Choosing the right dining chairs for your dining room table is no easy decision. If you host dinner parties often, or just eat in with your family every night, then comfortable dining chairs are a must for your home. But with so many options to choose from – style, shape, armrests and more – it’s hard to be sure that you’re making the right purchase.
Today I’m sharing a guide for purchasing the best dining chairs for your home.
Arrangements
Let’s get started with the most common dining chair arrangements. There are three main types of dining chair arrangements:
All Matching Chairs
The most common dining room chair arrangement is comprised of 2 or more matching dining chairs placed around the table.
Head and Side Chair Combination
Some dining rooms will feature two statement chairs opposite each other at the head and end of the table. 4 or more side chairs are then placed along the table in between the two heads. This dining chair arrangement only works in dining rooms with rectangular-shaped dining tables.
Mismatched Chairs
For an eclectic look, you can opt for a group of mismatched dining chairs. This option works best in industrial style dining rooms and bohemian style dining rooms. For this arrangement, each chair must be unique.
Beyond these three arrangements, you can also use non-conventional seating options like benches, which are great for kids, depending on your needs.
Tips for Buying
My biggest tip for purchasing dining tables is to measure everything before buying! Make sure you leave enough arm space and leg space for every intended guest at your dining table.
The rule of thumb is: 10 inches of leg space (space between the seat and the dining table), and 2 feet of table width space for each guest at your table.
You should also allow for at least two feet of empty space behind each guest at your dining table while they are sitting.
Styles
There are a ton of dining chairs available for every home decor style imaginable. Here are a few ideas:
- Farmhouse dining chairs
- Industrial dining chairs
- Mid-century modern dining chairs
- Bohemian dining chairs
- Coastal dining chairs
- Scandinavian dining chairs
Materials
Dining chairs, like most pieces of furniture, come in a variety of materials nowadays. As the saying goes: you get what you pay for. There’s nothing wrong with purchasing lower-cost products made from synthetic materials, but don’t be surprised when you need to replace them after a year or two.
The most common dining chair materials are :
Wood
Wood is the most common material used to craft furniture. Left in its natural state, wood dining chairs can give a farmhouse or rustic vibe to your space.
Rattan
Rattan is a favorite material for dining chairs in coastal or bohemian homes. The palm-based material is lightweight yet durable.
Plastic
Plastic is a great option for homes with kids, as the plastic can be easily cleaned. Plastic dining chairs are often lightweight making them easy to pick up and use in other areas of your home.
Metal
Metal dining chairs are typically found in industrial-style dining rooms. They could be partially crafted with wood. To make them cozier, you can add a sheepskin throw or buy a seat cushion. Tolix chairs are common metal dining chairs.
I hope these tips will help you pick out the best chairs for your dining room!
I like how you said that you could have a farmhouse vibe with wooden chairs. My fiance and I want to start getting furniture for our new home we plan on moving into in a couple of weeks, so I wanted to know what to pick for the dining room. I appreciate you helping me learn more about the different types of dining chair materials.