There are many classic chair designs in cane, wicker, and cording, but 5 in particular stand out to me. You really can’t go wrong with one of these—-classic, but still current, grown up, yet understated.
THONET BENTWOOD
Bentwood chairs are the perfect cafe chair. I think of it as the white linen shirt of interiors: a staple- never trendy, but never out of style.
effortless style by Lotta Agaton for Marimekko
casual, rustic, yet still sophisticated
You actually have a good chance of scoring a bentwood chair on eBay or Craigslist, and building a set over time. But if you are the type that needs instant gratification, you can buy them new from Design Within Reach.
HOFFMAN 811 CHAIR
The Hoffman 811 bentwood chair is the Thonet’s dressier and sexier sister. If the bentwood chair is the linen shirt, the Hoffman is in silk.
Sheena Murphy balances “grown up” with “family friendly” in her Brooklyn loft
so simple and fresh
Using a classic chair design balances the risks taken elsewhere in the Alex Hotel in Perth, Australia
MARCEL BREUER’S CESCA
The MoMA names the Cesca Chair as one of the 10 most important chairs of the 20th century. Named after the designer’s daughter, Francesca, and inspired by the tubing of bicycle handlebars, this chair brings a certain playfulness to any room.
I contrasted the modern Cesca chair with a salvaged farmhouse table in this San Francisco dining room
The design firm Space Exploration uses Cesca chairs in a simple breakfast nook in Brooklyn
Cesca chairs are pretty common - you can easily pick up a secondhand set.
HANS WEGNER WISHBONE
I don’t think the wishbone chair will ever go out of style. Its sculptural beauty makes it a bit more of a statement chair, but still subtle.
Olivia Barbarczy’s dining room is so welcoming
Wishbone chairs at the historic Villa Le Trident on the Cote D’Azur
MOLLER
These Moller chairs are the ultimate in mid-century design. They are expensive and completely worth it. Splurge! If we continue with the fashion analogy - the Moller is the cashmere sweater of interiors..
Amber Interiors doing what she does so well— layering textures.
Nordic simplicity perfected by Spatial Code in Copenhagen
VALUE
I always think its best to buy the original instead of a knock off. These chairs can be an investment, but unlike newer, trendier designs, they hold their value. I always advise clients that you can resell them for more or less what you paid. Scour eBay, Craigslist, Chairish, etc… and buy a lovingly restored set. You can’t replicate patina!
HOW TO MATCH DINING CHAIRS TO THE TABLE?
You don’t!
I get many questions about how to match chairs and table and I always say “do whatever feels good”. Honestly, there are no rules here (at least no rules that shouldn’t be broken at times). I love a juxtaposition of materials and styles: fancy with rustic, plastic with antique, shiny with dull,, modern with stuffy. Or keep it the all the same—I like that too. Do what makes you happy!
The caveat is that both table and chairs need to be well designed in their own right (no dorm room furniture please) - which is why I’m a fan of these classic styles. You just can’t go wrong with them.