The original. Oversized, with a matching headrest included. Available in white and grey. This is the one therapists recommend, parents of sensory-sensitive children seek out, and everyone else simply falls in love with.

DreamPod Chair: A more compact version of the Classic. Sits higher, takes up less floor space, but delivers the same body-moulding comfort. Available in white, charcoal, champagne, navy, alpine grey and the premium Lux edition.

DreamPod Mello: For those who want the DreamPod experience wrapped in a gloriously soft faux fur exterior. The cream Mello is one of the most beautiful things we make.

DreamPod Cruz: A high-back corduroy lounger designed for people who actually want to sit upright. If you work from home, game, or just like proper back support without a rigid chair, this is it.

DreamPod Lounger: The low-profile sibling. Taupe corduroy, ergonomic and beautifully minimal. Sits close to the floor for that intentional, relaxed aesthetic.

DreamPod Nest: The most indulgent of all. An oversized circular faux fur bean bag that is less a piece of furniture and more an event. Available in charcoal and champagne. If your dream Saturday involves barely moving, this is your bean bag.

Who the DreamPod family is best for: People who want structured, supportive comfort; those with sensory sensitivities or processing differences; families with children who need a dedicated sensory space; anyone who finds traditional bean bags too unstructured.

The Boucle Bean Bag range is for the design-conscious. Available in French white, mustard and rust, these are bean bags that could sit alongside a designer sofa without looking out of place. The textured boucle fabric is tactile and warm without being shaggy, and the shape is clean enough to suit contemporary and Scandinavian interiors.

If you have ever looked at a bean bag and thought "I love the idea but it would ruin the aesthetic of my room," this is the one that changes your mind.

The tub chair range takes the familiar organic shape of a tub chair and reimagines it in bean bag form. Curved, structured and surprisingly sophisticated, these are ideal for spaces where you want something that looks intentional rather than casual.

The Corduroy Tub Chair has a soft-ridged fabric that suits relaxed modern interiors. The Vegan Leather Tub Chair is sleeker and more minimal, reading almost like proper furniture. The Outdoor Tub Chair is made from durable oxford fabric designed to handle Australian conditions.

The Knox Bean Bag and Ottoman is a two-piece lounging set in natural or charcoal linen, the kind of thing you see in a beautifully styled coastal home and immediately want. It is more considered than a traditional bean bag, and the matching ottoman means you can put your feet up properly.

If you want something for a patio, balcony, poolside or garden, not just any bean bag will do. The Outdoor DreamPod Chair is weather resistant and UV stable, designed specifically to live outside without fading or deteriorating in the Australian climate.

Getting the size wrong is the most common bean bag mistake. Most people underestimate how big they want to go.

Regular (approx. 100cm diameter): Suits one adult comfortably, or a child with room to grow. Ideal for bedrooms, reading nooks, kids' playrooms and smaller living spaces.

Large (approx. 112cm diameter): The most popular size for adults. You can sink in fully, change position freely and still have a bean bag that doesn't dominate a room.

Extra Large (approx. 120cm diameter): For people who want to really sprawl. Also great for two children, or a large adult who just wants maximum real estate. If you are buying a Pierre or Cloud bean bag for a main living area, this is worth considering.

A practical tip: Lay a sheet of butcher's paper or a bedsheet on the floor in the spot where you're planning to put the bean bag. Trace out the diameter you're considering. This will tell you far more than a number on a page.

The fill inside a bean bag changes everything about how it feels. There are two main types.

EPS (expanded polystyrene) beads: The classic fill. Light, responsive and bouncy. Great for casual seating where you want to sink and shift. Over time, beads compress and lose volume, which is why having a quality liner and access to refill foam matters. Our premium shredded foam filling is far superior to standard EPS beads, holding its shape longer and delivering a more luxurious feel.

Sensory foam: Used exclusively in the DreamPod range. This is a denser, more supportive fill that moulds to the body and provides a more structured sit. It does not compress as quickly, and the feel is quite different to bead-filled bean bags: more held than bouncy.

When do you need a refill? A well-made bean bag with a quality liner should last years before needing a top-up. Signs it is time: the bean bag sits noticeably flatter, it no longer holds its shape, or you are bottoming out when you sit in it. Our full foam refills and 100cm bean bag specific fills make restoring your bean bag straightforward.

Children deserve a bean bag that was designed for them, not just a smaller version of an adult one.

The DreamPod Kids Beanbag Chair comes in a gorgeous latte or grey gingham fabric that looks beautiful in a child's room and is durable enough to actually handle children. The size and shape are designed for small bodies, low to the ground, easy to get in and out of, and properly supportive for reading, gaming or just lounging.

For children with sensory needs, the DreamPod Classic is used extensively in therapeutic settings and homes as a calming, cocooning space. The sensory foam holds the body in a gentle, reassuring way that many children find deeply settling. It is NDIS eligible for those who need it.

A few things worth knowing before you buy:

Most covers are removable and washable. Check the care label, but the majority of our bean bag covers can be unzipped and machine washed on a gentle cool cycle. Never put the filling itself in the washing machine.

Keep it out of direct sunlight where possible, particularly faux fur covers. Prolonged UV exposure can fade the fabric over time. For outdoor use, choose a cover specifically designed for the outdoors.

Fluff it regularly. Especially in the first few weeks of use, giving your bean bag a good shake and plump after each use helps the fill distribute evenly and maintains the shape.

Store it properly. If you are putting a bean bag away for a season, store it in a dry, shaded spot. Compression over long periods can affect the fill, so store loosely rather than squashed under other items.

Before you finalise your choice, ask yourself: where exactly is this going to live?

Not "in the lounge room." Where, precisely? Near the window? In the corner? In front of the TV? Is there natural traffic through that area? Will it need to move regularly?

A large faux fur bean bag in a high-traffic hallway is going to be more friction than joy. A DreamPod Classic tucked into a quiet corner of the bedroom or a reading nook becomes a daily ritual. The right bean bag in the wrong spot is still a missed opportunity.

Think about the specific spot. Think about who will use it most and how. Then choose.

We want to be honest about something.

You are not really buying foam and fabric. You are buying a moment in your day that belongs entirely to you. The exhale after the school run. The decompression after a long meeting. The Saturday morning that starts without a to-do list. The corner of the living room that has become, without anyone declaring it, your place.

A bean bag done properly is not a piece of furniture. It is permission to stop.

That is what we think about when we make them. And it is what we hope you feel the first time you sink in.

Browse the full range of bean bags, DreamPods and accessories at Ivory & Deene. Fast shipping to anywhere in Australia on all bean bag orders.