10 Best Dining Chairs 2025: Expert Guide to Smart Buying
Your dining chairs define the comfort and style of your room. I’ll help you navigate material choices and expert criteria to find your perfect match.
This guide looks at my top ten picks for 2025. They include the stylish Castlery Chelsea, the comfy Koala Curved, and the classic Freedom Wishbone. I also evaluate value-driven options from IKEA, Fantastic Furniture, and Temple & Webster’s best sellers. From the Harvey Norman Dunedin to the Lounge Lovers Cuba, I reveal which chairs truly deserve a spot at your table.
What Makes the Best Dining Chairs?
When I evaluate the best dining chairs for 2025, I look beyond just a pretty face. True quality comes down to a “trifecta” of ergonomics, durability, and material integrity. An expert-approved chair must support your posture during long dinner parties, not just for a quick breakfast. I always test for seat depth and back angle—if you feel the need to shift your weight after ten minutes, it’s a fail.
Durability remains equally critical; you should reinforce joints and ensure the legs remain stable without wobbling. The way your dining space and the chair fit together is essential. A good chair improves the flow of the room rather than making it feel cluttered.
How to Choose Dining Room Chairs for Your Lifestyle？
Selecting the proper seating is personal. If you have young children or pets, the best dining chairs for families are easy to clean. Look for chairs made of leather, faux leather, or tightly woven performance fabrics. Avoid delicate linens that trap stains.
For smaller apartments, look for dining room chairs with a slim profile or open backs to keep the dining area feeling spacious. Conversely, if you have a grand table, you can afford larger, fully upholstered armchairs that anchor the room.
Always check your table height. Standard dining tables are about 75 cm high. For comfortable dining, choose seats that are 45-48 cm high.
1. Koala Curved Dining Chair Review
People know the Koala Curved Dining Chair for its incredibly “squishy” and comfortable design. This is because of its soft foam padding. It features a modern, smooth aesthetic that fits nicely into a contemporary dining setup.
However, it’s worth noting that some users have reported assembly challenges, with screw holes sometimes not aligning perfectly. Once assembled, the chair provides excellent support and stain-resistant fabric. This makes it a strong choice if you value comfort over easy setup.
The market for modern dining chairs is competitive. However, Koala’s trial period gives you the peace of mind hard to find elsewhere.
2. Castlery Chelsea Dining Chair: Comfort Meets Style
For a chair that screams “luxe” without the designer price tag, the Castlery Chelsea is a standout. It balances style comfort perfectly with its curved backrest and metal-tipped legs, adding a touch of glamour to any room. The firm yet supportive cushioning makes it ideal for long conversations after the meal.
I’ve found the fabric quality to be durable enough for daily use, yet refined enough for formal occasions. A versatile piece that elevates your dining chair style instantly.
3. Lounge Lovers Cuba Dining Chair: Affordable Luxury
For a touch of organic warmth, the Lounge Lovers Cuba chair is a brilliant choice. It has a strong timber frame, usually made of Teak or Oak. The seat is hand-woven and looks like high-end Danish paper cord designs.
This chair brings texture and a relaxed vibe to your dining tables, perfect for coastal or Scandi-inspired homes.
Lightweight and easy to move around, the natural materials age beautifully over time. It proves you don’t need to spend a fortune to get that high-end, designer look.
4. Harvey Norman Dunedin Dining Chair: Versatility Tested
The Dunedin chair is a workhorse. The designers built it with a solid Rubberwood frame to withstand the rigours of daily family life. Its design is safe and neutral, meaning it blends into almost any dining room chair collection without clashing.
While it may not win awards for avant-garde design, its reliability is its superpower. The upholstered seat provides decent comfort, and the construction feels solid—no creaks or wobbles here. The “safe bet” for a busy household that needs furniture to last is the best choice.
5. Freedom Wishbone Dining Chair: Iconic Looks
The Wishbone chair is a design icon for a reason. Freedom’s version captures that classic mid-century silhouette with its Y-back frame and woven seat. Visually light, which keeps your room feeling open and airy. I love how the curved back rail offers surprising support, wrapping around you as you sit.
A masterclass in style comfort, proving that modern dining chairs can be both beautiful and functional. Just know that the woven seat can be hard to clean if you spill liquids on it. It may be better for adult-only homes.
