From grand dinner parties, lazy breakfasts to game nights, life happens in the dining room in several ways.
Selecting the best dining chairs that help you relax and support your posture is imperative for enjoying every meal with family and friends.
Therefore, in this article, we have created a user guide to pick the suitable dining chairs that enable you to create a perfect gathering spot.
How to Select Perfect Dining Room Chairs?
Buying dining room chairs is always intimidating for the reason that you only get a single chance to make a purchase - one wrong move and you will end up with either uncomfortable seating or mismatched interior decor.
Unlimited dining chairs styles also tempt the consumers and often people end up buying pieces that they later regret.
So it would be best if you were well-versed regarding certain factors before purchasing dining room chairs.
What this article will cover:
- Understand The Dimensions
- Location
- Easy to Move
- Choose the Right Finish
- Choose an Appropriate Material
- Consider the Seat Cushion
- Choose an Ergonomic Design
- How Many Chairs?
- Choose the Dining Chair Style
#1 Understand the Dimensions
It's surprising how homeowners pay more attention to the colour scheme of the dining room chairs rather than considering the dimensions to ensure the best comfort possible.
Always remember looks can be deceiving.
After a long chatter dinner with your best pals, you need to invest in comfortable dining chairs that don't give you a backache.
Camfield | French Provincial Dining Chairs
An armless dining chair offers the most optimum comfort if the chair is 60 cm's deep and 55 cm's wide.
It is highly recommended to avoid anything smaller than 55 cm's and 43cm's, respectively.
Dining chairs with arms need an extra space of 15 cm, so not a good idea if you have a space-constraint dining area.
In case someone in your family has a knee issue, pregnant woman, or older, there must be at least one dining chair with arms to provide additional protection and support when getting up and sitting.
Modern dining chairs that follow the curve of the human body and are padded are great options too.
#2 Next Up is Location
Where in the room are you aiming to set your dining room table and chairs?
Dunedin | Velvet Dining Chairs
A round or oval table with curved seats looks marvellous in the centre, whereas high back quilted dining room chairs create an exotic look if placed against the wall.
Do your homework and narrow down the list of your requirements before stepping into the market; otherwise, you will end up utterly confused.
Therefore, deciding on the location of your dining room chairs is essential to choose an appropriate design.
#3 Easy to Move
It is preferable to have dining chairs that can quickly move around the house.
And, this is especially important if your dining chairs are doing double duty, such as using them for extra seating in the living room when guests arrive out of the blue.
La Pyrenee | Black French Provincial Dining Chair
It might also be handy if you are running a home office.
Dining chairs with open backrests provide support while preventing visual clutter.
Plastic-molded and slat-back dining chairs offer a good grip when moving in and out of the dining room.
They are easy to carry for kids too.
The solid-back, heavy-duty chairs are bulky and difficult to manoeuvre.
However, it is best to avoid dining chairs that cutbacks on the support.
#4 Choose the Right Finish
There are several choices for dining chair finishes.
There are dining chairs in various finishes for a sophisticated or modern feel, spanning from rustic teak, provincial to honey oak finish.
The bold coastal dining chairs bring comfort & style to your dining room.
Panama | Coastal Mid Century Dining Chair
The beautifully constructed mid-century dining chairs, render a stroke of class and elegance to your space.
You must take into consideration your dining room’s interiors when picking the right finish.
#5 Choose an Appropriate Material
Dining room chairs come in various designs and versatile materials.
You must take into consideration your environment before selecting the material that would suit your requirements.
For instance, if you have young children at home, you need to select anti-spill material that supports quick clean up; using an upholstered dining chair would be a bad idea.
Similarly, putting beachy style coastal chairs around a fancy looking dining table with a glass top would make your dining area look more like a furniture shop rather than a coherent and well-decorated home space.
Therefore, always select the material of the dining chair wisely.
Some most common dining room chair materials are:
Metal:
Your dining chairs should be constructed out of premium quality as it determines the look and feel of the chairs.
Metal like wrought iron is a preferred choice, as it can withstand extreme weather conditions and won't wear out easily.
Lonsdale | Gunmetal, Industrial, Metal Dining Chairs
Metal dining chairs also give your dining area a contemporary and refined look.
These chairs are also lightweight, so you can quickly move them around inside the house or even take them outside if need be.
These chairs are effortless to clean and just a gentle wipe down is enough to leave your chair sparkly clean, unlike fabric dining chairs which need a proper wash in case of any spill.
You can pair wrought iron chairs with wooden ones to create a contrasting feel.
Wood:
Wooden dining chairs are highly versatile, resilient and available in various styles & finishes.
These chairs create a subtle look in the dining area and compliment the overall theme without overpowering any wall or furniture.
Virginia | Natural Wooden Dining Chair With Arms
Wooden dining chairs are perfect for those who want to set up a dining space oozing out traditional and modern vibes simultaneously.
You can also pair different coloured or patterned cushions with these chairs to create an exclusive dining area look.
Thus, if you need timeless, durable and minimalistic chairs that would go a long way without being subjected to wear and tear easily, you may opt for wooden dining chairs.
Leather:
Leather dining chairs have a classic appeal that produces striking effects.
Leather dining chairs are a cross between comfort and class, providing an easy to clean plush surface and velvet-like texture.
Pembroke | Black Leather Dining Chair
These chairs instantly add a posh touch to any space you place them in.
