Ensure your purchase is going to tick all the right boxes for style, practicality and value
With 2023’s social calendars kicking into gear, many South Africans are looking to revamp their home dining spaces — particularly as inflation and overstretched household budgets mean that many families need to focus more on entertaining at home versus dining out.
Upgrading to a new set of dining chairs can be one of the simplest and most effective ways to overhaul the look of any dining space, without breaking the bank. But it does require a fair bit of thought and planning to ensure your purchase is going to tick all the right boxes for style, practicality and value.
Here are four key steps to follow and the main pitfalls to avoid when choosing dining chairs for your dining room.
1. Start with the function and flow of your dining space
Dining spaces come in all shapes and sizes — from the more traditional bespoke dining room, to the multipurpose, combined dining and living areas found in many contemporary homes today. When choosing dining chairs, always start from the perspective of how you want to use the space, and the overall feel you want to achieve.
The style of your dining chairs will not only help create a more casual or formal atmosphere, but also play a key role in controlling the flow of the space. For example, low-backed or open-backed dining chairs tend to take up less space visually and blend in with the rest of the furniture, creating a more organic flow through the room. On the other hand, high-back chairs with stronger, straighter lines will draw more attention and create a more defined dining area.
For multipurpose dining tables that double as a work-from-home desk, homework station or games area, you’ll likely want to prioritise more comfortable, ergonomic dining chairs. For smaller spaces where you need more versatility, you may want to consider chairs that are easy to stack and store.
As Cielo Head Stylist, Cheryl du Preez, warns: “Avoid the mistake of overfitting your dining space and making it impractical for your family to use on a daily basis. It’s always best to pick your dining chairs based on how you’ll use your dining area most of the time — not for the rare events.”
2. Choose a dining chair style that works together with your existing furniture and décor
The next step is choosing a style and material that suits your existing décor or helps set the tone if you’re starting in a fresh space.
- Upholstered dining chairs are a popular choice for modern and contemporary style homes, when you want a great blend of comfort and luxury, with plenty of options in colours, fabrics and designs.
- Wooden dining chairs tend to have a more classic or traditional feel, but there are plenty of modern designs that lend themselves to contemporary, rustic, farmhouse, country chic and French country style décor.
- Metal dining chairs generally tend to lend a modern or urban feel, so they’re a great choice if you’re looking to modernise your space or go more minimalist.
- Rattan (wicker) dining chairs bring a relaxed, homely look to contemporary spaces and are a perfect fit for the rustic, farmhouse or beach house look.
- Acrylic and polypropylene (high quality plastic) dining chairs are both durable and affordable, and come in many (often quirky) designs and colours to add inspiration to contemporary, modern and eclectic spaces.
The colour and design of your dining chairs doesn’t necessarily have to match your dining table. It’s largely about personal preferences, so don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun with it.
“If you’re going the mix and match route, the golden rule is to include a common element, whether it’s a feature colour, a pattern, a design element or the overall level of formality,” advises Du Preez.
3. Pick chairs that measure up for comfortable dining
Of course, aesthetics don’t go very far without factoring comfort into the equation. Start by measuring your table and dining space, and work out how many chairs you can comfortably fit in.
“Allow for around a 60cm gap between diners, as well as a 90cm buffer between your chairs and other furniture or walls. This not only helps ensure a comfortable dining experience, but will also make the space look cohesive and well-designed,” says Du Preez.
For the chair itself, there are four key dimensions that factor into a comfortable design:
- Seat height: the height of the chair’s seat should be about 45cm off the ground for a standard 76cm high dining table. An average adult diner needs about 30cm between the chair seat and the table top to dine comfortably.
- Backrest height: the chair’s backrest should offer a minimum of 30-40cm of lower back support. The backrest should also be at least slightly higher than the tabletop, or the setting will look squat and awkward.
- Chair width: the width of the chair, excluding armrests, should be around 40-45cm to provide a comfortable seat for most adults.
- Chair depth: a comfortable dining chair for most people has a seat depth of around 50-60cm.
4. Think about the practicality and overall value of the chair
Finally, you’ll want to consider the practical features of the chair, such as durability and how easy it will be to maintain. Metal, wood and plastics generally have a long lifespan and are easiest to clean, while some fabrics may require a little extra care. If you want a low maintenance upholstery with excellent durability, consider genuine leathers and high-grade polyesters. Fabric treatments can also help keep maintenance to a minimum, giving you greater peace of mind.
For most South Africans, value for money can often be the main guiding factor, but it’s important to remember that concrete value (or price tag) should be measured against quality, longevity and the intangible value the product creates when used on a daily basis.
“It’s usually possible to find a quality dining chair that fits in your budget if you know what to look for, and where,” says Du Preez. “At Cielo, we’re continually expanding our dining chair range to bring our customers a massive variety of stylish, quality products that continue to offer true value for money.”
Shop for South Africa’s largest range of dining chairs at Cielo.co.za