Time to take your seat at the table

he kitchen may be the heart of the home, but the dining room is for big talk as each member of the household returns from the outside world and reports on their day.

Playground politics, watercooler chat, that big project you’ve got coming up: it all gets unloaded and unpacked as you sit together for the evening meal. Better get comfortable.

Or, a different scenario: you’ve finally agreed to a date with your pals for a dinner party, and you’ve got three courses on the menu. The wine is flowing, and the night is young; you’re doing as every host should by ensuring your guests’ comfort is paramount - which includes noticing if they’re shifting around on their seat. Either they need the loo and are too polite to say, or that chair they’re sitting on could be better.

In any scenario with a dining table, a great set of chairs is naturally part of the equation. While your table may have come with an entourage of coordinating seats, over time you may want to upgrade them for a different look, swapping the standard style for something new.

Of course, a dining chair needn’t be for dining per se. Find a statement one you love, and you could use it for all sorts of things; as a desk chair for your WFH office, or even as an accent chair in the bedroom to hold discarded-but-not-quite-ready-for-a-wash items, more commonly known as a ‘chairdrobe’.

Whatever the reason you’ve sought out dining chairs, you’ve ended up in the right place. We’ve found some truly excellent styles, which we’ve brought together here for your shopping ease. From designs with a rattan aesthetic to upholstered polished perches, here’s our pick of the best dining chairs to buy now.

With a design as strong as this, your guests will be fighting over who gets to sit in MADE’s Rui chair first. It’s incredibly supportive, with a high back and strengthened armrests made out of sleek black cane. We prefer this chair as an accent look for your desk or bedroom. Also available in beige.

Looking for something different? The angles on Dunelm’s Lara chair won’t fail to bring in compliments, as well as the choice of colours it comes in. There’s navy, green, grey, orange, white, black and a black/beige mix, but this pink is the one that speaks to us the most. Now on sale from £169.

If you like the look enough to get four of the same chair, Amazon has a similar style for £178.99 for four chairs in a black frame with a straw coloured seat.

Whether you’re going for a 70s cafe vibe or like the idea of adding some US diner chic into your home, these retro-looking chairs will make your interior dreams come true. A foxy reddish-brown, they’re made from easy-clean leather on a robust black frame.

As the home of great design, you can always count on MADE for something that looks head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. A perfect example is this cane and black dining chair. The sturdy seat is all curves and pine legs with a comfortable seat depth of 59cm. Add a seat cushion to ramp up the comfort levels.

With elegant curves, tapered legs and a smattering of padded faux leather where it counts, this is a chair that will harmonise with any interiors style. Give it a starring role in your living room or bedroom, or get multiple ones to give your dining table a sophisticated little lift.

A splash of sunshine yellow can be all it takes to give your dining space a cheery little refresh. Dunelm’s contemporary design features upholstery in a flatwave fabric topping Scandi-style legs. Some assembly is needed but it’s perfectly straightforward.

Swap out those tired chairs that came with your bistro table set for something much chicer. MADE has these walnut wooden chairs on sale, ready to bring classic style to your home. The set of two are easy to keep clean (simply wipe down with a damp cloth) and have the versatility to work with all manner of dining tables.

These plush velvet chairs are the quickest way to add a gentle pop of colour to your dining space - with comfort guaranteed. Each comes with a matching seat cushion and they’re available to purchase through Klarna, making a high ticket spend that much more affordable with monthly instalments.

No need for a total dining room renovation: breathing new life into your space can be as simple as changing the chairs. Furniture123 has this set of four dining chairs in a beige chenille fabric to overhaul your space of mix and match with your existing seats. Armrests add to the comfort levels.

Sometimes, all you need is a good pair of chairs to serve their purpose. This no-frills set from Casart Store on Amazon is perfect for busy households with young kids running around as it has no sharp edges. The solid hardwood has been curved back to make it child-friendly. It’s easy to assemble and can hold a weight of up to 120kg each.