Iconic Designs: 10 Classic Dining Chairs to Know

Dining chairs do more than offer a comfy place for guests to sit while enjoying a laid-back lunch or lavish dinner party. Comfort is paramount, of course, but let’s not forget about style, and the dilemma of choosing a design, material and color that work for you and your table.

For a big dose of style, these midcentury modern dining chairs are sure to impress. And each of these classic seats comes with serious design credentials, so they’re well-made too. At home in any scheme — from a modern pad to a rustic hideaway — these are no ordinary dining chairs. They’re iconic pieces of art. (And they’re comfortable too.)

1. Tolix Model A chair. For a huge hit of industrial cool, look no further than the Model A chair from Tolix. It was designed in 1934 by Frenchman Xavier Pauchard and is also known as the Marais A chair. It’s made from robust sheet metal.

Our love affair with the tough and stackable Tolix chair, which can be used inside and out, hasn’t waned over the years. It looks good with any style of table, too, either in its raw, galvanized finish or in one of a range of rainbow colors.


2. Eames DAW and DSW chairs. Fans of midcentury modern style will be well versed in the iconic chairs designed by husband-and-wife team Charles and Ray Eames.

The Eames DAW armchair (seen here at the head of the table) is one such classic style, originally made in the 1950s from a single shell of fiberglass-reinforced plastic with a maple base. Today the chair is made of molded polypropylene (plastic) but remains as comfortable. Take your pick from a kaleidoscope of bold hues and neutral shades to suit every dining table.

The side chairs without armrests along the length of the table are Eames DSW chairs.


3. Eames DSR chair. Here’s another classic Eames design. This one, the DSR chair, features a trademark single-shell plastic seat neatly atop a gleaming, interlocking wire rod base. The base is fondly known as the Eiffel base, as its shape is reminiscent of the famous Parisian landmark. Choose a single color or go all-out with a mix-and-match vibe to inject personality.



4. Series 7 chair. Grab yourself a slice of Danish design history with the ever-popular Series 7 dining chair. The brainchild of Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen in 1955, this iconic chair still looks on trend some 60 years later — and some say it’s the bestselling design in furniture history.

With a flowing, organic silhouette, the chair is light and has a neat shape. It’s made from laminated, molded wood with shiny chromed-steel tubular legs. There are 10 different veneers and various colored lacquers for a shot of a vibrant hue, should your palette need it.


5. Series 7 stools. Testimony to the versatility of Jacobsen’s Series 7 chair, there are a number of variations that all differ slightly from the original — one with matching armrests, another with a swivel base, a fully upholstered version and even a pint-size model for children.

These sleek, no-nonsense Series 7 bar stools have longer legs for reaching an island top — ideal for family and friends to perch on comfortably (and in the utmost style) at your breakfast bar or island.


6. Bertoia wire chair. Harry Bertoia’s wire chairs have an amazing lightness of structure and ability to add oodles of style to any kitchen or dining room. Oh, and they’re really comfy to boot.

The Italian-born American furniture designer created just a single series of five wire chairs in the 1950s. This one, the Side chair, produced by Knoll, is an out-and-out classic. Interiors aficionados worldwide adore the delicate yet tough design, which comes in black, white, chrome and powder-coated colors and has neat snap-on seat pads. Tough vinyl pads on boldly colored powder-coated versions can also brighten up alfresco eating spaces.


7. Cherner plywood chair. The curvy shape and elegant simplicity of these iconic chairs are thanks to American designer Norman Cherner, who designed them in 1958. After a period out of production, they were reissued in 1999 and now grace homes from Manchester to Manhattan. Made from molded plywood, the Cherner chair and armchair (both pictured) are serious contenders for the best dining chairs around.


8. Tulip chair. Eero Saarinen’s beautifully designed Tulip chair and armchair (both pictured) are stylish and also super comfortable, with simple, sweeping, structural curves fashioned out of molded fiberglass atop a cast-aluminum base.

They’re part of the revolutionary pedestal collection for Knoll by the Finnish-American architect and industrial designer, in which he eliminated what he called the “slum of legs” found underneath tables and chairs.


9. Ercol chair. The classic silhouette of an Ercol dining chair is unmistakable — and you might just be lucky enough to pick up one or two in a secondhand shop or at a garage sale. Ercol still produces its midcentury classics (around the table in this home is a set of Originals All Purpose chairs), as well as modern updates for the 21st century. They’re crafted from solid wood, and you can choose from a range of lacquered finishes, including bold yellow, navy or white.


10. Wishbone chair. If you’re a fan of midcentury Danish design, then Hans J. Wegner’s Wishbone chair is the one for you. With clean lines and an elegant silhouette, the CH24 Wishbone was inspired by antique Chinese armchairs and today can work wonders in any scheme — from chic and pared down to a more modern rustic vibe. The lightweight wooden chair has a gently rounded top, offering the most comfortable seat for a long, leisurely dinner with friends — blissed-out style and comfort in one.

Tell us: Do you like or own any of these iconic dining chairs? Share your thoughts and pictures in the Comments.

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