The best dining chairs for every budget

A good dining table and chairs can be tricky to find. So, whether you're after modern dining chairs or traditional, we've rounded up the best of the bunch to help you choose.

How to choose the right dining chair

Before making your decision about exactly which chairs you’d like to purchase, ask yourself what your requirements are. If you have a young family, something wipeable and moveable is the most practical option; wood for a warmer look, or perhaps a metal dining chair if you want to go a little more stark and utilitarian. A plain wooden one can be easily painted yourself, if you're in the mood for a creative project. For a chair with both a softer appearance and more cushioning, an upholstered one is the way to go. If you often have surprise guests, a few folding chairs kept in easily accessible storage will mean you’re always prepared. If you have an open plan house, you’ll want something with enough presence to delineate its’ own ‘zone’. Will you use these seats everyday or will they be kept for special occasions? If it is the former, then bear in mind that something covered in a sumptuous fabric may need to be reupholstered at some point.

Best dining chairs 2026

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Armchair

CH24 Wishbone Chair in Natural Paper Cord & Coloured Wood

If a set of four or six of these dining chairs will take you over budget, try placing one of these at the head of the table, with more simple chairs down the sides. This will pull focus to the smarter chairs without breaking the bank.

Image may contain: Chair, Furniture, and Wood

Turner Oak Dining Chair

Rowen and Wren's oak collection is a thing of beauty and these dining chairs are the crown jewels. Mix and match with arm and armless options for a comfortable and beautiful set up.

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Bobbin Dining Chair

Anthropologie's furniture offering is going from strength to strength, and these dining chairs are no exception.

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Habitat 60 Larsa Solid Wood Dining Chairs, red, set of two

A vibrant, budget edition of a seating classic, we love this red bentwood chair from one of our favourite high street furniture shops.

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Stafford Velvet Dining Chair, blood orange

Covered in plush velvet, this chair would look fantastic placed around a round dining table or in a formal room.

Image may contain: Chair, and Furniture

Philippe Starck for Kartell Masters Chair

Utterly fun and modern, these chairs, loved by interior designers, would look fantastic in a bright open plan space.

Windsor Spindle Back Chairs, set of two

Windsor-style chairs have been around for generations and lovely pieces like this will ensure they stick around for a few more.

Spindle Dining Chair, blue, set of two

A classic chair from a high street favourite, perfect for a family home.

Image may contain: Chair, Furniture, and Wood

Cedak Wood Chairs, set of two

Sitting at a smart dining table, these chairs would hold their own without being too dramatic.

Chiara Dining Chairs, forest, set of two

These chairs would look equally fabulous as bedside tables as they would dining chairs.

Three edits of dining chairs

Selected by Ruth Sleightholme, our former style director.

Image may contain Chair Furniture Cafeteria Indoors Restaurant Architecture Building Lounge and Interior Design
Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Two Cane Webbing Dining Chairs, natural

Image may contain: Lamp, Table Lamp, Plywood, Wood, Chair, and Furniture

Daystak RD1 Side Chair by Robin Day for &Tradition, beech-walnut

Image may contain: Plywood, Wood, Furniture, Chair, and Bar Stool

HAY Rey Chair, golden

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Wood

Highgate Chair

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

The OX9 Chair

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, Wood, and Plywood

Woodwose Dining Chair

Image may contain Chair Furniture Indoors Interior Design Play Area Floor and Bar Stool
Image may contain: Canvas, Chair, and Furniture

HAY X-Line Chair, chrome frame

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Alu Chair by Fien Muller & Hannes Van Severen for Valerie Objects, burgundy and pink

Image may contain: Furniture, Table, Dining Table, Chair, Architecture, Building, Dining Room, Indoors, and Room

Onda Chair by Isabel Alonso

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Canvas

SOB Chair B No.2 by Carl Clerkin for Sons of Beasley

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Armchair

Easton Dining Chair, fern & teal

Image may contain Chair Furniture Indoors Interior Design and Play Area
Image may contain: Furniture, Wood, Bar Stool, and Chair

Of Nature Puffed Chair by Wilkinson & Rivera

Image may contain: Furniture, Bar Stool, and Chair

Enki Chair, ebonised oak

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Biarritz Chair by Rose Uniacke

Image may contain: Furniture, Bench, Chair, and Wood

Mirlo Armchair by Victor Hahner

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Canvas

The Alexis Chair

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Colton Dining Chair

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Scorched-through Dining Chair

More of our favourite designer dining chairs

Image may contain: Furniture, Chair, and Canvas

Plia Chair

This 1960s Italian chair is a really stylish and accessible way to spruce up your dining area. Even better, you can keep one or two folded away in storage for when you need more seating.