P.U. leather also comes in various colours to provide unlimited décor options.
Make sure you buy leather dining chairs only from trusted manufacturers; otherwise, the chairs may look cheap.
Upholstered:
While the chair's frame would be either of iron or wood, the outer surface is entirely covered with a fabric of your choice, like velvet or linen in upholstered dining chairs.
These chairs give the dining area a very fancy and posh look.
Beverly | Black Velvet Metal Dining Chair
Upholstered chairs are extra padded, unlike metal or wooden chairs, providing super comfy seating and backrest.
If you are into luxury and comfort, look no further and get an upholstered dining chair set for your dining area.
These chairs require extra maintenance as the outer fabric layer cannot resist scratches and require proper cleaning in case of any food spill mishap but their wow factor more then makes up for it.
Wicker:
Lightweight dining chairs made up of P.E. wicker material are ideal for indoor and outdoor use as wicker material is highly U.V. resistant.
Portland | Wicker Outdoor Dining Chairs
Wicker dining chairs can easily withstand harsher weather conditions, so these are perfect for you if you are looking for durable dining chairs.
Rattan:
Similar to wicker chair in design, but rattan material is more eco-friendly as it comprises of rattan trees.
Sentosa | Natural Rattan Coastal Wooden Dining Chair
These chairs are ideal for creating a country-side coastal look and are great for patio or deck due to durability.
If you prioritize durability over a fancy look, rattan dining chairs are hands down the best for you.
Don't worry, even though the chairs have a formidable outlook, they still look pretty and eye-catching.
#6 Consider the Seat Cushion
A vital aspect to take into consideration when buying dining chairs is seat cushioning.
Your bottom needs to feel like it is on a feathered cloud created by angels.
Eastleigh | Grey Modern Dining Chair
Your dining chairs should provide relaxing back support to lean on and most importantly, cushion needs to ensure great comfort.
The thicker cushioning of dinner chairs doesn't always mean ultimate comfort.
Instead, it is more important that the seat should be wide & deep enough to give proper posture & comfort to the body.
Go for dining chairs that have high-density foam.
#7 Choose an Ergonomic Design
Choosing a dining room chair without honestly considering how many hours you will spend on that chair can prove to be a dangerous decision from a health point of view.
If you only use your dining room for having meals, you may opt for straight back designs or whichever design pleases you the most.
Collins | Black, Fabric, Contemporary Dining Chair
However, if you will be seated in the chair for long hours and the dining room will also be your ultimate spot for work-from-home, you need to look for a scientifically designed ergonomic chair.
Ergonomic dining chairs have curved backs which support a healthy sitting posture while keeping the spine and vertebrae aligned and evenly distributing whole body weight.
Invest in a good ergonomic chair and save yourself from destructive back issues.
If you have concerns on back issues then check out our recent post called " Are Dining Chairs Bad for Your Back?" .
#8 How Many Chairs?
Now that you have decided on your dining room chairs' location, dimension, style and material, here comes the critical element- the number of chairs.
The Usual Suspects
How many chairs you can fit in your dining space depends mainly on the length of your dining table.
6 chairs can easily be placed around an oval or rectangular table that is 182 cm's long, whereas 243-304 cm's long table is required to fit in 8 to 10 dining chairs.
Neither rectangular nor oval dining table?
For an oddly shaped dining table, the rule of thumb is to leave at least 15 cm's of space between each chair, then calculate how many chairs can easily be set around.
Do not forget to properly space your dining chairs from walls or other furniture in the dining area to avoid awkward bumping into anything.
Ideal space between dining chairs and anything else should be at least 90 cm's so that you may get ample scope to move the chair.
#9 Time to Choose the Dining Chair Style
After calculating the appropriate size, material and the number of chairs according to your dining space, here comes the time you may select the perfect dining chair style.
Choosing a perfect design means focusing on the colours, patterns and style of the dining chair.
Dining chairs in subtle colours like light brown, oak, beige, or white look best in a neutral environment where walls and other furniture is also not so bright.
Black or dark chairs work better in colossal dining areas, whereas sleek chairs with a pastel, honey brown, grey, or white finish can make a small room look more spacious.
You may get creative and add a dash of bold colours and patterns in dining chair cushions or upholstery to mix and match with your dining area theme.
If you are abit confused on dining chair style then check out our post called: "Guide To Dining Chair Styles" .
Read more:
- What To Consider When Buying Dining Chairs?
- How To Match A Dining Table And Dining Chairs
- Elevate The Interiors Of Your Kitchen - Buy Dining Chairs!
- Are Dining Chairs Bad For Your Back?
Conclusion
Our suppliers stock a diverse collection of the finest-quality dining chairs and here at Only Dining Chairs, it is our duty to let you know about them.
Whether you are looking for mid-century style chairs or modern chairs in colour finishes such as blue, grey, green, red, hazelnut and many more, there’s something that suits every family.
Each dining chair is crafted with great care and goes through strict quality checks before leaving the warehouse.
We promise you incredible quality, gold-standard material, and a lifetime warranty whatever style you opt for.
Our dining chairs are comfortable, so you can relax and chat with your friends for hours even after having the meal.
Get fast and hassle-free shipping of your order to your doorstep with our exclusive life time warranty for your peace of mind as we know that dining chairs are an investment in good times and comfort.
For more information, call us at 1300 303 764 or Inbox your query at support@onlydiningchairs.com.au.