> kitchen
Seating
The simplest things in the home can be the hardest to get right. The celebrated 20th-century designer Mies van der Rohe famously declared that it was easier to design a skyscraper than a chair. Browse our selection of classic and contemporary dining options here.
Holland Slip Cover Dining Chair AnthropologieWe’re starting to see more sofas with removable covers so you can wash them or change colours with the seasons. But the dining chair version hasn’t changed since the Nineties and remains a rather boxy affair that hides the legs (very Victorian) and makes any chair look inelegant and showroom. This, with its short, scalloped trim, is altogether better. Comes in green with a pink trim or black and may just be the answer to everyday spillage problems.
Wood H17 WindsorRoyal DesignEver since visiting Skye McAlpine’s home for our podcast (The Great Indoors) I have been slightly obsessing over the thought of dark green chairs round the dining room table. You can either paint some vintage ones or you can buy these, which are classic in style but the colour will mix things up a bit. Dark green loves all the other colours on the spectrum and is, in case you were wondering, the colour of creativity. So if the last couple of years has seen you sitting working at the kitchen table, why not make the chairs start working for you? There are lots of other colours available, too.
Effie Dining ChairAnthropologieEveryone’s seemingly doing a variant of these chairs, from Soho Home to Oliver Bonas. Pick your price point, choose your colour and away you go. If you haven’t got room for six then buy two or four and add a bench. But be prepared to have to offer these to the guests.
Case Robin Day 675 ChairJohn LewisA design classic that has stood, and will continue to stand, the test of time. It was designed in 1952 and remade to be slightly more compact in 2014 - in collaboration with the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation. The seat pad is large and comfy, so this will work in the office as well as the dining room.
Batignolles Walnut Bar Chair by E GallinaLa RedouteLike bedside tables, good barstools are notoriously hard to find, which is why I often start with vintage. But if you’ve had no joy there (and budget can rule it out) then this is a good one. I used to prefer seat-only stools but these days, maybe it’s age, there’s no doubt that something with a low back is more comfortable and means you can sit and chat over just one more for the road, for a little while longer. The seat is solid walnut, the back is veneered rubberwood. It comes in oak as well, but that will look more modern so it depends on what you are after. There is a matching chair, but for my money it’s a little top-heavy so stick to the barstools. It doesn’t all need to match.
Kartell Piuma Chair Heal'sKartell have come up with a new technique to create this injection-moulded thermoplastic chair which means it's just 2mm thick but incredibly strong and weighs little more than 2kg, making it easy to move around from dining table to desk or vice-versa. Its curved arms will support yours and you can add a lumbar cushion if needed. I like this soft yellow to bring the sunshine into your office but there are six other shades to choose from.
Ambi Wooden Stool tallnkukuYou'll never go wrong spending on a good wooden stool. Tall ones can double up as plant and lamp stands and short ones as bedside or side tables. This is made from sustainable mango wood and while it looks perfect au naturel you could also paint it again and again as the mood takes you. Perfect for the renter who is trying to build up a collection of furniture that will work in any house no matter what its size or ownership.
Two Bergen Dining ChairsCox & CoxChairs are expensive – they are hard to make, after all. With that in mind it makes sense to invest in something you are going to love for a long time which is one of the many reasons I don’t have upholstered dining chairs as eventually they will become threadbare and stained. Better to buy quality wood in a classic style that you can always paint another colour if you fancy a change. These are oak so perhaps you shouldn’t ever paint them, but you could always strip them back again if you did.
Jimi Solid Rubberwood Bar BenchLa RedouteThis definitely has echoes of classic Ercol and it’s a great space-saver as well as a versatile piece that can be used in kitchens, halls and even bedrooms, so it’s well worth the investment. Rubberwood is regarded as eco-friendly because it's harvested when it no longer produces latex, meaning it would otherwise be burned, so it’s given a useful second life. It’s also more affordable, since it’s regarded as a by-product.
Solid Tamsin Dining ChairAnthropologieThese are brilliant chairs. Simple styling but the key is in the powder coated steel legs that match the body of the chair. Ignore the blue and brass, that’s not the one you want at all but plump instead for the green and pink or terracotta. This is also a really good price for a chair. Get it while it’s there.
