Dinng Room Chairs
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Early 20th Century French Dining Room Chairs
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Finding the Right chairs for You
Chairs are an indispensable component of your home and office. Can you imagine your life without the vintage, new or antique chairs you love?
With the exception of rocking chairs, the majority of the seating in our homes today — Windsor chairs, chaise longues, wingback chairs — originated in either England or France. Art Nouveau chairs, the style of which also originated in those regions, embraced the inherent magnificence of the natural world with decorative flourishes and refined designs that blended both curved and geometric contour lines. While craftsmanship and styles have evolved in the past century, chairs have had a singular significance in our lives, no matter what your favorite chair looks like.
“The chair is the piece of furniture that is closest to human beings,” said Hans Wegner. The revered Danish cabinetmaker and furniture designer was prolific, having designed nearly 500 chairs over the course of his lifetime. His beloved designs include the Wishbone chair, the wingback Papa Bear chair and many more.
Other designers of Scandinavian modernist chairs introduced new dynamics to this staple with sculptural flowing lines, curvaceous shapes and efficient functionality. The Paimio armchair, Swan chair and Panton chair are vintage works of Finnish and Danish seating that left an indelible mark on the history of good furniture design.
“What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts,” said Ray Eames.
Visionary polymaths Ray and Charles Eames experimented with bent plywood and fiberglass with the goal of producing affordable furniture for a mass market. Like other celebrated mid-century modern furniture designers of elegant low-profile furnishings — among them Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Finn Juhl — the Eameses considered ergonomic support, durability and cost, all of which should be top of mind when shopping for the perfect chair. The mid-century years yielded many popular chairs.
The Eameses introduced numerous icons for manufacturer Herman Miller, such as the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, molded plywood dining chairs the DCM and DCW (which can be artfully mismatched around your dining table) and a wealth of other treasured pieces for the home and office.
A good chair anchors us to a place and can become an object of timeless appeal. Take a seat and browse the rich variety of vintage, new and antique chairs on 1stDibs today.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
Dining room chairs with arms require more space than armless ones.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021For a living room, there are many types of chairs that can qualify as “comfortable” depending on individual preferences. When choosing a comfortable chair, consider the seat, which supports your weight, the back, which provides lumbar support, and the arms, which are especially important if you use the chair for long hours. Comfortable chairs are generally popular furniture pieces, but Mid-Century Modern, Modern and Art Deco styles are often sought at 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Dining room chairs with arms are simply called armchairs. They are not to be confused with armchairs used in seating areas. A dining chair without arms is a side chair. You'll find a collection of antique and vintage dining chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022No, your dining room table and chairs do not need to match. Coordinated colors and styles can add visual flair to a space, and is a great way to show off your personal style. Shop a collection of dining room tables and chairs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 25, 2019
The seat of a dining room chair is typically 18 inches from the floor and 16 to 20 inches wide.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 2, 2023What kind of chairs you put in a living room is up to you. Many people furnish living rooms with accent chairs, which are crafted with both comfort and style in mind. If you have a desk in your living room, you may want to place a stationary or rolling desk chair in front of it. Since there are no rules for decorating, you're free to use dining chairs, benches and stools for living room seating. On 1stDibs, find a large selection of chairs from some of the world's top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023To protect your woven dining chairs, try a fabric protection spray designed for the specific type of material. Follow the application directions printed on the bottle for best results. Also, wipe your chairs clean after every meal with a slightly damp cloth to reduce the risk of stains. On 1stDibs, find a range of woven dining chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 12, 2023To choose an accent chair for a living room, first measure the floor space available for your chair and the height of the seats of the other furniture in the room. You'll generally want to select a chair that will fit your floor plan and has a seat height that is no more than 4 inches taller or shorter than the other furnishings in the seating area. Next, consider the style and color scheme of your room, looking for chairs that will match. Once you have narrowed down the options, compare materials and prices to select the chair that will suit your preferences, coordinate with the rest of your space and fit your budget. Explore a wide range of accent chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertDecember 12, 2023What big living room chairs are called depends on their style. A chair that has an integrated footrest is a lounge chair or a chaise longue, while one with a tall back that curves in at the top is a wingback chair. Chairs that feature footrests that raise and lower with the touch of a button or pull of a lever are recliners. A chair-and-a-half is an extra-wide living room chair with a deep seat. On 1stDibs, find a wide range of living room chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 1, 2023No, accent chairs in a living room don't have to match. In fact, you're free to mix and match accent chairs as you see fit. To tie the room together, choose chairs that have something in common, such as color or materials. On 1stDibs, find a large collection of accent chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 1, 2023Yes, you can use a lounge chair in a living room. In fact, the chairs are especially well-suited to use in living rooms. After all, the purpose of a lounge chair is to allow you to lean back and relax, and many people retire to their living rooms to unwind at the end of the day. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of antique and vintage lounge chairs.
- 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 23, 2024Many people call a lounge chair for the living room a chaise longue, meaning "long chair” in French. It's also perfectly acceptable to call a living room chair a lounge chair, as the term doesn't only apply to outdoor furniture. Find a wide variety of lounge chairs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The entire back of a dining chair is simply called the chair back. It may have another name that more accurately describes the shape such as an X back or a cross back. The individual parts of a chair back include the ear, top rail, cross rail, stile and back post. On 1stDibs, find vintage and contemporary dining chairs from top sellers around the world.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021The best fabric for dining room chairs is really a matter of preference. Those who are looking for maximum durability should opt for a smooth synthetic fabric that is liquid repellant. Shop dining room chairs in a variety of fabrics on 1stDibs.
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