Image may contain: Furniture, and Chair

Emeco Navy Chair 1006

Designed in 1944 for the US Navy during World War II, this brushed aluminium chair is a utilitarian classic.

Bistro style seating</a>, like this chair, is synonymous with Parisian streets and chic cafés. Why wouldn't you want to bring some of that to your home?</p>\n","productBrand":"","dangerousHed":"Beaux-Arts Chair, D002","embedSize":null,"isSponsored":false,"offerRetailer":"Maison Louis Drucker","offerUrl":"https://www.maisonlouisdrucker.com/en/chairs/beaux-arts-d002/","contentType":"product","productId":"6414897542656199c29b9a72","showOfferUrl":false,"showPriceOnButton":true,"showAffiliateDisclaimerOnFirstProduct":false,"dangerousCredit":null,"showLocalisedOffers":true,"hasCheckPriceFeature":false,"isUpcEnabled":true,"showClampedProductDescription":true,"productDescriptionLineLength":5,"hasReadMoreFeature":false,"index":35,"hasAffiliateLinkDisabled":false,"isMobileView":false,"showMultipleImageCount":4,"hasProsConsFeature":false,"hasRatingFeature":false,"pros":[],"cons":[],"rating":"","shouldUseAmazonPrimeDayLiveAPIData":true,"contentInfo":{"contentUrl":"https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/dining-chairs","contentName":"The best dining chairs for every budget"},"enableGtmFixesIntersectionObserver":false,"enableGtmFixesUseRef":false,"textBadge":null,"seal":null,"id":"6414897542656199c29b9a72","brand":{"name":""},"offers":[{"offerUrl":"https://www.maisonlouisdrucker.com/en/chairs/beaux-arts-d002/","price":"£612","currency":"GBP","purchaseUri":"https://cna.st/p/AipVsHgLTh89YnZk3AsDMFxEF429X3PF7D5Py36o41GPLNDSFcF7Nb2fyXFE5jjJD1NqSjXYCjcxJDCFBJs9EwxiP2CthECMPEkN4GzCLyvS2wRyBpS9CuKeUCGJ17LtCo4PWajTusP3YmAgXrHkMwT1SaE1kjYnLJ1yJpLxrDNSnfHAgqksJtWqjvSHefoiuvRfjbFbWzL5aGcuM4zgT9MsV5v2JNYVECJwreV1kkaHF4mZjjNVpi6z1f4UVBtF9Gwk4pLqYhbZnXVG9xDFuxp2gNQSwj3JGZiKDTzrZHT3Ptoq8rJdJVgeiDkhcUigiUuVmUu2Xgk3G3r7ReifzhhD1wh8QgC6Vjpo8eCKfmMruwzKJ8ASFXsBZEabtiH1UVKrhAsb1JqXR5WwzAu2hGf","sellerName":"Maison Louis Drucker","countryCode":"GB","offerId":"67bf01248f2b93c148c4c9a2","reducedPrice":""}],"component":"unified_product_card","total_index":1,"hasMultipleImage":false,"showProsConsData":false,"videoIds":[],"offersLength":1}">

Beaux-Arts Chair, D002

Bistro style seating, like this chair, is synonymous with Parisian streets and chic cafés. Why wouldn't you want to bring some of that to your home?

Gleda Dining Chair

Bringing understated Scandi style to a dining room near you.

Cavallino Chair

The mastermind behind Sketch's famous pink dining room knows a thing or two about creating a welcoming space to eat in. India Mahdavi's own range of furnishings includes the zingy yellow Cavallino chair.

The Opera Dining Chair

Bridging the gap between modernity and familiar comfort, this chair would be a timeless addition to any dining room.

Barback Chair

Max Rollit's Barback chair is the ideal choice for a more traditional feeling dining room. It's based on a chair sold in a collection by the Bank of England.

Y-Chair

Rose Uniacke's leather chair will only look better with age.