Dining Chairs

Pull Up the Right Dining Chair for Your Home

Dining chairs do more for a room than most people realise. They are the piece that ties your dining room furniture together, and choosing them well makes a genuine difference.

After four decades helping Australians furnish their homes, we know the chair you pull up to your dining table is rarely the obvious one. Here is what actually matters.

What makes a dining chair comfortable?

Proper support comes down to seat height, seat depth, back angle, and cushioning. Seat height and depth affect your posture. A padded seat and a well-angled back keep you comfortable well past the main course.

Our Melbourne design team designs upholstered dining chairs for the way Australians actually eat, with longer meals and mixed household use in mind. For most homes, a well-cushioned upholstered chair with a supportive back is the most practical starting point.

How to choose the right dining chair material

Lifestyle and daily habits are the real deciding factor, not aesthetics alone. There is a strong case for every option in our range.

Here’s the breakdown, matched to how real households live:

• Rattan and timber dining chairs suit homes that want natural warmth and longevity. Early Settler sources both directly, so the team's advice on durability comes from knowing how timbers like acacia and oak perform in real homes.
  
• Boucle, Chenille and velvet dining chairs bring texture and personality to adults-first spaces. Each benefits from a fabric protector applied to the upholstery before first use.
  
• Polyester and Polypropylene are the easy-care options and the most practical pick for families with young children. Leather dining chairs and plastic sit in the same wipe-clean bracket.
  
• Metal dining chairs with steel frames are built for longevity and adapt to contemporary, industrial, or mid-century rooms with equal ease.
  

Getting the size and height right

A standard Australian dining chair seat sits between 45 and 48cm from the floor. The gap between seat height and your tabletop should be 25 to 30cm. Allow 55 to 60cm of table length per person, including on dining benches and bench seats.

For armchairs, check the arm height clears the table apron before buying. Bringing your table measurements to one of our 54 stores is the simplest way to test seat height and supportive backrests in person.

Dining chair styles worth knowing about

French provincial, mid-century modern, Scandinavian with woven accents, contemporary upholstered, and retro industrial are the five looks shaping Australian dining rooms right now.

A note on colour and where each one works best:

• French provincial and country farmhouse chairs feature carved timber frames and ornate detail, suiting heritage-style homes best with white and natural timber tones.
  
• Mid-century modern chairs have tapered legs and clean lines, suiting formal and relaxed dining rooms with brown and white as the natural pairing.
  
• Scandinavian and woven accent chairs bring natural texture to light-filled, coastal or minimal spaces and pair well with neutral and natural timber tones.
  
• Modern dining chairs with upholstered seats and clean metal frames suit urban apartments and industrial-adjacent rooms, where black and grey make the most sense.
  
• Retro and industrial minimalist chairs have raw metal frames and bold profiles, suiting character-driven spaces and reading best against exposed brick or dark timber.
  

Should you buy a set or mix and match?

The most common mistake here is assuming everything must coordinate. Chairs do not need to match the table, and a complete set is not always the right approach. Sets of four or six suit formal or symmetrical rooms.

In relaxed spaces, white dining chairs and natural timber tones make the easiest mixing palette. Black dining chairs work as a confident accent against a neutral base. Early Settler's consistent design aesthetic makes mixing within the range a more natural starting point than shopping across multiple brands.

How to care for your dining chairs

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Every piece in our range includes a 12-month warranty, and regular upkeep takes a well-made piece well beyond its first year. Each material needs slightly different treatment.

• Timber – Wipe with a damp cloth and oil occasionally to keep the grain in good shape.
  
• Rattan – Use a barely damp cloth, dry it fully, and avoid prolonged moisture.
  
• Leather – Wipe with a barely damp cloth, blot spills immediately, and condition every six months to keep the material supple and prevent cracking.
  
• Velvet, Boucle and Chenille – Brush with a soft-bristle brush regularly and spot-clean spills promptly.
  
• Polypropylene and Plastic – These wipe clean with a damp cloth and resist most everyday stains without extra treatment.
  
• Metal frames – Dry after any moisture contact to protect the frame joins.
  
• Polyester and Fabric – Spot-clean with mild detergent and apply a fabric protector before first use.

For all upholstered dining room chairs, apply a fabric protector spray before first use. It takes minutes and makes a genuine difference to long-term stain resistance.

All the good seats are still available

The range has something for every kind of dining room and every kind of household. Our dining sets, sideboards, bar stools, kitchen storage, and outdoor dining chairs are all worth browsing while you are here.

Before you go, it is worth knowing that Home Club is free to join and saves you 10% off full price items. New members also receive a $20 welcome voucher on purchases over $150 and access to member pricing on select pieces.

FAQs

How many dining chairs do I need?

The number depends on your table length. Allow 55 to 60cm of space per seat along each side. As a rule, a 150cm table works well with four to six chairs, and a 180 to 200cm table with six to eight.

Are rattan dining chairs durable?

Well-made rattan dining chairs are genuinely durable. Tightly woven rattan on a solid frame holds up well to regular use. Keep it away from prolonged moisture and direct sun, and a well-sourced rattan chair will last many years in a dining room.

What dining chairs work best with a round table?

Armless dining chairs are the best fit for a round table. Without arms, they tuck in neatly and are easier to move in and out. A 100cm round table comfortably seats four, while a 130 to 150cm round table works well with six.