6. Temple & Webster Phoenix Vintage-Style Faux Leather Dining Chair
This chair is a fantastic solution if you love the vintage industrial look but need something practical. The faux leather upholstery is incredibly easy to clean—a simple wipe down is all it takes to remove spills. The “Phoenix” model often features diamond stitching that adds a premium feel, disguising its budget-friendly nature. One of the best dining chairs for adding character to a room without the maintenance headaches of genuine vintage leather.
7. Temple & Webster Emilie Velvet Dining Chair: Soft Touch
Velvet adds instant drama and softness to a room. The Emilie chair pairs this luxurious fabric with a simple, modern shape, preventing it from looking too “stuffy.”
Users consistently rate it highly for comfortable dining, thanks to the high-density foam padding. Available in rich jewel tones, these can add a pop of colour to a neutral space. Velvet needs a little more care, so a lint roller is helpful. However, the feel of velvet is unique for this price.
8. Fantastic Furniture Flint Dining Chair: Value Pick for Australia
When searching for the best dining chairs Australia has to offer on a tight budget, the Flint chair is hard to beat. It features a simple, modern design with metal legs and a padded seat. Lightweight, easy to assemble, and surprisingly sturdy for the price.
This chair is excellent for a first home or a rental. It offers style without the worry of a substantial financial investment. It proves that easy-to-clean and stylish options exist at every price tier.
9. IKEA LISABO Chair: Scandinavian Simplicity
IKEA often gets a bad rap for longevity, but the LISABO series is a cut above. Made with ash veneer and solid birch, it feels much more substantial than typical flat-pack furniture.
Its design is the definition of Scandinavian minimalism—clean lines, warm wood tones, and zero unnecessary fuss. It fits perfectly into a compact dining space, and the wide seat is surprisingly accommodating. A durable, honest chair that doesn’t try to be something it’s not.
10. Temple & Webster Eames Replica DSW Dining Chair: Modern Classic
We end with a classic. The Eames DSW replica is ubiquitous for a reason: it works.
The moulded plastic shell is flexible and surprisingly ergonomic, while the “Eiffel” wood-and-metal base adds architectural interest. Highly durable, it wipes clean in seconds. This makes it a must-have for dining areas in cafes and homes.
A popular choice exists. It can match almost any table, from rustic wood to sleek glass. This keeps it relevant in 2025.
FAQ:
Focus on height and width. A standard dining table is about 75cm high, so you need a chair with a seat height between 45cm and 48cm. This leaves roughly 25-30cm of legroom, which is the sweet spot for comfort.
Width-wise, ensure there is at least 15cm of space between each chair so guests don’t bump elbows. If your table has a thick “apron” (the wood rim under the top), measure to ensure chair arms can slide underneath freely.
The “perfect” chair depends on your room’s size and traffic.
Small spaces: Pick armless chairs or low-back designs, like the IKEA LISABO. These can fit entirely under the table to clear walkways.
Large, formal rooms: High-back upholstered chairs or armchairs work best here, as they add visual weight and anchor the room.
Choose easy-to-clean materials for busy family areas. Good options include faux leather or treated wood. Avoid delicate fabrics like velvet or linen.
Hardwoods (like Oak, Teak, or Ash) are the gold standard for durability and longevity. They resist warping, and you can often refinish them if scratched.
For homes that want low-maintenance seating, moulded polypropylene (plastic) or metal chairs are great options. They are stain-proof and nearly indestructible. Upholstered chairs offer superior comfort for long dinner parties but require more maintenance to keep clean.
You don’t have to match perfectly! In fact, mixing is a significant trend for 2025.
Contrast: Pair a heavy, rustic wood table with sleek, modern metal or plastic chairs (like the Eames replica) for a dynamic look.
The “Common Thread”: When mixing styles, keep one element the same. This could be the leg shape, like all tapered legs, or the material, like all walnut wood. This helps connect the set.
Scale: Ensure the visual weight is balanced. A chunky concrete table needs substantial chairs, not flimsy wire ones.
Look for clean lines and minimal ornamentation. Modern wood chairs often feature curved backrests (like the Wishbone or Koala Curved) rather than intricate carvings. Pay attention to the finish; matte or satin finishes feel more contemporary than high-gloss lacquers.
Also, look for “mixed media” designs. Wood chairs with woven rope, leather seats, or metal accents often look more modern than solid wood alone.
