I'm on the hunt for fab dining chairs for some clients, and there are SO many ways to go that I decided to pull together a bunch of my faves here so that we can see them all in one place and figure out what would look best.
DWR - MILO BAUGHMAN 1188 CHAIR - these arms are probably too high, but i'm obsessed with this beauty and just had to include her.
You'll probably notice that I'm a big fan of DWR chairs. They have so many beautifully-designed pieces, that I just couldn't narrow them down. My clients do NOT want their chairs to be vintage, so I can't scour flea markets and 1st Dibs in search of lovingly used beauties. But I can achieve the mid-century vibe that we're considering by choosing chairs that were actually designed in that era and are still being manufactured today.
Globus Chair in Wood, Powder-Coated Frame
DWR - BERTOIA SIDE CHAIR
Blu Dot also has some good options:
Blu Dot - Knicker Chair
Blu Dot - Clutch Dining Chair
HD Buttercup - Thompson Chair
Wayfair - Charlie Side Chair (this is a very inexpensive option, but chic, option)
Poliform USA - Manta Chair
Restoration Hardware - Bauhaus Side Chair - I'm newly obsessed with the caning on these chairs. it's a lost art that my mother-in-law (in Iowa) still does by hand. Contact me if you want her contact info. She does a lot of repairing, too.
They also really want the chairs to be comfortable. You'd be surprised at how difficult it actually is to find cool chairs that are upholstered and/or cozy enough to sit on for a few hours at a time. Many of my favorites will likely be crossed out because of that. But here's a few they might consider...
Crate and Barrel - Curran grey Side Chair
DWR - Saarinen Executive Side Chair (Wood Legs)
Crate and Barrel - Sonata Leather Side Chair - this one has a good balance of clean-lines and traditional design.
Poliform USA - Grace Chair - I haven't sat in it yet, but it's visually pretty dreamy.
Restoration Hardware - Vintage French Round Cane Back Leather Side Chair
Crate and Barrel - Cody Side Chair
AND here's a few they likely won't....
DWR - Eames® Molded Plastic Dowel-Leg Side Chair (I have these and LOve them, but no, I don't enjoy sitting in them for hours on end).
DWR - Tolix® Marais A Chair (I also have and love these. but again, my tushy doesn't.)
Restoration Hardware - French Café Side Chair (these ones remind me of my childhood kitchen chairs. I wish those puppies were still around!)
Meelano M245 Chair, Gold/White - kinda crazy/glam, and surprisingly affordable - check amazon
Honestly, my gut says that they're going to go with this Bottega Side Chair (below). They like that it's square and masculine, the leather is easier to clean than upholstery, and they're much more comfortable than they look. When you lean back in the chair, the back is flexible and moves with you, which makes a huge difference. It pretty much fits the bill.
DWR - Bottega Side chair
But who knows?? I could be wrong. It's happened a couple of times. ;)
-Anna